This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American One of the longest standing assumptions about ...

An analysis of twin cohort data suggests that human life span is far more heritable than previously believed. The findings of the analysis show that once deaths from external factors, such as ...

The nature-nurture debate historically referred to the disagreement between whether traits are caused by ones biology (nature) or the environment (nurture). These days, disagreements centre on how ...

Despite years of research, the genetic factors behind many human diseases and characteristics remain unknown. The inability to find the complete genetic causes of family traits such as height or the ...

As I grew up, I noticed that my mother's and my sister’s personalities were very similar. They were uncaring and indifferent to other people’s feelings. They were bold, always insisting they were ...