A 2003 study concluded that as many as 16 million currently living men carry the Genghis Khan’s DNA. Within Mongolia, itself, as much as 8% of the population can claim genetic descent […]
The Father of an Empire Was Daddy to a Whole Lot More
The Seeds of Infertility
Bananas and corn have one thing in common: they can no longer reproduce in nature. Both beloved examples of yellow vegetation have become so domesticated that they cannot survive without assistance from […]
For the Tuatara, the Eyes Have It
The tuatara, a New Zealand reptile, stands out in several different ways: They have a third eye on the top center of their heads. They have two rows of teeth on the top […]
The King’s Human Pet
Britain’s King George I was on a hunting party in the Hertswold Forest of northern Germany in 1725 when he came across an extraordinary discovery: a wild boy.
Genetics to Blame for a Famous Feud?
A rare medical condition may be partly to blame for the violent feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys. The feud is the most-celebrated rivalry between two families. Between the years 1863 […]
Becoming a Human Statue
Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), sometimes referred to as Stone Man Syndrome, is an extremely rare disease of the connective tissue. A mutation of the body’s repair mechanism causes fibrous tissue (including muscle, […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 