DNA

Do you sneeze when eating dark chocolate? It’s not an allergy, it’s a “bug” in your DNA inherited from Neanderthals

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Buy a bar of chocolate with 90% cocoa to get home and put the first piece in your mouth to have that bitter and pleasant hit that many seek. But what you find is a series of sneezes as if it were an allergy. If you have identified with this microstory, you are not allergic to cocoa, but you are part of a curious minority victim of a neurological “short circuit” that science has studied and that could directly connect with Neanderthals. A crossing of cables. Sometimes the body gives us many surprises, such as sneezing when we get a bit of sun after leaving the house. But if we focus on chocolate, the reality is that We are not talking about an immune response with histamine involved. The explanation most accepted by the scientific community lies in the trigeminal nerve. The trigeminal nerve is one of the most important nerves we have and is responsible for transmitting sensitive information from the face to the brain. In the event that we eat dark chocolate, especially with a purity greater than 70%, compounds such as theobromine and caffeine intensely stimulate taste receptors. The theory. What is being proposed right now is that in certain people this signal is so powerful that the trigeminal nerve becomes “confused.” In this way, when passing close to the optic nerve and the respiratory tract, the brain interprets this explosion of bitter and intense taste as a nasal irritant or a powerful visual signal, triggering the sneeze to “expel” the supposed threat. The solar connection. As we have mentioned previously, there is a well-documented phenomenon in which 25-30% of the population sneezes when looking at bright light like that of the Sun. This is what is known as a photic sneeze reflex and science has strong support for stating that it is due to hyperexcitability in the visual cortex. Well, chocolate sneezing seems to be a variant or “first cousin” of this photic reflex. In fact, it is quite likely that if a person sneezes on chocolate, they will also do so when leaving the house on a sunny day. Both are failures in the filtering of signals in the trigeminal nerve. Neanderthal heritage. As explained by biologist Gerry Ward in an archived blog postthis trait is not a random error that exists in the population, but is a direct inheritance in our genetic material, and goes one step further by pointing out that it may come directly from Neanderthals. The hypothesis on the table is that, in prehistoric times, this reflex acted as a defense mechanism to clean the respiratory tract against unknown tastes or smells that could be dangerous. In this way, what today is a great nuisance when eating a simple dessert, 40,000 years ago could have been a great evolutionary advantage that marked the survival of certain individuals. It’s more complex. Although dissemination almost always falls into great simplicity, genetic data is complex. In this case, Ward’s theory placed the responsible gene in the chromosome 11but later data from 23andMe, the famous genetic analysis company, identified specific markers associated with this phenomenon on chromosome 12. But this later changed, since studies on the photic reflex pointed to variations in the chromosomes 2 and 3. This suggests that the trait is polygenic since there is not a single “switch” for sneezing, but rather several genetic components that increase the probability of suffering from it. How many suffer from it. Although a priori you may hear that this is a ‘problem’ that is present in 30% of the population, the reality is that this figure corresponds to the photic reflex related to sunlight. The sneeze caused specifically by dark chocolate is much more unique, since, according to data collected by 23andMe among its users, only about 1% of the population reports systematically sneezing after consuming dark chocolate. In this way, we are facing a select club within the largest group of those who sneeze for light. Images | Tetiana Bykovets Towfiqu barbhuiya In Xataka | Something strange is happening with the chocolate crisis in Spain: households consume less, but business improves

It’s called AlphaGenome and it looks for the ‘flaws’ in DNA that no one else sees

