The hottest Genetics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Health & Wellness Topics

Are Seed Oils Behind Your Oxalate Problem?

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 1777 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Genetics
  1. High oxalate levels might be due to seed oils leading to glyoxal production which is a major source of oxalate.
  2. Reducing consumption of seed oils in favor of tropical oils, olive oil, and grass-fed animal fats might help lower oxalate production.
  3. Nutrients like biotin, B12, and folate play roles in detoxifying oxalate, and checking for energetic bottlenecks through comprehensive screenings can help address oxalate issues.

The Problem With Coconut

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 1577 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Genetics
  1. Not everyone's genes are compatible with a high coconut diet, especially if you have a predisposition to iron and manganese overload.
  2. Coconuts are rich in manganese, which can be harmful if you struggle with regulating manganese absorption.
  3. If you experience symptoms like headaches, irritability, or tremors while consuming a lot of coconut, you might want to consider reducing your intake.

🧬✨ An AI-genetics revolution — and arms race: A Quick Q&A with Bill Drexel

Faster, Please! • 365 implied HN points • 18 Dec 25
🕹 Technology Genetics
  1. AI is rapidly boosting genetic engineering, making it much easier to design and optimize genes in powerful new ways.
  2. That combo could trigger a dangerous international arms race, with China appearing willing to push ahead aggressively.
  3. The moral and ethical stakes are huge but aren’t getting enough public attention, so we need more debate, oversight, and urgency.

Can we use alpha particle exposures to falsify LNT?

Gordian Knot News • 124 implied HN points • 29 Jan 26
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. Observed human data show a clear dose-rate effect: acute high doses increase cancer around 100–300 mSv, while chronic exposures below about 20 mSv/day have not reliably produced cancer even at cumulative doses above 100,000 mSv, which contradicts a simple LNT prediction.
  2. Per unit energy absorbed, radiation produces similar numbers of double strand breaks because damage mainly comes from ROS, but alpha particles deposit energy very locally, creating clustered DSBs that are much more likely to misrepair and cause cancer, so alpha exposures are a strong test of dose–response.
  3. Cancer risk depends on misrepair of closely spaced DSBs and on DNA repair dynamics, so linear damage plus proportional repair does not imply a linear dose–response; models and regulation need to account for dose rate and spatial clustering rather than relying solely on cumulative dose.

Learning the Language of Life with A.I.

Ground Truths • 6211 implied HN points • 24 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Genetics
  1. AlphaFold2 has greatly advanced science by predicting protein structures. It's one of the most significant achievements in life sciences and has inspired many new AI models.
  2. There's a surge of new AI models focused on life sciences, including predictions of DNA and protein interactions. These advancements are happening quickly and are democratizing scientific research.
  3. The use of AI in biology is just beginning, and it holds exciting potential for future discoveries. It could help us understand complex biological functions better and develop new therapies.
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The cave where it happened: Denisova cavern’s congress of ancient peoples

Razib Khan's Unsupervised Learning • 434 implied HN points • 27 Nov 25
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. A new Denisovan genome has been sequenced, revealing more about the interactions between Denisovans, Neanderthals, and modern humans. This helps us understand how different human lineages mixed together in the past.
  2. Denisova Cave is a rich source of ancient human DNA, providing valuable insights into human evolution. Both Denisovans and Neanderthals lived and interacted in this cave, leading to mixes in their genetic make-up.
  3. The discovery of Denisova 25, an even older Denisovan genome, allows scientists to trace back our shared ancestry further. It shows that ancient humans had many connections and interbred with different groups over time.

A Few More Roche SBX Chip Notes

ASeq Newsletter • 21 implied HN points • 03 Mar 26
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. More technical details and small updates about the Roche SBX chip are still being discussed.
  2. TruPath is noted as interesting but not very exciting here, partly because it’s already been covered elsewhere.
  3. The write-up is behind a paywall and requires a paid subscription or sign-in to access.

CoQ10 Deficiency Is Sulfur Toxicity

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 1358 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Genetics
  1. CoQ10 deficiency is linked to sulfur toxicity, impacting various bodily functions and potentially causing issues like anxiety after eating meat or taurine consumption.
  2. Hydrogen sulfide, a necessary gasotransmitter, can turn toxic at high concentrations, affecting the body's ability to convert food energy to ATP.
  3. Taurine can help counteract the effects of sulfur toxicity by suppressing the trans-sulfuration pathway, which can prevent the overproduction of hydrogen sulfide and sulfite.

