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Black and white portrait of Paul Berg
‘Godfather of Genetic Engineering’ Paul Berg Dies at 96
Berg was awarded one-half of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1980 for his work with recombinant DNA technology. 
‘Godfather of Genetic Engineering’ Paul Berg Dies at 96
‘Godfather of Genetic Engineering’ Paul Berg Dies at 96

Berg was awarded one-half of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1980 for his work with recombinant DNA technology. 

Berg was awarded one-half of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1980 for his work with recombinant DNA technology. 

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A sign at the entrance to the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Striking Workers Unions Reach Tentative Deal
Dan Robitzski | Dec 20, 2022 | 2 min read
The agreement, which is not yet ratified, would increase academic workers’ salaries, but some call for an ongoing strike as the raises are less than desired.
a person pours whiskey into a glass held by another person, with a smoking cigar in a tray in front
Study of Millions Finds Genetic Links to Smoking and Drinking 
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In the largest study of its kind, scientists find nearly 4,000 genetic variants that may predispose people to alcohol and tobacco use behaviors. 
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2.4 Million-Year-Old DNA Is Oldest Ever Recovered
Katherine Irving | Dec 7, 2022 | 2 min read
The DNA fragments collected from permafrost in northern Greenland unlock insights into an ancient ecosystem.
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How Cold Weather May Help You Catch a Cold
Dan Robitzski | Dec 6, 2022 | 3 min read
Warm nasal cells mount stronger defenses against cold-causing coronaviruses and rhinoviruses than those exposed to cooler temperatures, an in vitro experiment finds.
An aerial view of the Stanford University campus. Trees surround several buildings with the bell tower in the center.  
Stanford President’s Past Research Under Investigation
Katherine Irving | Nov 30, 2022 | 3 min read
The university’s board of trustees will oversee a probe after allegations of errors and manipulated images in four papers Marc Tessier-Lavigne coauthored. 
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Toxoplasma-Infected Wolves More Likely to Lead Packs, Study Finds
Katherine Irving | Nov 29, 2022 | 3 min read
The parasite appears to make infected wolves less risk-averse, potentially influencing the behavior of packs.
Image of a white cardboard box with a blue vertical stripe on the left side, the word “Apixaban” in blue lettering at the bottom, and a depiction of apixaban’s molecular structure in black.
Blood Thinner Ineffective for COVID-19 Patients: Study
Dan Robitzski | Nov 28, 2022 | 2 min read
A clinical trial finds that the anticoagulant apixaban, which has been prescribed to help COVID-19 patients recover, is ineffective and in rare instances dangerous.
the facade of a building. crisscrossed white walls intersect sets of four black windows in a lattice structure, with a cloudless blue sky in the background.
Exosome Scientist Douglas Taylor Stole and Mislabeled Images: Report
Katherine Irving | Nov 23, 2022 | 2 min read
Taylor, formerly of the University of Louisville, is known for his discovery of and research on tumor-secreted exosomes.  
Alma Dal Co wears a blue shirt and red necklace and uses a pointer to examine a component of a laboratory machine. 
Microbial Ecologist Alma Dal Co Dies in Diving Accident
Katherine Irving | Nov 21, 2022 | 3 min read
At 33, Dal Co had already founded her own microbial ecology lab at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland.
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Christie Wilcox, PhD | Nov 18, 2022 | 2 min read
The mobility device interprets its paralyzed user’s thoughts to steer through cluttered spaces, a study reports.
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Amanda Heidt | Nov 17, 2022 | 4 min read
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Primatologists Judith Masters and Fabien Génin
Primatologist Pair Murdered in South African Home
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Nov 16, 2022 | 3 min read
Judith Masters and Fabien Génin had both recently retired from the University of Fort Hare after celebrated careers researching lemurs and their kin.
hundred-dollar bills disintegrating
FTX Collapse Imperils Philanthropic Research Funding
Shawna Williams | Nov 15, 2022 | 2 min read
Natural science research projects were among those promised funding by the now-collapsed crypto exchange’s “effective altruism” foundations.
Sather Gate on the University of California, Berkeley campus
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Catherine Offord | Nov 14, 2022 | 3 min read
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a yellow-ish fish skull is held up by metal prongs, with a rack of other museum collection items in the background
Fossilized Fish Teeth Could Be Earliest Evidence of Cooking
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An excited-looking toddler crawls towards toys while her mother watches on.
Doctors Treat a Rare Genetic Condition Before Patient Is Born
Dan Robitzski | Nov 10, 2022 | 2 min read
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A visualization of a spinal cord with neurons highlighted in red
Scientists Identify Neurons Needed to Walk After Paralysis
Amanda Heidt | Nov 10, 2022 | 3 min read
Nine people with spinal injuries walked again after electrical stimulation, allowing researchers to pinpoint neurons likely underlying their recovery.
Portrait of Chuck Stevens
Famed Neuroscientist Charles Stevens Dies at 88
Lisa Winter | Nov 9, 2022 | 3 min read
His work blended biology and the methods of theoretical physics to explain neural networks. 
A sign taped to a tree sports the UCU label, and reads "Official Picket" in bold pink letters. A person with a backpack walks past in the background.
Low Pay, Pension Cuts Prompt Largest University Strike in UK History
Katherine Irving | Nov 9, 2022 | 2 min read
More than 70,000 staff members from 150 universities are set to strike later this month, marking five consecutive years of academic protests in the country.
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