No Spin: Endogenous Retroviruses Are Important for Brain Function, and Aren't Junk

Ann Gauger recently wrote an excellent piece about interpreting scientific writings minus all the unnecessary evolutionary gloss. Let's apply her methods to a recent news story.

The claim is that junk DNA helped our brain cells evolve. The raw data shows that what we typically have called endogenous retroviruses are not necessarily junk but are genetic elements that are important for controlling brain function. Yet science journalists have been spinning the demise of this evolutionary icon a...