I did a lot of writing in 2016… just not on this blog, in spite of my good intentions. Aside from a personal record in grant proposals and our latest paper, I continued to write over at Pacific Standard. In case you missed them, here are four favorite picks from the year:
Scientists Can Now Genetically Modify Organisms in the Wild (Feb 17)
Compared to the controversies over GMO foods, gene drives have flown under the radar, but not for long.
Why the National Institutes of Health Should Replace Peer Review With a Lottery (April 8)
There are limits to the fine-scale resolution of peer review; a lottery to fund grants would openly acknowledge that.
How Slavery Changed the DNA of African Americans (July 19)
Genetic history is about sex and migration, and both were dramatically affected by the slave trade and its racist aftermath.
How Our Environment Affects Our Genes (Nov 15)
We tend to think genetics is destiny, but the real story is gene by environment interactions.
The Finch and Pea 