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Historically, genetics has had a big problem with our body and the instruction manual that we have in each of the cells and that gives us the possibility of living: DNA. Until now, We could only understand well 2% of all our genetic materialleaving the rest of the information in a mess drawer that came to be called “junk DNA” because we did not understand what function it had in our body. But this has changed thanks to technology. The solution. Google has wanted to collaborate with science to understand much better what 98% of our DNA does that it does not encode proteins and that we did not know its reason for being. But evolutionarily, if it has not been lost over the generations, it is because it must have had some relevant function. In order to shed light on this ‘dark’ region we now have AlphaGenome, an AI model that is capable of reading massive fragments of our DNA and predicting with great precision how small mutations can alter cellular machinery and cause diseases. Like a cancer. What we know. As we have said before, genetics knows that only 2% of the human genome contains instructions for making proteins. The rest of the DNA was a mystery for a long time until it was recently discovered that “switches”, known as enhancerswho decide when, where and how much a specific gene is expressed. The problem arose when the genetic variations in these areas were difficult to interpret due to the great diversity of molecular consequences that it can cause. Until now, computational tools had to choose: either they analyzed very short sequences in great detail or they looked at long sequences in little detail. AlphaGenome has broken that barrier. A million letters. In a very colloquial way, we can understand that human DNA is made up of letters (which are the different nitrogenous bases) and their combination literally generate a language. In this case, AlphaGenome’s great technical innovation is its ability to “zoom” and “pan” at the same time. The model takes as input 1 megabase (1 Mb) of DNA sequence, which is one million letters, and predicts thousands of functional genomic clues at single base pair resolution. And this is a vital range, since genetic regulation occurs at a distance. And although in our minds we can imagine that the ‘switches’ of the different genes are right next to or above their targets, the reality is that they can be very far from it. In fact, 99% of validated enhancer-gene pairs fall within this 1 Mb range. Its importance. It may sound like technical science fiction, but the impact of an AI understanding our “junk code” has very real consequences for patients and medicine in the near future. And AlphaGenome is not just a tool for biologists; It is a key to unblock personalized medicine. One of the most important points is in what are known as ‘rare diseases’ where dedicating a research team is unfortunately not worth it due to the few people who have a disease. In this case, AI, by interpreting all the genetic material, can show many answers ‘hidden’ in that non-coding dark matter to offer new diagnostic avenues. Computer drug. The tool promises to accelerate the design of advanced therapies. By predicting how a DNA sequence affects splicing (splicing) or expression, can be used to design drugs that act on the products generated by the genetic machinery of our cells. In this way, the door is opened to these precise and very non-invasive treatments by acting on a specific protein, which reduces its side effects. Decrypt cancer. As has been demonstrated with leukemia, the model allows us to understand the most complex genetic mechanisms of this disease in which we are facing a constant struggle. It doesn’t just say “there is a mutation,” but explains how that mutation breaks cellular rules to activate an oncogene that is the precursor to future cancer. This is vital to develop drugs that attack the root of the problem and not just the symptoms. Your availability. True to the philosophy of “open science” (with nuances), DeepMind has released the model code and weights for research, in addition to provide an online API for non-commercial use. Although logically AlphaGenome is not the end of the road, it does represent the most detailed map that we have ever woven of that “dark matter” that makes us human. Images | digitale.de In Xataka | Your DNA predicts whether you are going to use cannabis (and how often): the culprit genes have already been identified

In Tres Cantos they are analyzing the DNA of uncollected dog poop and fining the owners

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The landscape, the species of trees, the flowers in the flowerbeds, the design of the paths or the games for children may vary, but in the parks of Spain (and many other countries) there are certain “basics” that are not usually missing: there are benches, there are fountains… and there is dog poopan annoying reminder that citizens do not always comply with the obligations that come with having pets. In recent years some city councils have tried to solve it creating DNA bases that allow them to locate the owners of the dogs and punish them if they do not take care of their feces. For a while, receiving one of those fines sounded like a distant threat, but in Spain there are already town councils passing from theory to practice. The last example Tres Cantos leaves it, in Madrid. What has happened? That the Tres Cantos City Council said goodbye to 2025 by activating its machinery to fine people who breaks its regulations. So far nothing out of the ordinary. The curious thing is the offense that is being pursued and above all how the City Council hunts down the offenders. What it has done is use the “canine DNA detection service” to fine those neighbors who ignore the excrement that their pets leave on sidewalks, parks and gardens. The ordinance makes it clear that people who walk pets through the municipality must collect “immediately” (and throw in the trash) the poop they leave in any area where pedestrians pass. Failure to do so is considered an infraction that, according to TeleMadrid specifiescarries fines of several hundred euros: between 300 and 600, depending on whether or not the offender is a repeat offender. Is it something new? Tres Cantos announced a year and a half ago his intention to create a “canine genetic census” to have the municipality’s dogs ‘registered’ and thus be able to identify excrement abandoned in the streets. In 2024 even launched a campaign baptized ‘I’m from Tres Cantos, it’s in my DNA’ in which it asked neighbors to register their pets in the following months. The idea was that people would take their animals to an authorized clinic to perform a simple test (basically taking a saliva sample) that would allow them to be registered. The procedure costs about 40 eurosbut the Consistory recalled that it is mandatory. Failure to do so also carries a penalty. The measure did not remain on paper and throughout the last few months the City Council has intensified their efforts to put it into practice, even with collection days of excrement. The surprise (and this is new) came on December 30, when the local government advertisement that the canine DNA system has already allowed him to identify “several owners” of dogs who do not pick up their pets’ feces. And he warned: “He will be punished” But… Is it that important? Yes it is. And not only because the measure wants to once and for all solve the problem of dog poop in cities. As remember from Tres Cantosthe canine registry is obtained in a “simple and harmless” way for the animal and serves many more purposes than sanctioning. “The genetic census is a reliable tool that protects animals, since it allows them to be located if they are lost, mistreated or abandoned, providing scientific certainty in possible judicial processes, claims and complaints,” claimed in July 2024 the Councilor for Public Health. In fact, the canine genetic census has already helped to resolve cases of puppy abandonment. Does it only happen in Tres Cantos? No. The idea of ​​canine DNA censuses has permeated more municipalities in Spain. In December 2024, Pipper on Tour estimated that 81 locations They already require pet owners to take them to clinics to have blood or saliva samples taken to carry out a census. In recent years the idea has attracted municipalities such as Malaga, Collado Villalba, Santa Eularia, Cornellà either Alcala de Henaresamong others. The latter in fact has a “canine CSI” for offenders who risk fines of between 300 and 3,000 euros. In its first year the program made it possible about 200 disciplinary proceedings, although many were directed at owners who still did not register their pets. In July Santa Eulària celebrated also that canine DNA has reduced fecal alerts by half. Images | Bruce Warrington (Unsplash) and Monika Simeonova (Unsplash) In Xataka | Rats are growing by 300% in some cities around the world. And the problem is that we have no idea how to avoid it.

