Admixture’s impact on Brazilian population

evolution and health

Brazil is a vast continental country home to the largest population in Latin America and boasts the world’s largest recently admixed population1. The colonization process brought approximately 5 million Europeans to Brazil, alongside the forced migration of at least 5 million Africans and the decimation of Indigenous populations, which once included more than 10 million people speaking more than 1000 languages. This distinctive historical interplay shaped a complex mosaic of genetic diversity, underscoring the importance of detailed genomic studies. Nevertheless, similar to other populations in the Global South2, the Brazilian population remains notably underrepresented in genomic research, where there is a lack of studies investigating the effects of this population’s admixture on its evolution, diversity, and health status.

To address these gaps, a research group generated 2723 high-coverage whole-genome sequences of the Brazilian population, encompassing urban, rural, and riverine communities from all five geographical regions of Brazil.

This dataset reflects a diverse group of ethnic backgrounds, including Afro-Brazilians and descendants of Indigenous people, and provides a comprehensive representation of Brazilian genomic diversity.

(Kelly Nunes et al. www.science.org, 15.05.2025. Adaptado.)

¹ admixed population: group of individuals formed through interbreeding of two or more previously isolated populations.

² Global South: a group of countries mainly located in the Southern Hemisphere that are often characterized as developing, less developed or underdeveloped.

Admixture’s impact on Brazilian population

evolution and health

Brazil is a vast continental country home to the largest population in Latin America and boasts the world’s largest recently admixed population1. The colonization process brought approximately 5 million Europeans to Brazil, alongside the forced migration of at least 5 million Africans and the decimation of Indigenous populations, which once included more than 10 million people speaking more than 1000 languages. This distinctive historical interplay shaped a complex mosaic of genetic diversity, underscoring the importance of detailed genomic studies. Nevertheless, similar to other populations in the Global South2, the Brazilian population remains notably underrepresented in genomic research, where there is a lack of studies investigating the effects of this population’s admixture on its evolution, diversity, and health status.

To address these gaps, a research group generated 2723 high-coverage whole-genome sequences of the Brazilian population, encompassing urban, rural, and riverine communities from all five geographical regions of Brazil.

This dataset reflects a diverse group of ethnic backgrounds, including Afro-Brazilians and descendants of Indigenous people, and provides a comprehensive representation of Brazilian genomic diversity.

(Kelly Nunes et al. www.science.org, 15.05.2025. Adaptado.)

¹ admixed population: group of individuals formed through interbreeding of two or more previously isolated populations.

² Global South: a group of countries mainly located in the Southern Hemisphere that are often characterized as developing, less developed or underdeveloped.

British scientists say they have developed a test which can help identify women with an abnormal womb lining¹⁾ that increases their risk of miscarriage²⁾. They say their work could pave the way for new treatments for those going through repeated pregnancy loss.

In some women with a history of miscarriage, the womb lining doesn’t react the way it should — transforming into a supportive place for the embryo to implant, the University of Warwick team discovered. Around one in six of all pregnancies are lost, most before twelve weeks, and each miscarriage increases the risk of another one happening.

To date, most research in this area has focused on the quality of the embryo, with much less known about the role of the womb lining. Dr Jo Muter, study author and researcher at Warwick Medical School in the United Kingdom, said: “Many women are told they’ve just had ‘bad luck’, but our findings show that the womb³⁾ itself may be setting the stage for pregnancy loss, even before conception takes place.”

The job of the womb lining is to receive the embryo and help it develop during pregnancy, thanks to a reaction which converts cells into a different, supportive state. But when that reaction is messed up and doesn’t fully happen, the risk of bleeding and early pregnancy loss rises. Once a woman has had one defective reaction, she is more likely to have another, the researchers say.

They’ve developed a new test which can measure signs of a healthy or defective reaction in the womb lining, which is being piloted to help more than 1,000 patients in the UK at the University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire (UHCW).

(Philippa Roxby. www.bbc.com, 26.06.2025. Adaptado.)

¹ womb lining: endométrio, tecido que reveste a parte interna do útero.

² miscarriage: aborto espontâneo/perda gestacional.

³ womb: útero.

British scientists say they have developed a test which can help identify women with an abnormal womb lining¹⁾ that increases their risk of miscarriage²⁾. They say their work could pave the way for new treatments for those going through repeated pregnancy loss.

