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How the choices you make can affect your genes

Adults Biology
Here's a conundrum: Identical twins originate from the same DNA ... so how can they turn out so different - even in traits that have a significant genetic component?

We Can Now Edit Our DNA. But Let's Do it Wisely

Adults Biology
Geneticist Jennifer Doudna co-invented a groundbreaking new technology for editing genes, called CRISPR-Cas9. The tool allows scientists to make precise edits to DNA strands, which could lead to treatments for genetic diseases.

Why do some people have seasonal allergies?

Adults Biology
Ah, spring. Grass growing, flowers blooming, trees budding. For those with allergies, though, this explosion of new life probably inspires more dread than joy. So what's behind this annual onslaught of mucus? Eleanor Nelsen explains what happens when your immune system goes rogue.

Which Fish Did We Evolve From?

Adults Biology
Today's oceans are full of fish with fins that couldn't evolve into limbs like ours. So, who are our ancestors and where did they go?

How do schools of fish swim in harmony?

Adults Biology
How do schools of fish swim in harmony? How do the tiny cells in your brain give rise to the complex thoughts, memories, and consciousness that are you?

What would happen if you didn't drink water?

Adults Biology
Water is essentially everywhere in our world, and the average human is composed of between 55 and 60% water. So what role does water play in our bodies, and how much do we actually need to drink to stay healthy? Mia Nacamulli details the health benefits of hydration.

Self-healing concrete

Adults Biology
The secret? Believe it or not, it's bacteria.

How do dogs "see" with their noses?s

Adults Biology
You may have heard the expression that dogs 'see with their noses.' But these creature's amazing nasal architecture actually reveals a whole world beyond what we can see. Alexandra Horowitz illustrates how the dog's nose can smell the past, the future and even things that can't be seen at all.

Colour Mixing: The Mystery of Magenta

Adults Biology
Why doesn't magenta appear in the rainbow? The answer lies not in physics but in biology.

The First "Glowing" Sea Turtle Has Been Discovered

Adults Biology
While filming coral off the Solomon Islands, David Gruber, a National Geographic Emerging Explorer, encountered a "bright red-and-green spaceship." This underwater UFO turned out to be a hawksbill sea turtle, which is significant because it's the first time that biofluorescence has ever been seen in reptiles, according to Gruber. Gruber is now excited to learn more about this critically endangered species and how it is using biofluorescence.

Does Stretching/Warming Up Actually Help?

Adults Biology
Could stretching negatively affect performance?

What If You Stopped Eating?

Adults Biology
What happens to your body without food?

Do We Have to Get Old and Die?

Adults Biology
We'd like to thank Focus Features for sponsoring this video - and for inviting us to pre-screen their summer 2015 film "Self/Less". It's a sci-fi flick that explores memory, consciousness, and immortality, and it made us think about the types of immortality that already exist here on Earth.

Do You Really Need Your Tonsils?

Adults Biology
Do you know anyone that has had their tonsils removed? What do tonsils do, and are they really necessary?

Why You Should Stop Using Hand Sanitizer!

Adults Biology
Hand sanitizer can kill a lot of the good bacteria on your hands, but new research shows it can actually increase the amount of BPA entering your body! Tara explains.

Creating Bones From Glue

Adults Biology
Liz Bonnin discovers how artificial bone grafts are being created using an everyday item found in every schoolroom.

How do cancer cells behave differently from healthy ones?

Adults Biology
How do cancer cells grow? How does chemotherapy fight cancer (and cause negative side effects)? The answers lie in cell division.