Review by Arthur G. Schwarz of the book “The DNA Question: Where Does the Information Come From?"

Laboratory abiogenesis is one of the ultimate goals of experimental biology. The most formidable barrier to create living matter in the laboratory is not the complexity of the cell, rather the absolute requirement for non-equilibrium steady state for all chemical reactions. Current synthetic biology technologies cannot yet produce cells, which harbor chemical systems in non-equilibrium steady-states.

New study of neuronal diversification reveals the complexity of the gut's brain

Climatic effects of the impact and volcanism scenarios for the extinction of dinosaurs are investigated in a modelling paper.

A Cambrian fossil worm shows only minor differences from species still living, an example of family stasis.

Species may undergo minor adaptation through Darwinian processes, but this comes at the cost of genetic deterioration.

Darwin saw evolution as a slow and steady process with species gradually transforming into new species over long time. He thought that the fossil record should provide evidence for his theory. However, the needed evidence proved to be elusive.

Pseudogenes are important in gene regulation and other activities.

Changing a DNA sequence can affect a protein even if it does not change the amino acid sequence.

Claims of dinosaur DNA stir controversy

New nature documentary by Dr. Gordon Wilson premiers on March 6.

The "Cambrian explosion" is a term used to describe the abrupt appearance in the fossil record of major animal phyla, without intermediate forms in lower layers. This pattern of abrupt appearance can be observed for many groups of organisms, including crinoids (sea lilies).

Chromosomes regulate their own structure through their sequences of non-protein-coding DNA.

Fossilized crane fly eyes discovered to be calcified and have melanin

Cichlid fish in Nicaraguan lakes show evidence of rapid change.

An average of 70 mutations occur in each person.

Fossils are remains or other evidence of organisms that lived in the past and are preserved in the rocks. How did they form and what can we learn from them?

Cnidarians appear to have recruited as toxins the same kinds of proteins recruited by many other venomous animals. However, toxin diversity within groups of organisms does not appear to be related to the alleged evolutionary history of the various groups.

The specific genes have been identified that cause a lizard to match the black rocks it lives on.

Humans have unique “developmental control genes” that distinguish them from chimpanzees and other animals