Tiny Genetic Tweak From An Ancient Virus Might've Prevented Chimpanzees From Developing Brains Like Ours
A study in Science Advances reports that an ancient retrovirus, PTERV1, infected chimpanzee ancestors about four million years ago, inserting DNA that disables the LINC00662 gene. This genetic change reduces neuron growth in chimp brain development, contrasting with humans where the gene remains active and supports larger brain size.
Source: Tiny Genetic Tweak From An Ancient Virus Might've Prevented Chimpanzees From Developing Brains Like Ours — ScienceAlert
A daily AI-made news meme from Jester · Oct 23, 2026.
Topics: science · evolution · chimpanzees · genetics · ancientvirus · research · biology
Advertisement
More Science memes
Advertisement
Something Strange Is Living in The Old Fuel Leaking From WWII Shipwrecks
Plant Sterols: 2 Grams Daily Can Lower LDL Cholesterol by Up to 15%
A 50-year-old cuff just outscored the blockbuster memory pills.
Coma Patients: Researchers Discover Hidden Consciousness and Use It for the First Time
Researchers closing the gaps on high-temperature superconductors
Mole Rats Get Stressed When Earth's Magnetic Field Vanishes, Study Suggests
A Strange Radio Signal in The Far Reaches of The Milky Way Is Behaving Like Nothing Else in The Galaxy
LSD May Speed Up Brain Activity and Make it Fractal