Historians have been trying to understand Hitler for decades. DNA just gave us a clue about your sex life

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“We didn’t know what we were going to find. It could have been the most boring genome on the planet, but it turned out amazing.” As if the promise of new (and morbid) revelations about Hitler weren’t enough to grab the world’s attention, that phrase of Turi Emma Kinga famous geneticist, has helped the documentary ‘Hitler’s DNA’ generated a huge stir even before its premiere. Logical. After all, the work is based on scientific research that reveals that the Nazi leader suffered from a genetic disorder that affected his sexuality. And that is just one of his many conclusions. Yes, Hitler again. The 20th century was prolific in wars, milestones and historical figures, but probably few arouse the fascination of Adolf Hitler. For his disastrous role as fuhrer but also because of the enormous amount of conspiracy theories and hoaxes that surround his figure. About his death, your habits and tasteshis supposed Jewish ancestry and his equal alleged offspring So many pages have been written that they would cover (several times) the bunker in which he committed suicide on April 30, 1945 with a sip of cyanide and/or a bullet. So it’s no surprise that any new revelation about him generates considerable excitement. Especially if it is one like the one that promises ‘Hitler’s DNA’a documentary produced by Channel 4 and which boasts of having thoroughly studied the DNA of the Nazi dictator. The piece premiered yesterday, Saturday, but its authors have taken it upon themselves to air their main conclusions in advance to warm things up. And although there are those who question their rhetoric or the solidity of some of their statements, one thing is clear: they have not done badly in their endeavor. Adolf Hitler’s DNA? Exact. To understand how the producers obtained a genetic sample from Hitler, we must go back to May 1945, shortly after the Nazi leader’s suicide. Among the allied soldiers who were able to access the Führerbunker There was one especially clever one, Roswell P. Rosengren, who came up with an idea: Why not take proof of the very couch on which the dictator had taken his life? No sooner said than done. The American officer cut off a blood-stained scrap and took it home. The piece was guarded by his family until 2014, when it passed to the Gettysburg History Museum. There the producers of Channel 4 found him, who had to face the following challenge: Was that really Hitler’s blood? Was there some way to establish the link, beyond Rosengren’s story? The answer was yes, although it forced them to take a new time jump (this much shorter one) to 2008, when the journalist Jean-Paul Mulders obtained a DNA sample from a relative of Hitler, a person with whom he shared paternal ancestors. Mulders’ purpose was to investigate the rumor of an alleged illegitimate son of Hitler, but in the end it served the creators of the documentary to compare the sample with the blood on the couch. The result: a perfect match. Double check which reinforced the conviction that the cloth contained Hitler’s DNA. “I thought about it a lot”. The next mission was to sequence that DNA to find out everything it hid about its owner, another far from easy task. Not so much because of the technical complexity itself but because of the enormous controversy that accompanies Hitler. In fact The Times assures that there were several laboratories that refused to collaborate in the documentary. Professor Turi Emma King, the lead geneticist on the research, also had her reservations when it was proposed. “I thought about it a lot,” recognize to the British newspaper the scientist, known for identifying years ago the remains of King Richard III. If he decided to embark on the project it was for two reasons: first, why not do it when the DNA is already being used for historical research it would mean giving a prominent role to Hitler; second, by the conviction that sooner or later someone would do it. “We wanted to make sure it was done methodically and rigorously.” So King decided to join the other main expert in the investigation, Dr. Alex Kayexpert on Nazi Germany and professor at the University of Potsdam. Clearing up unknowns. The experiment did not disappoint. As King acknowledges, the team risked not getting convincing results or anything substantial to justify the effort. Quite the opposite happened: the DNA analysis yielded some surprising conclusions that help debunk myths and expand the keys to understanding the Nazi leader. “We didn’t know what we were going to find. It could have been the most boring genome on the planet, but it turned out incredible,” relates. One of their most interesting findings is that the rumors about Hitler’s Hebrew ancestry appear to be basically that: rumors. At the time, there was speculation that the dictator’s paternal grandfather could have been Jewish (Hitler’s father, Alois, was an illegitimate son), a theory so deep-rooted that in 2022 it came to light. share it publicly Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. He was wrong. Channel 4 analysis reveals that Hitler was of Austro-German descent and supports the family tree drawn up by the Nazis. “Confirms that the story of Jewish ancestry through his parents is false,” concludes King on CNN. Kallman syndrome. If there is a revelation that has generated interest and grabbed headlines, however, it is the one that tells us about a much more personal aspect of Hitler: his physiology. Scientists claim to have found solid evidence that Hitler suffered from some form of Kallman syndromea genetic disorder that affects the development during puberty and of sexual organs. The most common thing is that the syndrome causes hypogonadism (insufficient production of testosterone during adolescence), but as the British press has been responsible for reminding these days, it has another peculiarity: up to 10% of those who have the disorder have micropenis. Beyond the obvious morbidity of this revelation, the data is interesting because of the stories that … Read more

