The rise of gene-edited embryos has raised a myriad of ethical questions. It involves altering DNA to prevent disease or even to choose specific traits using a method known as CRISPR. In 2018, Chinese ...

Proponents of the use of synthetic biology say it could bring some species back from the brink of extinction and help fight ...

With a changing climate and a growing population, the world increasingly needs more-productive and resilient crops. But improving them requires a knowledge of what actually works in the field. Mark ...

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are private, nonprofit institutions that provide expert advice on some of the most pressing challenges facing the nation and world. Our ...

Hordes of feral cats terrorizing native species in Australia could be combatted using a special type of genetic engineering, scientists have suggested. The feral cats now number over six million, and ...

Some conservation groups are calling for an effective ban on genetic modification, but others say these technologies are ...

Bruce Beehler is a naturalist and author of 14 books, including the forthcoming “Flight of the Godwit.” This fall, I went hiking on Sugarloaf Mountain, about 30 miles northwest of the District.

Spider silk—six times tougher than Kevlar and stronger than steel—has now been produced by an unexpected source. Spider silk is a biological protein fiber spun by spiders. Many of these fibers have ...

Malaria remains one of the deadliest diseases in the world, with nearly 600,000 deaths recorded in 2023, the vast majority ...