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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. Read all our work, entirely for free, at press.asimov.com.

A bacterium can acquire new genes without acquiring a new name, or acquire a new name without changing whatsoever. By Kevin Blake Read all our work at press.asimov.com

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. Read all our work at press.asimov.com.

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. Read all our work at press.asimov.com.

How a blood-stained surgeon's frock evolved into a pristine symbol of modern science. By Donna Vatnick Read all our work at press.asimov.com.

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 Read all our work, for free, at press.asimov.com.

While some bacteriophages play vital roles in laboratory research, others are bent on sabotage. By Antoine Vigouroux. Read all our work, for free, at press.asimov.com.

Viral capsid structure is a geometric packing problem under genetic constraints. By Ulkar Aghayeva Read all our work for free at press.asimov.com.

Bioarchaeologists recently identified a murdered medieval royal. Now, they are trying to shed light on other ancient deaths. By David Brzostowicki Read all our work for free at press.asimov.com.

How a twisted triangle of glass tubing helped democratize chemistry and build the modern laboratory. By Spencer Wright. Read all our work for free at press.asimov.com.

What happens in a world where AIs make scientific discoveries that humans cannot understand? By Matthew Carter Read all our work at press.asimov.com.