Humans and other apes may have lost their tails due to a genetic parasite. According to Jef Boeke, a geneticist at New York University Langone Health, the change happened suddenly, resulting in bare ape behinds. This genetic modification could also provide insight into the causes of spinal cord defects like spina bifida in newborns. Alu elements, a type of genetic parasite, are capable of inserting themselves into the DNA of their hosts, becoming permanent parts of the genetic code when passed down to offspring (SN: 5/16/17).
2024-02-28 11:00:00
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