human evolution

The molluscum contagiosum virus, a common skin infection, apparently retains a gene it took from humans at some point in its evolutionary history. The New York Times reports on the finding, which highlights how viruses can acquire and keep host genes, offering insight into virus evolution and how the pathogen manipulates human skin cells. Scientists say such stolen genes may help explain why the virus persists so effectively in people.

Researchers report the discovery of a human 'jumping gene' — a transposable element able to move around the genome — found embedded inside a virus. The finding suggests genetic material can move between humans and viruses, shedding light on how genomes evolve and how viruses may acquire host genes. Scientists say it could inform understanding of gene transfer and viral evolution.

A critic argues that the Book of Genesis falls apart when tested against the fossil record of human evolution. The claim is that humans lost their body fur and developed clothing not because of shame over nakedness, as the biblical story suggests, but through gradual adaptation during migrations between hot and cold environments over hundreds of thousands of years.

New York Times reporting describes a virus that incorporated a human gene into its own genome and has retained it over time. The finding is drawing attention among science readers because it illustrates how viruses and their hosts can exchange genetic material, blurring the line between viral and human DNA.