In most plants and animals, including humans, mitochondria are inherited exclusively, or nearly exclusively, from the mother.

Called “Lamarckian Inheritance,” the theory suggests that those experiences can even be passed down to future generations.

Studies find genetic, epigenetic, and transgenerational effects from pesticide exposure, particularly during early life.

A new study shows that plants can inherit mitochondria from their father, restoring fertility when maternal mitochondria are defective, challenging traditional views on mitochondrial inheritance.

For more than a century, Mendelian genetics has shaped how we think about inheritance: one gene, one trait. It is a model that still echoes through textbooks—and one that is increasingly reaching its ...

In “What We Inherit,” Sam Trejo and Daphne O. Martschenko examine the link between genetic myths and social genomics.

Rare genetic traits are features that are uncommon within the general population. They can lead to different observable features or to rare physical abilities. Rare genetic traits are typically ...

Hair genetics can come from either parent, and multiple genes can determine hair traits, such as color, texture, and growth. Genes can also affect hair loss. Although it can run in families, this is ...