Even if you have some ASD-linked gene variations you may not develop ASD

Risk factors linked with ASD include older parents, preterm births, and toxic prenatal exposures

Though researchers agree that there is a strong genetic component to ASD development, certain environmental factors heighten that risk, with studies suggesting older parents, premature birth, maternal obesity, and air pollution exposure in utero all elevate risks of ASD development. There is no connection between receiving vaccines and ASD development.

The sibling of someone with autism has a 20% chance of developing ASD

The disorder is strongly linked with inheritance, and research suggests that if one child has ASD, there's a one in 5 chance the next child will develop autism, which is seven times more likely than the general population.

Gene expression patterns are similar between ASD, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder

Postmortem brain tissue analysis suggests there are genetic and epigenetic similarities between individuals with autism, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. All three conditions appeared to have activation of genes in astrocytes and suppression of specific genes that function at the junction between neurons, called synapses. (Some users may encounter a paywall.)

Carrier screening enables individuals without symptoms to see if they carry a gene for disease

Some conditions are autosomal recessive—meaning a person may carry a gene for that condition, but not have symptoms. Cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, and Tay-Sachs disease are examples of autosomal recessive diseases in which a person must inherit two copies of a nonfunctioning gene—one from each parent—to develop disease.

Listen to how one gene affects Alzheimer's risk

Multiple genes are associated with Alzheimer's risk, but one well-known disease-associated gene is the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene, which is typically involved in making a protein that helps carry cholesterol and other fats in the bloodstream. Specific variants of this gene are associated with elevated disease risk, though even if someone has two copies of the disease, that doesn't mean they will definitely develop Alzheimer's.

Autism occurs among women, too

Males have higher rates of diagnosed autism than females, but recently scientists and people with autism have been exploring if females have been disproportionately missed in screening and if girls are perhaps masking their symptoms better, leading to missed diagnoses.

Around 5 million of our 3 billion DNA letters differ between individuals

Genetic testing examines gene variants to help explain disease symptoms. It explores how genetic differences between individuals can be used to understand risks of developing diseases like Huntington's Disease or passing variants linked to disease onto offspring.

Autism Spectrum Disorder, defined in 2013, was previously categorized as numerous disorders

This exploration of ASD history walks through how autism science and diagnoses have evolved over the decades, including the new category in the DSM-4 in 1994 that created Asperger's disorder and pervasive developmental disorders, and the new, broader ASD definition in 2013 in the DSM-5 that has led to more diagnoses.

MS risk is shaped by geography, not just genes

Latitude—and related vitamin D exposure—seems to affect MS risk. People who migrate from a high-risk MS latitude (like northern Europe or the northern US) to a lower-risk latitude (like tropical areas) before age 15 tend to adopt the lower risk of their new country—suggesting there's a critical window for environmental exposure.

Many cancers arise from genetic mutations inherited from your parents

These mutations may happen in response to environmental or lifestyle factors, or may be passed down through family members. Genetic testing can be important in catching certain family cancers early and ensuring patients receive the right treatment for their disease.

Scientists identify hundreds of genes responsible for OCD

Researchers analyzed the DNA of more than 53,000 people with OCD and identified 30 areas in the genome linked to the disease, containing 249 genes of interest. Of those, several were linked to other brain disorders, paving the way for genetic treatments of various mental illnesses.

Exercise changes your genes without changing your DNA

Physical activity can turn beneficial genes on and harmful genes off, without altering the underlying DNA code. This engaging article explains the epigenetic mechanisms that take place with exercise and ultimately result in improved metabolism, lower inflammation, and optimized brain function.

Here’s why genetically identical sisters can have different colored eyes

The sequence of DNA that we inherit from our parents encodes directions for making our cells and giving us specific traits. Identical twins have the same DNA sequence, so how can one twin end up with a genetic disorder while the other twin does not? Robin Ball explains how the secret lies in X chromosome inactivation.

Nature versus nurture: Are you the result of your genes or your environment?

Dr. Nancy Segal breaks down how research on twins has revealed just how much our genes influence our behavior and traits—but insists they aren't everything. Catch up on the latest in the nature versus nurture debate.

Why are women more likely to suffer autoimmune diseases than men?

A majority of Americans with autoimmune diseases have more than one X chromosome, a typical marker of the female biological sex, according to a study published in February of 2024. During fetal development, cells side with one X chromosome over the other, preventing the overproduction of X-chromosome-specific proteins and shutting down the twin chromosome. This article explores how this X-chromosome inactivation can lead to autoimmune disorders by generating antibodies to the body's own tissues.

Diagnosis as an adult can have huge benefits, including helping someone with ASD to feel real

This first-person account of a woman diagnosed with autism at age 31 covers her experience of why it was useful for her to receive her diagnosis as an adult and how it helped her to understand her life and her feelings of 'being an imposter.'

Genetics play a role in the reliability of the body's biological clocks

Growing evidence suggests genetics influence when, how long, and how well one sleeps, meaning insomnia may have a genetic component. While exact insomnia biomarkers have yet to be determined, some genes, including those related to psychiatric disorders, have been implicated.

Aurea's father came upon polygenic risk scores after reading a news article about it

Rafal Smigrodzki, a neurologist with a PhD in genetics, first heard of the polygenic risk score offering after reading about it in a 2017 MIT Technology Review feature that focused on the company they eventually used, Genomic Prediction.

