Tag Archives: Cellular

DNA from soil could soon reveal who lived in ice age caves

Gerlinde Bigga is a Scientific Coordinator of the Leibniz Science Campus “Geogenomic Archaeology Campus Tübingen”, University of Tübingen
“I am an archaeologist specialized in Early Prehistory (Palaeolithic), Near Eastern Archaeology, and Archaeobotany. Currently, I work as the Scientific Coordinator and Science Communicator at a large research campus in Tübingen, where we conduct cutting-edge research developing new methods to detect ancient DNA in (cave) sediments.”

We Go Way Back at The Francis Crick Institute

We Go Way Back, an exhibition exploring how ancient DNA is revealing new insights into human evolution, migration, culture and disease, will open at the Francis Crick Institute on 16 July 2026.

Ancient DNA is the genetic material from our ancestors long gone. These fragments of DNA are extracted from bones and teeth, before being processed in an ultra-clean laboratory and sequenced to reveal the underlying genetic code.

Biological DNA Art: Beauty Is in the Eye That Is Beheld

Claude E. Gagna, Ph.D., is a Professor of Biological Sciences at the New York Institute of Technology. His research focuses on the structure and function of DNA and RNA, including noncanonical (unusual) nucleic acid conformations in biological tissues. In parallel, he develops interdisciplinary bioart. ‘Biological DNA Art: Beauty is in the Eye that is Beheld (Bulbus Oculi)’, is a series of mixed-media works developed as an ongoing experimental and archival practice, focused on stabilizing and integrating non-human eye globes and purified DNA from multiple species within acrylic composite matrices on canvas supports. The work is conceived not only as visual art, but as a form of biopreservation and experimental archive, in which biological materials are maintained with consideration for long-term molecular integrity and the potential for future retrieval. It also engages in an evolutionary framework, bringing together biological materials from multiple species to reflect shared structural origins and divergence across life. The work emerges from laboratory-derived, peer-reviewed methodologies adapted for artistic production, raising questions about the boundary between preserved scientific specimens and visual artifacts.

The Skin as a Living Canvas: Aging, Identity, and the Conscious Body

Dr. Nita Sharma Das is a Naturopathy expert, educator, award-winning author, and skincare formulator.

“This article explores the skin as a living interface where biology, consciousness, culture, and identity converge. Drawing upon evolutionary theories of aging by scientists such as Peter Medawar and Owen Jones, it reflects on how biological senescence is only one part of the human experience of aging. Integrating perspectives from naturopathy, psychological self-perception, and Indian cultural rituals, the piece reimagines skincare as a ritual of self-respect and self-awareness. Rather than resisting age, it proposes embracing it as a conscious journey—a philosophy I advocate through my work, my book Welcome to Second Spring, and my blog. The article calls for a new way of seeing the aging body not as a site of decline, but as a canvas of lived wisdom and evolving identity.”

The silent conversations of plants

Sven Batke is Associate Head of Research and Knowledge Exchange – Reader in Plant Science, Edge Hill University. He completed his PhD at Trinity College Dublin in Plant Biology. He currently holds the position of Associate Head of Research and Knowledge in Biology and is a Reader in Plant Sciences. His research interests are in crop science, tropical ecology and taxonomy.

Quantum dots are part of a revolution in engineering atoms in useful ways – Nobel Prize for chemistry recognizes the power of nanotechnology

Andrew Maynard is a scientist, author, Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions, and Director of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. His most recent books include Films from the Future: The Technology and Morality of Sci-Fi Movies, and Future Rising: A Journey from the Past to the Edge of Tomorrow.
Dr. Maynard is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, serves as co-chair of the Institute for the Advancement of Nutrition and Food Science (IAFNS) Board of Trustees, is a member of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research President’s Research Council, has served on a number of National Academies of Sciences committees, and has testified before congressional committees on several occasions. Trained as a physicist, his work cuts across disciplinary boundaries as it focuses on the ethical and socially responsible development and use of new technologies.

Cortical

Artist and writer, Richard Bright, has addressed the relationship between art, science and consciousness for over 40 years. He studied Fine Art and Physics before founding The Interalia Centre in 1990. Since then, he has lectured extensively on art and science and written articles on James Turrell, Andy Goldsworthy and Susan Derges, among others. He has exhibited both nationally and internationally and was the recipient of the ‘Visions of Science’ Award, The Edge, Andrew Brownsward Gallery, University of Bath (Second Prize Winner). Co-author of ‘The Art of Science’ (Welbeck Publishers, 2021).

Mediating our relationship to the molecular world

Laura Splan is a transdisciplinary artist working at the intersections of science, technology, and culture. Her research-driven projects connect hidden artifacts of biotechnology to everyday lives through embodied interactions and sensory engagement. Her recent exhibitions featuring molecular animations and material artifacts of laboratory animals include her large-scale immersive installation in the Brooklyn Army Terminal at BioBAT Art Space, NYC.