A new higher mutation rate in humans includes indels in repetitive DNA regions

Theme

Mutation

-definition
-mutation types
-mutation rates
-phylogeny
-controversies

There are three ways of estimating the human mutation rate. The Biochemical Method is based on the known error rate of DNA replication and the average number of cell divisions between generations. It gives a rate of about 130 mutations per generation.

The Phylogenetic Method assumes that a large fraction of mammalian genomes is evolving at the neutral rate because it is junk DNA. Since we know that the rate of fixation of neutral alleles is equal to the mutation rate, we can estimate the mutation rate if we know the total number of nucleotide difference between two species (e.g. humans and chimpanzees) and the approximate time of divergence from a common ancestor. This gives an estimate of about 112 mutations per generation.

L'ADN poubelle: Junk DNA

This is a podcast in French on the topic of junk DNA. The moderator is Thomas C. Durand of La Tronche en Biais, a YouTube channel that focuses on critical thinking. Durand interviews two scientists from l’Université Paris Cité (City University of Paris), Didier Casane and Patrick Laurenti.

It's a two hour video that discusses all the relevant topics on the human genome and junk DNA. The most exciting part for me comes at 56 mins when the moderator asks Casane and Laurenti to recommend a book on the subject (see screenshot on right). Patrick Laurenti suggests that my book should be translated into French but I don't think that's going to happen.

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Current Trump tariffs

Here's a list of the current Trump tariffs taken from Wikpedia. It's important to remember that there's a 10% tariff on every country and special tariffs that severely affect Canada and Mexico. In Canada's case, it's the 25% tariff on steel, alumium, and autos.

This isn't just about China. Trump has focused much of his attack on Canada.

I don't think anybody understands what it is that Trump wants to negotiate.

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American Society of Human Genetics DNA Day essay contest winners

The American Society of Human Genetics sponsors an annual DNA Day Essay Contest. It's for grade 9-12 students from anywhere in the world.

This year's question is ...

President Trump promotes the lab leak conspiracy theory on the White House website

Knowledgeable scientists agree that the COVID-19 pandemic began when the virus SARS-CoV-2 infected citizens of Wuhan who were visiting the wet market in the late Fall of 2019. The virus probably came from infected live animals that were on sale in the market. There is very little dispute within the (knowledgeable) scientific community, the vast majority of scientists support a natural origin.