Biology

China Doubles Down on the Double Helix

From sleepless startups to huge sequencing centers, genomics is booming in China. Will other countries get left behind?

By Yiting Sun

The Radical Idea of Avoiding Sickness

Leroy Hood, pioneer of systems biology, is trying to upend medicine with a service that tests everything about you.

By David Ewing Duncan

Brain Disorders May Start in the Gut — So Let’s Treat Them There

Dogfish sharks produce a remarkable antibacterial compound that might halt symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

By Amanda Schaffer

Can Hackers Save This Man’s Hearing and Eyesight?

A genetic hackathon becomes a treasure hunt.

By Grace Rubenstein

The Plot Thickens in the Gnarly Story of IQ and Genetics

Researchers are finding new links between specific genes and intelligence. Can we use this knowledge to make people smarter?

By Stephanie Pappas

Neurotribe Finds Promised Land

Ultra Testing shows that autism in the workplace can be a feature, not a bug.

By Amanda Schaffer

The Misguided Pessimism of “Homo Deus”

Yuval Noah Harari’s book is right that humans have developed God-like powers, but it’s wrong about the reasons — and it underestimates what will come.

By Juan Enriquez