Antiquity’s miracle skin whitening method: migrate to Sweden, wait millennia

Razib Khan's Unsupervised Learning • 303 implied HN points • 15 Dec 25
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. Human skin color has been important in history for understanding identity and race. People have long used skin color to categorize and identify different groups.
  2. Skin color variation is influenced by genetics and environment, with darker skin being favored in sunny areas and lighter skin in regions with less sunlight. This was shaped by both evolution and preferences in mate selection.
  3. Recent advancements in genetic research have improved our understanding of pigmentation. Scientists can now predict traits like skin color more accurately using ancient DNA, though challenges remain with degraded samples.

Some Unintuitive Properties Of Polygenic Disorders

Astral Codex Ten • 14247 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. Schizophrenia, considered 80% genetic, shows varied risk in identical twins, proving genetics' complex role.
  2. Nazi eugenics program didn't reduce schizophrenia rates in Germany, showcasing environmental influences.
  3. Simplistic simulations demonstrate the nuanced interplay between genetic and environmental factors in polygenic disorders.

Why Engineer Biology?

Niko McCarty • 39 implied HN points • 10 Sep 24
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. Cells can help solve big problems like hunger and climate change by using chemistry and physics to rearrange atoms into useful materials. They are like natural tools that can be engineered to do tasks we need.
  2. Engineering biology has a successful history, like when Norman Borlaug improved wheat crops in Mexico. These achievements show that one innovative solution can make a huge difference over time.
  3. Now is a great time to work in biotechnology because tools for studying and changing genes are getting cheaper and easier to use. This means more people, from different backgrounds, can contribute to solving biological challenges.

It's Fair To Describe Schizophrenia As Probably Mostly Genetic

Astral Codex Ten • 13077 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Genetics
  1. Schizophrenia is likely mostly genetic but may not be described as a genetic disease based on heritability estimates.
  2. Genes play a crucial role in schizophrenia, serving as a risk factor and potentially a cause for the condition.
  3. Despite the complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors, schizophrenia can be colloquially referred to as genetic due to the significant genetic contribution in its development.

Who Does Polygenic Selection Help?

Astral Codex Ten • 11562 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. Polygenic selection can help prevent genetic diseases like schizophrenia by choosing embryos with lower risk during IVF, leading to healthier children
  2. Despite the complex nature of genetic selection, it can have positive effects on individuals and society by preventing diseases and improving overall health outcomes
  3. Analogies like preventing fetal alcohol syndrome through prenatal care or choosing healthier IVF embryos demonstrate the ethical and practical benefits of polygenic selection

Quibbling with Cofnas: I

Not On Your Team, But Always Fair • 1690 implied HN points • 21 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Genetics
  1. The hereditarian thesis acknowledges that different human groups have varied traits, but using the term 'race realism' may not be the best way to describe this concept.
  2. Social outcomes are influenced by both genetic differences and cultural patterns, making 'race' a limited descriptor for these variations.
  3. While genes play a role in social outcomes, factors like culture and social circumstances also significantly impact these outcomes, suggesting that a broader perspective than 'race realism' is needed.

No, intelligence is not like height

The Infinitesimal • 62 HN points • 26 Aug 24
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. Intelligence is not predicted by genetics in the same way height is. Studies show genetics only account for a small part of IQ scores compared to height.
  2. IQ is more influenced by environmental factors and cultural background. This means the way we measure intelligence might be impacted by things like access to education.
  3. The meaning of IQ and what it actually measures is still not clear. Unlike height, which is easy to measure, intelligence testing doesn’t have a simple or consistent method of measurement.

RKUL: Time Well Spent, 1/1/2026

Razib Khan's Unsupervised Learning • 154 implied HN points • 01 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Genetics
  1. Read a few rigorous interdisciplinary books this year; they are a small, high-value way to learn durable ways of thinking about science, history, and culture.
  2. Political activism is reshaping academic norms and sometimes sidelines traditional methods like philology; the worth of scholarship should rest on the usefulness of its methods and insights, not scholars' personal politics.
  3. New ancient DNA and genomics studies are steadily sharpening our view of human history by revealing deep regional roots, admixture, and selection, but in some regions more modern samples give diminishing returns so careful interpretation matters.

Evolution Explains Polygenic Structure

Astral Codex Ten • 8465 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. Genes for severe conditions like schizophrenia are likely small in effect and numerous, not large and few.
  2. Evolution would have eliminated genes with large negative effects, leaving only genes with small effects.
  3. The presence of genes with very small effects may be due to various factors like insufficient time for removal or counterbalancing advantages.

