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A new study published in Nature describes the discovery and analysis of ancient DNA that is calculated to be two-million-years-old, breaking the record for the oldest DNA to be discovered and studied. A breakthrough for the field of ancient DNA analysis A new study marks a “game-changing” moment in the study of evolution, as the world’s oldest DNA is successfully sequenced. The research was led by Professor Eske Willerslev, a fellow of St John’s College, University of Cambridge and director of the Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre at the University of Copenhagen, and Professor Kurt H. Kjær, a geology expert also based at the University of Copenhagen. “This is the longest study I have ever been involved in,” Willerslev said. It began in 2006, when a team of scientists journeyed to northern Greenland, reaching the København Formation, a geologic formation that lies within the mouth of a fjord in the Arctic Ocean. The team were visiting the area for a different project but, whilst th

A new study published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience identifies formic acid as a potential biomarker for early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Obtained from urine, the biomarker could offer an inexpensive and efficient diagnostic tool for the neurodegenerative condition. Diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease    A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease requires a series of clinical assessments, such as interviews, cognitive and neuropsychological tests, which can prove expensive and unsuitable for large-scale routine screening. Many patients are diagnosed later in life when the disease has progressed beyond the reach of effective treatment. “Alzheimer’s disease is a continuous and concealed chronic disease, meaning that it can develop and last for many years before obvious cognitive impairment emerges,” say the authors of a new study exploring whether a simple urine test could offer a solution. “The early stages of the disease occur before the irreversible dementia stage, and this is the golden windo

Definition Hemoglobin is a protein that carries oxygen in the blood. Hemoglobin electrophoresis measures the levels of the different types of this protein in the blood. Alternative Names Hb electrophoresis; Hgb electrophoresis; Electrophoresis - hemoglobin; Thallasemia - electrophoresis; Sickle cell - electrophoresis; Hemoglobinopathy - electrophoresis How the Test is Performed A blood sample is needed. In the lab, the technician places the blood sample on special paper and applies an electric current. The hemoglobins move on the paper and form bands that show the amount of each type of hemoglobin. How to Prepare for the Test No special preparation is necessary for this test. How the Test will Feel When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging sensation. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight bruise. This soon goes away. Why the Test is Performed You may have this test if y

While NASA’s Juno spacecraft has captured some stunning imagery of Jupiter since entering orbit around the gas giant in 2016, it’s not the only celestial body in the probe’s sights. As part of its exploration of the Jovian system, Juno is also inspecting one of planet’s largest moons in Europa, and has this week swooped in for its closest look yet. Europa is a source of much intrigue for scientists on the hunt for life beyond Earth. For years, researchers have been watching the moon closely from afar and evidence of liquid water has begun to build, adding weight to the theory that a subsurface ocean lies beneath its icy shell. This salty body of water is thought to be one the most likely places to harbor life in our Solar System, and with its advanced suite of imagers and instruments, Juno may just help us dig into these secrets. On Thursday September 29, the probe came within 219 miles (352 km) of the moon’s surface, and was the first spacecraft to

Engineers at Duke University have developed a novel delivery system for cancer treatment and demonstrated its potential against one of the disease’s most troublesome forms. In newly published research in mice with pancreatic cancer, the scientists showed how a radioactive implant could completely eliminate tumors in the majority of the rodents, demonstrating what they say is the most effective treatment ever studied in these pre-clinical models. Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat, with tumor cells of this type highly evasive and loaded with mutations that make them resistant to many drugs. It accounts for just 3.2 percent of all cancers, yet is the third leading cause of cancer-related death. One way of tackling it is by deploying chemotherapy to hold the tumor cells in a state that makes them vulnerable to radiation, and then hitting the tumor with a targeted radiation beam.

Ancient creatures are emerging from the cold storage of melting permafrost, almost like something out of a horror movie. From incredibly preserved extinct megafauna like the woolly rhino, to the 40,000-year-old remains of a giant wolf, and bacteria over 750,000 years old. "These are viruses that would have thrived in extreme environments," said Ohio State University microbiologist Matthew Sullivan, with "signatures of genes that help them infect cells in cold environments – just surreal genetic signatures for how a virus is able to survive in extreme conditions." Comparing their genetic sequences to a database from known viruses, the team found the most abundant viruses in both ice core samples were bacteriophages that infect Methylobacterium – bacteria important to the methane cycle within ice. They were most related to viruses found in Methylobacterium strains in plant and soil habitats – consistent with a previous report that t