Uncombable hair syndrome
Untamed hair syndrome also known as Pili trianguli et caniculi is a rare syndrome characterized by a lack of hair control. It was first reported and described in the 1970s and to date only about 100 cases are known. The disease affects approximately one in every [...]
Whole exome sequencing
Whole exome sequencing (WES) is one of the most popular next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods used today for the detection of genetic variants. WES uses targeted technology to capture approximately 1% of the entire human genome (the human exome). What is whole exome sequencing? Whole exome sequencing is a [...]
Have you ever wondered what causes color blindness?
When giving instructions to locate objects or people, the use of colors is very common. In doing so, we forget that not all of us perceive colors in the same way. There are people who confuse purple with blue, for example. These people suffer from color blindness, and the reason why not all [...]
Farmer vs Hunter
Throughout the evolutionary process, there have been significant changes in our history. One of them, undoubtedly, is the change from nomadic hunter-gatherers to sedentary farmer-gatherers. This fact was decisive for the history of mankind, which occurred approximately 10,000 years ago, culminating with the appearance of [...]
How does heat affect our organism?
High temperatures such as those we experience during summer heat waves affect our body. Specifically the hypothalamus, an area of the brain that produces hormones involved in numerous functions such as the regulation of body temperature, heart rate, hunger, sleep, libido... How do we regulate our body temperature? Human beings [...]
Olfaction: Olfactory Receptors and Genes
The olfactory system is responsible for detecting odorants and converting them into signals that our brain interprets as odors. Although the sense of smell is one of the oldest, the ability to detect odor molecules has evolved very slowly over millions of years. The discovery of olfactory receptors took place almost 20 years ago [...]
Genetics of eye color
Eye color is mainly determined by genetics. It is one of the genetic traits that depends on the amount and distribution of melanin. While it is true that the genes of both parents contribute to determine the color of an individual's eyes (it is known to be highly heritable), it [...]
Sephardic jews - Ancestral Origins
The Jewish community has been formally expelled from many places throughout its history. The first of these times was in 49 A.D. when, by decree, the Jews were expelled from Rome. It took many centuries for the Jews to be expelled again from Rome.
Ashkenazi Jews - Ancestral Origins
The ancient city of Ur, in Mesopotamia, was the place where, according to tradition, Abraham, the main prophet and first patriarch of the Jews, was born, as well as the first person to whom Yahweh appeared. From this first monotheistic religion, an ethnic division of about 70 groups can be made, among which [...]
Peoples of North Africa - Ancestral origins
The Greeks called the inhabitants of North Africa Libyans. The Romans called them Mauritanians. Nowadays, a group of people belonging to a group of North African ethnic groups is known as Amaziges (or Berbers, more in disuse). Due to an adaptation of Spanish, this area is also known as Maghreb. [...]