My Iron Overload Protocol

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 798 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Genetics
  1. Iron overload can lead to various symptoms like fatigue, joint pain, and mood swings, and increase the risk of diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
  2. Manganese overload can result in issues such as headaches, irritability, and signs similar to Parkinson's disease.
  3. Testing for iron and manganese overload is crucial, as symptoms can overlap, and genetic testing often misses rare mutations related to iron overload.

Hereditarian Hypotheses Aren't More Harmful

ideassleepfuriously • 1238 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. The blank slate perspective can lead to conflict, totalitarianism, and rejection of genetic enhancement technology.
  2. We should value understanding the role of genes in socioeconomic outcomes for accurate policy-making.
  3. Attributing group disparities to genes can reduce blame, control, and punishment, fostering compassion and reducing social conflict.

What are behavioural polygenic scores for?

Wyclif's Dust • 1073 implied HN points • 02 Jul 25
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. Behavioural polygenic scores (PGS) can show how genetic variation affects important life outcomes. It's key that these effects are meaningful for understanding social issues.
  2. Understanding causal relationships is essential when using PGS. We need to know if the genes influence outcomes or just correlate with them.
  3. Successful use of PGS requires good research design. Researchers should be clear about what they're measuring and ensure that genetic factors are compared to other variables correctly.

RKUL: Time Well Spent, 11/27/2025

Razib Khan's Unsupervised Learning • 234 implied HN points • 28 Nov 25
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. Your time is valuable, so it's better to spend it on meaningful activities instead of wasting it online. Books and knowledge can greatly enrich your life.
  2. James Watson made significant contributions to understanding DNA, and his book 'The Double Helix' gives a unique insight into this scientific journey. It's a great read for anyone interested in genetics.
  3. E. O. Wilson and W. D. Hamilton had different approaches to biology, but both made important discoveries. Their works show the evolution of thought in the field of genetics and how science can help us understand life better.

A Most Important Mustard

Asimov Press • 264 implied HN points • 26 Nov 25
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. Arabidopsis thaliana is a small plant that was first discovered in the Harz Mountains of Germany. Despite its simplicity, it has become a major model for plant biology.
  2. Important researchers saw its potential, especially because it has a small genome and can be easily manipulated in the lab. This made it useful for studying plant genetics.
  3. Over time, Arabidopsis has transformed from being overlooked to becoming a key species for understanding many plant processes, benefiting both research and agriculture.

Bioelectric Signalling and Cellular Communication

Solve Cancer in 365 days • 39 implied HN points • 28 Aug 24
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. Bioelectricity is how cells communicate using tiny electrical signals. Think of it as the way cells send messages to each other in the body.
  2. Cells have gate-like structures called ion channels that control the movement of charged particles, creating bioelectric signals. These signals help in many processes such as healing and development.
  3. Manipulating bioelectric signals could potentially change how cells behave, which might lead to new ways to treat diseases like cancer by changing unhealthy cells back to normal ones.

Interpreting the Genova Methylation Panel

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 1298 implied HN points • 12 Dec 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Genetics
  1. Methylation is crucial for many body processes, with signs of imbalance like fatty liver disease, cardiovascular risks, fatigue, and more.
  2. Simply testing homocysteine, folate, and B12 isn't enough to assess methylation levels accurately. More in-depth tests like the Genova Methylation Panel are recommended.
  3. The interpretive section of the Genova Methylation Panel report provides helpful insights, but it may not cover all relevant patterns. Supplementing with genetic testing like StrateGene is also suggested.

Energy Metabolism Governs Everything

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 2096 implied HN points • 25 May 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Genetics
  1. Energy metabolism governs everything in our bodies and plays a crucial role in health and disease.
  2. The laws of thermodynamics, especially the second law, are fundamental to understanding the process of energy metabolism, how the body functions, and how disorder affects health.
  3. Optimizing energy metabolism through proper nutrition, stress management, and addressing idiosyncratic genetic impairments can have a profound impact on overall health and wellbeing.

The Genetic Time Machine: Neanderthals, genomics and hybridization priors

ideassleepfuriously • 982 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. 200 thousand years of isolation may not be enough for genetic incompatibilities to develop
  2. Genomics has revolutionized evolutionary biology by providing precise insights with massive amounts of data
  3. The mixing of Neanderthal and modern human lineages led to genetic incompatibilities and selection against Neanderthal-origin DNA in modern humans

Startled?! Try Glycine

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 1557 implied HN points • 28 Oct 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Genetics
  1. Being easily startled could indicate an issue, while a normal startle response is crucial for protection and fight-or-flight preparation.
  2. The startle reflex involves visual, auditory, and tactile inputs, with enhanced reflex indicative of certain conditions like PTSD.
  3. Glycine plays a crucial role in inhibiting the motor response of the startle reflex, and low glycine levels can lead to heightened startle responses.