and that is helping us understand DNA

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Can a person end consuming cannabis in your life according to your DNA? This is the question asked by a research team from UC San Diego and the genetics company 23andMeand the response has been incredible: they have found a direct connection between our genome and cannabis consumption. The study. After analyzing the genetic data of 130,000 people, have managed to identify two specific genes like CADM2 and the GRM3which are not only linked to the probability of trying the substance, but also to the frequency of its consumption. But the most important revelation is how these genes correlate with more than 100 mental and physical health traits, including schizophrenia, impulsivity, diabetes and chronic pain. The ultimate goal: to finally find a way to prevent and treat cannabis use disorder by ‘attacking’ the DNA itself. Genetics of addiction. Cannabis is one of the most used substances in the world, but its long-term effects and the biological mechanisms that lead to cannabis use disorder remain largely unknown to science. The lead author of the study points out in this case that “although the majority of people who try cannabis do not develop a cannabis use disorder, some studies estimate that almost 30% will.” And in order to make a more correct estimate, the most powerful genetic tool available today was used: a genome-wide association study GWAS. The method. Using genetic data and surveys from 131,895 participants from the company 23andMe, the researchers looked for patterns. These were based on the premise that there are different genetic factors that influence people whether or not a person will try drugs, how often they will use them, and the risk of becoming addicted. But now they wanted to specifically identify the molecular systems that were connecting cannabis use to brain function and behavior. Two genes. The analysis identified two genes significantly associated with lifetime cannabis use. The first of them is CADM2, which includes how neurons connect and communicate in the brain. Previous research already pointed to a relationship between this gene and impulsivity, obesity and cancer metastasis. This new study confirms that it is also linked to both prove cannabis ever like frequency with which it is consumed. The second gene affected is GRM3, which influences neuronal communication and brain adaptation. Its involvement is notable, as it has previously been connected to serious psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Beyond cannabis. This is where the study becomes more complex. The researchers did not stop at those two genes, since a secondary analysis revealed another 40 genes associated with the use of this drug. But the most revealing thing was when they cross-referenced these genetic findings with two huge independent health databases (from the program All of Us from the NIH and the Vanderbilt Biobank). In this case, it was discovered that the genetic predisposition to cannabis consumption was correlated with more than 100 different traits such as: Psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. Cognitive traits such as having low executive function. Have diabetes or chronic pain. Greater likelihood of using tobacco. Increased risk of having infectious diseases such as HIV. Treatment? This study is one of the first to genetically analyze behaviors previous to the development of a cannabis use disorder. In this way, before an addiction to this type of substance occurs, a genetic prediction can be made of how having specific genetics will directly affect the consumption of addictive substances. Currently, there are no FDA-approved drug therapies to treat cannabis use disorder. Although with these discoveries it is expected in the future to have treatments that can inhibit or attenuate this type of genes that reduce the behaviors that may arise from having this genetic predisposition. Images | Rick Proctor In Xataka | We believed that there was no drug more addictive and destructive than fentanyl. Until the nitazenos returned

