-
Heritability in the Era of Molecular Genetics
Today it seems to be common knowledge that most behavioral and psychological traits have a heritable genetic component. But what does it really mean when a study says that the heritability of Trait X is
-
Understanding and Improving Children’s Lives
What influences children’s development? Sandra Scarr’s research shows the impact of genes, daycare, adoption, parental influence, and intervention programs on the development of children. Her work with identical and fraternal twins and her use of
-
Genetic Research Helps Scientists Understand Alcohol Use
A rat, a mouse, and a vole walked into a bar… It isn’t just a bad joke: According to John Crabbe, who delivered the 16th Annual Mark Keller Honorary Lecture at the National Institute of
-
On the Trail of the Orchid Child
Scientific papers tend to be loaded with statistics and jargon, so it’s always a delightful surprise to stumble on a nugget of poetry in an otherwise technical report. So it was with a 2005 paper
-
Genetic roots of ‘orchid’ children
Science News: A Swedish expression that translates as “orchid child” refers to a youngster who blossoms spectacularly if carefully nurtured but withers badly if neglected. Scientists have now identified gene variants that may help to
-
Genes May Contribute to a Child’s Bad Behavior, but Only When Parents Are Distant
Is bad behavior determined by a child’s genes? A new study has found that a particular gene has some influence on whether or not adolescents show alarming behaviors—but only if their parents aren’t keeping tabs
