In Mendelian inheritance patterns, you receive one version of a gene, called an allele, from each parent. These alleles can be dominant or recessive. Non-Mendelian genetics don’t completely follow ...

Inheritance is the passing of traits from parents to offspring. Our modern understanding of inheritance comes from a set of principles proposed by Austrian monk and researcher Gregor Mendel in 1865.

In the first study of its kind, scientists have detected evidence that DNA may not be the only carrier of heritable information; a secondary molecular mechanism called epigenetics may also account for ...

Some Juneau friends planted holly bushes in their front yard a few years ago. Those bushes grew well, producing dark green leaves with smooth edges. However, during a few winters of heavy snow, deer ...

The concept of epigenetic inheritance has long been controversial. Some researchers hope that new data on cross-generational effects of environmental exposures will help settle the debate. Andrea ...

Parental behavioural traits can be transmitted by non-genetic mechanisms to the offspring. Although trait transmission via sperm has been extensively researched, epidemiological studies indicate the ...

Want to stay current with Arthur’s writing? Sign up to get an email every time a new column comes out. In Oscar Wilde’s celebrated 1895 comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest, one of the protagonists ...