Android changes its DNA. Google will exclude the apps from unidentified developers … even if they are not in the play store

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Google just activate the countdown for the Android we know. Since September 2026, any application you want to install on your Android – Come on Play Store, an alternative store or downloaded from a website – must be signed by a verified developer. It is the end of anonymity in the Android ecosystem. Why is it important. Android has always presumed to be the alternative open to iOS. That opening allowed to install applications of any source, without even Google knowing who developed them. With the advantages and disadvantages that that supposes. Now, All developers must reveal their real identity to Googlewithout exceptions. The company justifies the change with data: it detects 50 times more malware in applications downloaded via web than in the Play Store. Cybercounts take advantage of anonymity to distribute malware, commit financial fraud and steal personal data. The backdrop. This bomb comes in full legal earthquake for Google. Epic Games has won his antitrust case And the courts have ordered Android to open to third parties. Just when Google must allow more competition, impose unpublished control over who can develop for Android. It is a master play of Timing: Google maintains control of the ecosystem even when the courts force him to open it. Alternative stores may exist, but all applications must go through the Google verification filter. In detail. The new Android Developer Console will be mandatory for all: Developers must provide legal name, address, email and telephone. Organizations will also need corporate web and Luns number. Google promises not to show this information to users, but you will have it. There will be a “simplified” account for students and fans, without the rate of $ 25. The calendar does not leave much margin of maneuver: October 2025: Early access for selected developers. March 2026: Open registration for all. September 2026: Effective blockade in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand. 2027: Global expansion. Google points first to countries “specifically impacted” by scams. But the message is clear: this will be global and inevitable. Yes, but. Thousands of independent developers will lose their privacy. Those who created useful tools without wanting to expose themselves now must choose: reveal their identity to Google or leave Android. He Sideloadingthat exhaust valve that historically differentiated Android from iOS, is injured in death. Technically it will continue to exist, but only for developer applications that Google has verified. Between the lines. Google says That this is like “showing the DNI at the airport”, which verifies identity, but not contained. The comparison is very good because airports are spaces of maximum control where we sacrifice freedoms for security. Just what Google is looking for. The current documentation does not explain what will happen if you try to install an un verified application. Google will probably distribute a white list through Play Services and your Android will simply reject anonymous developer applications. Deepen. This change replicates the model Gatekeeper Apple in macOSwhere developers must register for their apps to work. Android is converging with iOS in control, losing its main differentiator. Google insists that Android will remain “open”, but the semantics is not an exact science, and for many, “open” will not fit as a definition a system where each developer must ask Google permission to exist. The Android we knew has died today, although we will not bury it until September 2026. In Xataka | Notifications with advertisements of some of the apps that we use most are kidnapping our mobiles. And there is not much to do Outstanding image | Denny Müller

