A newly discovered gene that's essential for embryo survival could hold the key to treating chronic infections such as HIV and tuberculosis. The gene, Arih2, makes critical decisions about whether to switch on the immune response and could have important implications for the treatment of infections that 'exhaust' and turn off the immune system, including autoimmune conditions.
New research has found that Australian blue whales have surprisingly moved their habitat to Antarctica, most likely as a result of climate change or hunting. The new study used genetic testing to tell the subspecies apart, so it's possible they've always been there but were mistaken for Antarctic blue whales in the past.
Sperm contributes more to the next generation than just its DNA, a new study in sea squirts suggests. It's currently believed sperm is simply a vessel for DNA, but the new research found that sperm which can stay alive for a few days before fertilisation produces larvae that's more likely to survive the first weeks of life. The scientists aren't sure what causes this ongoing impact or whether the same applies in humans, but they suspect epigenetics is involved.
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