Twin studies helped scientists understand why mosquitoes like some of us more than others

A combination of carbon dioxide output, skin chemistry, genetic factors, hormones, and clothing choice can make us particularly vulnerable to mosquito bites. Watch how mosquitoes responded to one man in the video versus his wife, a research approach typically conducted with identical and fraternal twins to test mosquito attractiveness.

Most people with East Asian ancestry are genetically predisposed to be less smelly

A gene variant found in 80%-95% of individuals with East Asian ancestry reduces armpit bacteria and related odors. People with this nonfunctioning ABCC11 gene variant lack a protein that transports molecules, including sweat, across cellular membranes, so their armpits are starved of sweat that bacteria may have metabolized to help them multiply.

Your DNA may determine whether you like coffee or tea

Whether people prefer coffee or tea may boil down to a matter of taste genetics. People with a version of a gene that increases sensitivity to the bitter flavor of caffeine tend to be coffee drinkers, according to a report. Read on for more.

Gut microbiome rewrites may help reduce allergies

Researchers are investigating different strategies to determine if one day they could give people a combination of gut microbes to set them up for fewer allergies. In animal research, scientists have already prevented severe allergic responses in allergy-prone mice—supplying them with gut microbes from healthy, non-allergic human babies.

Environment and genetics explain why animals have widely different lifespans

Both environmental conditions and genetic factors shape how long various animals live. For some creatures, colder conditions allow for less energy use and slower aging. Larger animals have fewer predators. While humans don't live the longest, we are a rare species that successfully lengthened its average lifespan over time.

Lactose intolerance is not the same as a dairy allergy

Lactose intolerance can develop in adulthood and can be influenced by genetic factors, culture, and dietary practices. Times of famine may have favored those who could digest dairy, naturally selecting them more, resulting in lactase persistence.

Perceived isolation ages you

Mounting evidence suggests that socialization is a vital component of maintaining good health. Research published in 2024 from Mayo Clinic researchers analyzed the social lives of more than 280,000 adults and concluded that individuals that weren't likely to participate in extracurricular social activities and get-togethers were more likely to have a biological age older than their actual age—meaning that you may be 60 but health indicators would suggest you're older.

Astronauts have repaired genetic damage in space using CRISPR—a molecular tool that can make precise changes to DNA and is used in single-celled organisms to attack invasive viruses.

Indefinite cloning of some endangered species may not sustain their longevity because cloning success rates decrease as genetic mutations accumulate.

Hookworm infection, though risky, may help fight certain autoimmune conditions by tamping down the immune system's inflammatory response.

Studies suggest when you sleep is as important as how much you get, and syncing with your circadian rhythms may lead to less fatigue and improved long-term health outcomes

In recent years a child anxiety expert has created and tested a novel phobia and anxiety treatment approach for children, focused on changing how parents respond to the fears.

Alzheimer's can lead to brain shrinkage, with an average of around 2% of volume reduction per year

Listen to an in-depth conversation on the links between Parkinson's disease and herbicide exposure and the challenging pace of scientific investigation.

Radioactive elements can introduce software errors because the ionizing radiation they produce can detach electrons from atoms, and computer code relies on the distribution of electrons.

The hormonal disorder PCOS was renamed PMOS in 2026, a move designed to improve care and research by shifting the focus to the hormonal causes of this condition that affects 1 in 8 women.

An investigation suggests a Scottish island became awash in forever chemicals via seafoam and seaspray—raising questions about what that means for the safety of other coastal areas.

At the beginning of the 20th century, a group of young men ate standard American food—replete with food additives like borax and formaldehyde—as part of government research to better understand food safety.

Firework or sparkler burns, even if they cover a relatively small area of skin, can significantly affect our range of motion.

Poison ivy is in the same family as mangoes, cashews, and pistachios—and they all produce oily urushiol in their raw, unprocessed state—but they are typically prepared in ways to avoid causing human discomfort.

US housing costs have risen by roughly 175% between 1991 and 2026—but a growing number of Gen Zers are becoming homeowners anyway. In 2025, 4% of homebuyers were Gen Z, up from 3% the year before.

Chaos theory—informally known as the butterfly effect—is the reason why weather forecasts are presented with probabilities rather than certainties.

Up to a million Girl Scouts sell about 200 million cookie boxes every spring, generating $800 million, largely because refusing a child is frowned upon

When you complete a CAPTCHA on a website to prove you are human, you may be unknowingly training algorithms for self-driving cars, whose systems require training data to help identify crosswalks, bicycles, and other outdoor objects.

Play the role of a student in a game where you try to navigate college and remain debt-free, selecting different income levels, high school experience, race, ethnicity, and more.

While atoms are normally made of protons, neutrons, and electrons, exotic ones have been built with antimatter—alternate versions of normal matter that live for fractions of a second and are about a billion times as rare.

In 1939, baseball star Lou Gehrig delivered his inspirational 'Luckiest Man' speech after retiring due to the health condition that now bears his name.

The Great Salt Lake's distinct dual coloration results from high-salinity organisms that only live in the northern portion and produce a purple protein.

The story of Dollree Mapp, whose legal challenge over her 1957 conviction for possessing "obscene material" led to a major strengthening of the Fourth Amendment

Salvador Dalí believed he was his own dead brother, who had died nine months before he was born

Meet the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence—most of whom didn't put pen to paper until August 2, 1776—and see their original signatures.

Browse a detailed visual analysis of over 200,000 similes—comparisons that often use 'like' or 'as'—from popular fiction to see how frequently writers the same idiomatic expressions.