The ‘in vitro’ fertilization has taken a surprising step using mitochondrial DNA

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A child, three parents. It might seem science fiction, but it is already a reality. It is a reality that It started a decade agowith the approval in the United Kingdom of a novel technique that allowed Enter genetic information of a third person in a fertilization process In vitro Eight births. The British team to launch this technique has published the results Obtained from monitoring nine babies born after a fertilization process In vitro. A process with an important peculiarity: the introduction of mitochondrial DNA from a donor. Mitochondrial diseases. To understand the scope of the new procedure, we have to understand the reason that led to the development of this technique, avoid the transmission of mitochondrial DNA diseases. A problem that is estimated affects about 5,000 births per year. The mitochondria is a part of the cell responsible for producing energy but also has a DNA segment which is inherited matrilinearly. This matrilinear transmission can only be inherited by the mother, although they can affect people of any sex. This DNA can present harmful mutations that usually affect the proper functioning of this intracellular “energy” central “, which derives in diseases that manifest especially in those tissues that require the most energy, such as those of the heart or the brain. We do not have a cure for these diseases, but now we have a way to cut its transmission. Pronuclear transfer. The technique It is called pronuclear transfer And, according to the team that has launched it, it is done after the fertilization of the ovule, and consists in transplanting the nuclear genome of the ovule with the mutation to a new donor ovule, this with the desired mitochondrial DNA. The resulting cell has the parents’ nuclear DNA but the mitochondrial DNA of the donor parent. Studying the technique. The details of the study were described through two articles published in the magazine New England Journal of Medicine. The first of them He focused on studying the success of the technique itself. The technique did not eliminate the entire original mitochondrial DNA since in the core extraction process, part of this DNA was also captured and introduced into the new cell. According to the team, its presence in the neonate blood ranged between undetectable levels up to 16%. “The findings give rise to optimism. However, research to better understand the limitations of mitochondrial donation technologies will be essential to improve treatment results,” explained in a press release Mary Herbert, who led this part of the study. Healthy babies. He Second study He focused on clinical results, both on mothers and babies. During pregnancies only a complication was detected in one of them (hyperlipidemiaan excess of blood lipids), which responded to the prescribed treatment. The eight babies were born healthy and their development was normal during the study period, with most babies without health problems and the rest with mild problems that the team considers not related to the donation process. Regarding the success of the process, the team did not detect mitocondrial DNA in five of the eight babies, and the mutations that detected in the remaining three were maintained below 20%, which is far from the limit of 80% from which problems could begin to occur. The monitoring of these cases is still necessary to better know the evolution of each case. Ethical considerations. This monitoring will be necessary to clear doubts about the possible long -term impacts of this technique, a key consideration in the ethical discussion around the procedure. The United Kingdom approved this technique in 2015, but there are still many countries that have not legislated in this direction. “The study also raises ethical and scientific questions. The combination of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA of different people could have long -term effects still unknown,” indicated a Science Media Center (SMC) Rocío Núñez Calonge, scientific director of the International UR Group and coordinator of the Ethics Group of the Spanish Fertility Society. And in Spain? Spain would remain in a legal limbo, without clear legislation in this regard, experts explain. “In Spain, our (…) (Law) on assisted human reproduction techniques, does not explicitly refer to this technique (which did not exist when this legislation was approved) by what Sensu stricto The procedure would not be expressly prohibited or explicitly authorized in our country. Essentially it is not regulated. The legal and ethical doubts that subsist have prevented, so far, that the technique of the three parents is applied in Spain ”, explained to SMC Lluís Montoliu, researcher at the National Biotechnology Center (CNB-CSIC) and Ciberer -iscii. In Xataka | 50 years ago we discovered people whose blood did not fit into conventional types. We have just discovered why Image | Newcastle University / Nathan Dumlao

Your DNA does not resemble anything we know

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A few days ago a really fascinating story was known. In 1958 someone found a skull in China dating 300,000 years, and after a recent study a surprising conclusion was reached: that “homo” did not look like None that we know. Something similar has happened in Colombia. 21 human remains have scientists with frown. Crossing roads without heirs. Colombia, essential point of passage in the migration of Homo Sapiens from Central America to the south of the continent More than 14,500 yearshas now revealed a forgotten chapter of his human past. An international team of researchers has recovered 21 remains DNA humans found in five archaeological sites of the Altiplano Cundiboyacensea plateau located in the center of the country. What they discovered It is amazing: an old group that inhabited this region about 6,000 years ago that has no genetic relationship With no current living population. Its lineage disappeared completely, without a trace in later generations. Plus: It is an extra rarity in South America, where the genetic persistence of native peoples usually has continuity, even partial. The study compared old DNA with more recent records Two worlds separated by millennia. According to the analysisthis first community was composed of hunters-gatherers, and its presence was extinguished totally about 4,000 years before of the arrival of a new genetically different human group, which was established in the same region approximately 2,000 years ago. The latter, direct ancestors of some current indigenous populations, probably spoke Chibcha languages and showed a more developed material culture: ceramics, advanced agriculture and a sedentary way of life. This group remained in the area until European colonization in the 16th century. The demographic replacement was absolute: the DNA of the ancient hunters-gatherers did not survive in any hereditary line of the subsequent inhabitants of the Altiplano. For scientists, this suggests a population change Complete in the area of ​​Bogotá, an unusual phenomenon that raises more questions than answers. Genetic puzzle. The discovery not only highlights the Total disappearance of a human group, but also clarifies the genetic history of South America, which was believed more linear. Previous studies They had already hinted unexpected connections between old South American populations and regions As remote as Australia. The Colombian case reinforces the idea that the first migrations south of the continent were more complex and diverse than was thought. The fact that this ancestral population does not have modern correlation in the current DNA suggests that, at some point, conflicts, epidemics or other processes still unknown could have caused their disappearance, Without miscegenation nor genetic absorption by later peoples. Human map Which The investigation It makes it quite clear is that Colombia, located in the narrow step between Central and South America, is and was key to understanding how the continent was populated. The finding of these genomes ( first old published In the history of the country) it opens new ways to investigate the prehistoric settlement of the region and shows how much there is still to be discovered. That a complete human lineage has been extinguished without leaving genetic offspring raises unknowns as deep as revealing, and makes the Colombian highlands a territory loaded with Enigmas to solve. As the researchers point out, it is really just the beginning: under the Andean surface, most likely, secrets still rest to rewrite the human history of South America. Image | PexelsKrettek et al., Science Advances, 2025 In Xataka | In 1958 we found a skull with 300,000 years in China. The problem is that we do not know what “homo” belongs In Xataka | The “ghost species” with which our ancestors were settled and disappeared without (almost) leave a trace

