Asimov Press

By breaking cells apart, all the way down to molecules, researchers hope to recreate the recipe from which they are built. But their efforts may prove futile. The latest essay from our ongoing book, "Biology is a Burrito," by Niko McCarty.

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A bacterium can acquire new genes without acquiring a new name, or acquire a new name without changing whatsoever. By Kevin Blake

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Two of biology’s greatest theories completely predate direct experimental evidence. Tracing their origins could help us understand how to make the next ones.

Biology is often seen as a primarily experimental science, with theory serving merely to generalize patterns from empirical data. But history reveals that theory plays a more generative role in the process of biological discovery itself.

How computer scientists on the fringes of biology made sense of sequencing data. By Ella Watkins-Dulaney.

Asimov Press is pausing.

Why scaling AI won’t automatically lead to paradigm shifts. By Alvin Djajadikerta.

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We tend to think of fermented foods as something humans invented and then chose to eat. But the evidence shows the opposite: fermented foods shaped human biology. By Rachel Dutton.

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How a blood-stained surgeon's frock evolved into a pristine symbol of modern science. By Donna Vatnick

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In a recent survey, three-in-four respondents said they would prefer a once‑daily oral pill over a weekly injection of GLP-1s. So why aren't there more oral options? By David S. Kim

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While some bacteriophages play vital roles in laboratory research, others are bent on sabotage. By Antoine Vigouroux.

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Viral capsid structure is a geometric packing problem under genetic constraints. By Ulkar Aghayeva

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Bioarchaeologists recently identified a murdered medieval royal. Now, they are trying to shed light on other ancient deaths. By David Brzostowicki

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How a twisted triangle of glass tubing helped democratize chemistry and build the modern laboratory. By Spencer Wright.

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What happens in a world where AIs make scientific discoveries that humans cannot understand? By Matthew Carter

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First introduced into laboratories in 1881, agar remains indispensable as a culture medium. By Corrado Nai.

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[Fiction] A eulogy to the reference human. By Eliomer H. Kaas.

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Once a primal instinct, olfaction is now being mapped, measured, and modeled by machines. By Taylor Rayne.

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The forgotten story of an invention found in every biology lab. By Ella Watkins-Dulaney.

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From early experiments on fertility and embryonic development to becoming the first cloned eukaryote from an adult cell, Xenopus frogs have had an outsized influence on the life sciences. By Matt Lubin.

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