Genetics
Hans Bethe and the Problem of “Jewish Genius”Monday, October 15, 2012 by Alex Joffe | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Few topics make Jews more uncomfortable than the question of “Jewish genius.” While Jews happily point to the extraordinary scientific accomplishments of their co-religionists, discussion of the genetic or cultural basis of these achievements causes squirming and denials.
Editors' Picks
The Original Jewish Mothers Lawrence Schiffman, LawrenceSchiffman.com. Contrary to claims that Ashkenazi Jews are descended from European converts, genetic analysis shows that 70 percent of them can be traced to four females from the Middle East.
The Khazar Calumny Razib Khan, Discover. A new demographic study resurrects the idea that Ashkenazi Jews are descended from the Khazars of Eurasia. But the claim flies in the face of history.
More from the Start-up Nation Karin Kloosterman, ISRAEL21C. We need disease-resistant plants, but genetically modifying them is dangerous. Now, an Israeli biotech company has a treatment that protects plants while leaving them genetically intact.
The Genetic Map of the Jewish African Diaspora Sharon Begley, Reuters. Genome-wide analysis of Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian, Djerban, and Libyan Jews demonstrates a shared genetic history and supports the historical record of the Sephardic world.
Seeking VMAT2 Caitlin Yoshiko Kandil, Moment. While scientists have recently confirmed the existence of the “God particle,” the “God gene,” theorized to predispose individuals to religiosity, has proved more elusive to find.
The Biggest Jewish Genetic Myths Sala Levin, Moment. Ashkenazi Jews are not real Jews; Jews live longer than others; Jews have more red hair than the Irish; we all descend from Eve: only one of these statements is true.