Nintendo Switch 2 seems not innovative. After trying it, it is 100% DNA Nintendo

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Today is thrown Nintendo Switch 2 And, as some claim, “it is the least innovative console in history.” That exaggerated phrase can be read in Redditbut although it may seem that it is the impression of a single user, the truth is that there is a runrun both inside and outside the industry about the role of the New Nintendo console. Nintendo Switch It was a revolution. Although it was the concept of Wiiu brought to an end to which, by technologythat machine could not reach, the hybrid console has not only filled the pockets of the Japanese company with More than 152 million units soldbut opened the way for the definitive success of this type of devices. Steam Deck, Asus Rog Ally either Lenovo Legion Go They drink, unquestionably, of switch, and it is unquestionable that the machine was more than an innovation, a revolution. The problem is the phrase that Nintendo is synonymous with innovation In everything he does when, precisely, when talking about historical consoles, we see that It is not so much like that. In fact, Nintendo Switch 2 is the most logical thing they could do from Nintendo. Nintendo Switch 2 is 100% Nintendo spirit Beyond what users can think about the machine, that it does not innovate when, apparently, it was forced to it is something that is resonating within the industry. On who? Then by one of the most authorized voices: Shuhei Yoshida. Yoshida was an emblematic piece of PlayStation. It was one of the initial members of the PlayStation project when Sony wanted to stand up to Nintendo after the betrayal of the Nintendo PlayStation and it was the President of Sie Worldwide Studioscoordinating dozens of studies and, currently, The indies that arrive in PlayStation. His career is full of successes (also some other bad decision, such as Do not trust in ‘Demon’s Souls’the game that preceded successes like ‘Dark Souls‘,’Bloodborne‘ either ‘Elden Ring‘), And after his retirement he is dedicated to saying what he thinks about the industry. Your opinion about Nintendo Switch 2? That Nintendo sacrificed innovation to have a more powerful console. In a recent podcastYoshida commented that “Nintendo is losing its identity. For me, they have always been those who created new experiences, such as designing a hardware and games that together give us a new experience. ” Basically, Nintendo has opted only for more power. In fact, The only thing he likes It is the ‘Welcome Tour’ (a collection of mini -games that will allow us to know the console better) and ‘The Duskbloods‘, The new of the creators of …’ Demon’s Souls’. But the opinions that Nintendo should really worry are those of their investors. In the presentation of the financial results, one of them asked about Switch 2 is a “bridge” console towards a new more innovative generation, and it was Nintendo’s own president, Shuaro Furukawa, who took the baton confirming that the hardware is more polished than in Switch and that innovation goes on the other hand. It is not the only one that has it, but the joy-with mouse function are an interesting addition “In recent years, developers have needed higher performance processing to achieve one of Nintendo’s most important objectives: new ways of playing. Therefore, this time we aim to design a hardware with a great performance capacity, ”said Furukawa. In summary: more power will allow ways to play that could not be experienced in Switch, and two of their first games are an example. ‘Mario Kart World‘It is huge, with an open world mode and 24 runners on the track, something impossible on Switch. AND ‘Donkey Kong Baniza‘It is a show in the destruction of the stage. Nintendo always innova? When we talk about games, and here it is already a personal issue, I consider that the company always offers something new. Two recent examples are ‘The Legend of Zelda Tears of The Kingdom‘carrying to the extreme the freedom of the first installment with a large engine of physical and a’Super Mario Wonder‘That shows that, after so many years, the formula of the Super Mario in 2D is not exhausted. But, when we talk about hardware, the thing is very different and, in fact, that “Nintendo always innova” has only been seen twice: when they have urgently needed it. In this graph we can see something vital for any company: Hardware sales. It is with video games with what they get money, but in the end it is the fish that bite the tail and more consoles sold more potential software. And what the figures tell us is that, if we do not count the Nesyour first console, Nintendo has only taken the imagination for a walk when his business was in danger. After nes, he arrived SNESwhich was a generational change from 8 to 16 bits and, therefore, only had more power. More than the same of SNES to a Nintendo 64 That it was a beast, but that stood out for its analog stick in the command resulting from the need to control characters in three dimensions. That extra power allowed the 3D that were already in other systems. Nintendo 64 stuck a tube, but the worst came with its next console: Game Cube. Was A authentic graphic beastmore powerful than PlayStation 2 that swept his generation, but sold extremely little. There Nintendo needed a change and, with the code name ‘Nintendo Revolution‘, they launched Nintendo Wii. He sold what is not written and, after her, tried, precisely, to innovate. The result? A wiiu that arrived with A bad namea worst marketing and the doors of a generational change -that of Xbox One and PS4– For which it fell in potential. Nintendo was held for sales of Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DSbut a new revolution was urged and Switch arrived. After 152 million consoles sold, and counting, Nintendo cannot play it with hardware And, precisely, he has done the same thing that already worked with Super Nintendo and … Read more

