Soybeans were domesticated
On Jan. 6, 2012, scientists reported that small-seeded soybeans indicating wild-type soybeans date to 9,000 years ago. Historical…
The genome of our closest relative, the Neandertal, was sequenced
On May 7, 2010, in a paper released in Science, an international consortium announced sequencing the genome of…
Smallpox appeared in the first agricultural settlements in northeastern Africa
On Jan. 8, 2005, researchers from Baylor University Medical Center reported that although the origin of smallpox is…
Michael Crichton’s “Jurassic Park” novel was published, introducing DNA technology to a wide audience
On Nov. 20, 1990, Michael Crichton’s “Jurassic Park” novel was pulbished, introducing DNA technology to a wide audience….
In the first recorded act of biological warfare, Scythians archers used poison-tipped arrows
In 400 BCE, Greek historian Herodotus wrote of Scythians archers from the Black Sea region that used poison-tipped…
The Plague of Athens devastated the city-state of Athens in ancient Greece
In 430 BCE, a plague struck the city of Athens, which was then under siege by Sparta during…
Potatoes, the world’s most widely grown tuber crop, were first cultivated
Around 8000 BCE, Potatoes, the world’s most widely grown tuber crop, were first cultivated for food in area…