Immigrants of Imperial Rome: Pompeii’s genetic census of the doomed

Razib Khan's Unsupervised Learning • 177 implied HN points • 01 Dec 25
💾 History Genetics
  1. Pompeii was buried under ash and pumice after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, trapping its citizens and preserving their last moments in time. This tragic event allows us to see a snapshot of everyday life in a Roman city.
  2. Recent genetic testing on remains found in Pompeii shows that some previous assumptions about relationships among victims were incorrect. For example, some figures thought to be a mother and child were actually unrelated men.
  3. The genetic analysis suggests that the people of Pompeii came from diverse backgrounds. This new understanding helps us learn more about the different cultures and stories of individuals in ancient Rome.

SV40 Enhancer qPCR

Nepetalactone Newsletter • 1572 implied HN points • 17 Jul 23
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. A new qPCR assay is designed to detect SV40 enhancer in the Pfizer vaccine.
  2. The assay is more sensitive than other assays and can help track tissues with SV40 elements.
  3. This qPCR tool could be useful in screening clinical samples for PCR positivity and prioritize for further sequencing.

Hyper-Darwinian Wars

Holodoxa • 259 implied HN points • 28 May 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Genetics
  1. Cancer is genetic in origin, making treatment a relentless struggle against a protean foe with evolutionary possibilities.
  2. Precision treatment options are emerging as complements or alternatives to traditional cancer treatments, offering hope in the battle against cancer evolution.
  3. The challenges of drug resistance, tumor heterogeneity, cancer stem cells, and the tumor microenvironment highlight the complexity of cancer and underscore the need for innovative, targeted treatment strategies.

The Race to Make Designer Babies

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 635 implied HN points • 11 Aug 25
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. CRISPR-Cas9 technology can potentially eliminate genetic diseases, but it also raises ethical concerns about creating 'designer babies.'
  2. Two individuals, He Jiankui and Cathy Tie, are in competition to lead the gene editing field in the U.S., each with different visions.
  3. As gene editing technology advances rapidly, society must decide the ethical boundaries of its use before it's too late.

Autism diagnoses are rising, yes, but autism, probably not

Just Emil Kirkegaard Things • 923 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. Autism diagnoses are increasing due to more liberal diagnostic criteria and shifts in categorization.
  2. There is a trend of decreasing thresholds for autism diagnoses, including reclassifying individuals previously diagnosed with other conditions.
  3. The prevalence of autism is influenced by genetic factors, and options for reducing autism risk may raise ethical questions.

MASHUP: Aboriginal Smokeless Nicotine, Quinine & Caffeine Therapy, African G6PD Deficiency

Grey Goose Chronicles • 786 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. Aboriginal Australians have a unique way of consuming tobacco with varying effects and health benefits.
  2. Quinine has a rich history in colonial expansion and fighting malaria, while caffeine might hold potential as an antimalarial drug.
  3. Genetic conditions like G6PD deficiency in sub-Saharan Africans show adaptations to malaria, impacting medical treatments and outcomes.

Learning about longevity from long-lived animals

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 30 implied HN points • 10 Feb 26
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. Long-lived animals use different tricks — extreme regeneration, strong DNA repair and cancer defenses, and very slow metabolisms — any of which could teach us about aging.
  2. Humans already have some longevity advantages like big brains, long childhoods, social roles, and certain cancer-fighting adaptations, but these traits come with evolutionary tradeoffs.
  3. We can extend life by treating specific diseases or by targeting fundamental aging (telomeres, DNA repair, metabolism); promising approaches include telomerase work, mTOR inhibitors, diabetes drugs, and caloric restriction, but they carry risks like cancer and other tradeoffs.

What makes a good egg?

De Novo • 154 implied HN points • 30 Nov 25
🔬 Science Genetics
  1. For an egg to develop into a healthy baby, it needs to have the right number of chromosomes and be free from harmful mutations. This can be checked using various genetic testing methods.
  2. Eggs must also have proper epigenetics, meaning they need to erase the old marks from the starting cells and replace them with new ones specific to eggs. This part has been tricky for scientists.
  3. Besides genetics and epigenetics, eggs need to be the right size and have enough nutrients and energy sources. To be useful, any method for growing eggs in the lab must make sure the eggs are consistently high-quality and safe.