The arrival of the human being to South America, seen through the DNA of the heirs of the last great migration

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Throughout our history as a species, Homo sapiens We have managed to reach the most remote corners on Earth. Millennia before the era of exploration, our ancestors undertook a trip that took them out of Africa and populate the great continental masses from Europe to South America. Among all these great migrations, one of the most surprising was the one that led humans from Siberia to Patagonia, a 10,000 trip whose details are knowing. History in genes. A new genetic study has given us new clues on the great migration that resulted in the population of the Americas. A migration of 20,000 kilometers whose implications still last in aspects as apparently distant as health. The study allowed to draw the history of migrations until the considered “final border” of human migrations, Tierra del Fuego, Explain the team responsible for the study. History of a millennia trip. This great migration would have begun in Siberia between 27,000 and 19,000 years ago Approximately during the last glaciation, in what we know today as the Bering Strait would have formed a “bridge” of land due to a lower sea level than the present. Through Alaska, these populations would have arrived in North America, but the expansion through this continent would have been only an intermediate stage. The study focuses on the second part of the trip, when part of the new American population crossed the Central American Isthmus to enter the last continent in being populated. The last border. The new genetic analysis allows us to know how humans expanded in South America. The responsible team detected that lineages In this continent they began to diverge with each other between 14,000 and 10,000 years ago. From this point, the South American population began to separate into four groups. The first to disintegrate was those who populated the Amazon basin, while the rest was distributed among the high areas of the Andes mountain range, the desert area of ​​the Chaco, and finally, Patagonia. Reading migration in genes. For its study, the team sequenced the genomes of 1,537 individuals belonging to 139 villages of the continent. The details of the study were published In an article In the magazine Science. Very long -term implications. The consequences of this migratory movement and its vicissitudes still last and some of them still weigh on the native peoples of South America, especially as a consequence of the isolation of some of these populations with respect to the rest of humanity. This could explain why some populations were more susceptible to the introduction of infectious diseases by the first Europeans to reach the continent. “Those migrants carried only a subset of the genetic heritage in their ancestral populations (…). Thus, reduced genetic diversity also caused a reduced diversity in immunity -related genes, which can limit flexibility when fighting several infectious diseases,” stood out in a press release Kim Hie Lim, Co -author of the study. From the past to the present. Knowing new data on the genetics of American peoples can also help us in the present. This information is valuable when studying treatments of genetic diseases, or to better understand the functioning and impact of certain medications. In addition, the closest relationship between American and Asian populations implies new data on a population that, recalls the team responsible for the new work, covers 50% of the world’s population. In Xataka | A cave has revealed the macabre Mayan ceremony to honor its gods: there are 100 bones and none is where it should Image | Soyyosycocomiel / Martin St-Amant

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