In some women with a history of miscarriage, the womb lining doesn’t react the way it should — transforming into a supportive place for the embryo to implant, the University of Warwick team discovered. Around one in six of all pregnancies are lost, most before twelve weeks, and each miscarriage increases the risk of another one happening.

To date, most research in this area has focused on the quality of the embryo, with much less known about the role of the womb lining. Dr Jo Muter, study author and researcher at Warwick Medical School in the United Kingdom, said: “Many women are told they’ve just had ‘bad luck’, but our findings show that the womb³⁾ itself may be setting the stage for pregnancy loss, even before conception takes place.”

The job of the womb lining is to receive the embryo and help it develop during pregnancy, thanks to a reaction which converts cells into a different, supportive state. But when that reaction is messed up and doesn’t fully happen, the risk of bleeding and early pregnancy loss rises. Once a woman has had one defective reaction, she is more likely to have another, the researchers say.

They’ve developed a new test which can measure signs of a healthy or defective reaction in the womb lining, which is being piloted to help more than 1,000 patients in the UK at the University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire (UHCW).

(Philippa Roxby. www.bbc.com, 26.06.2025. Adaptado.)

¹ womb lining: endométrio, tecido que reveste a parte interna do útero.

² miscarriage: aborto espontâneo/perda gestacional.

³ womb: útero.

British scientists say they have developed a test which can help identify women with an abnormal womb lining¹⁾ that increases their risk of miscarriage²⁾. They say their work could pave the way for new treatments for those going through repeated pregnancy loss.

In some women with a history of miscarriage, the womb lining doesn’t react the way it should — transforming into a supportive place for the embryo to implant, the University of Warwick team discovered. Around one in six of all pregnancies are lost, most before twelve weeks, and each miscarriage increases the risk of another one happening.

To date, most research in this area has focused on the quality of the embryo, with much less known about the role of the womb lining. Dr Jo Muter, study author and researcher at Warwick Medical School in the United Kingdom, said: “Many women are told they’ve just had ‘bad luck’, but our findings show that the womb³⁾ itself may be setting the stage for pregnancy loss, even before conception takes place.”

The job of the womb lining is to receive the embryo and help it develop during pregnancy, thanks to a reaction which converts cells into a different, supportive state. But when that reaction is messed up and doesn’t fully happen, the risk of bleeding and early pregnancy loss rises. Once a woman has had one defective reaction, she is more likely to have another, the researchers say.

They’ve developed a new test which can measure signs of a healthy or defective reaction in the womb lining, which is being piloted to help more than 1,000 patients in the UK at the University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire (UHCW).

(Philippa Roxby. www.bbc.com, 26.06.2025. Adaptado.)

¹ womb lining: endométrio, tecido que reveste a parte interna do útero.

² miscarriage: aborto espontâneo/perda gestacional.

³ womb: útero.

British scientists say they have developed a test which can help identify women with an abnormal womb lining¹⁾ that increases their risk of miscarriage²⁾. They say their work could pave the way for new treatments for those going through repeated pregnancy loss.

In some women with a history of miscarriage, the womb lining doesn’t react the way it should — transforming into a supportive place for the embryo to implant, the University of Warwick team discovered. Around one in six of all pregnancies are lost, most before twelve weeks, and each miscarriage increases the risk of another one happening.

To date, most research in this area has focused on the quality of the embryo, with much less known about the role of the womb lining. Dr Jo Muter, study author and researcher at Warwick Medical School in the United Kingdom, said: “Many women are told they’ve just had ‘bad luck’, but our findings show that the womb³⁾ itself may be setting the stage for pregnancy loss, even before conception takes place.”

The job of the womb lining is to receive the embryo and help it develop during pregnancy, thanks to a reaction which converts cells into a different, supportive state. But when that reaction is messed up and doesn’t fully happen, the risk of bleeding and early pregnancy loss rises. Once a woman has had one defective reaction, she is more likely to have another, the researchers say.

They’ve developed a new test which can measure signs of a healthy or defective reaction in the womb lining, which is being piloted to help more than 1,000 patients in the UK at the University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire (UHCW).

(Philippa Roxby. www.bbc.com, 26.06.2025. Adaptado.)

¹ womb lining: endométrio, tecido que reveste a parte interna do útero.

² miscarriage: aborto espontâneo/perda gestacional.

³ womb: útero.

Autumnal equinox arrives in Northern Hemisphere

Stuart Clark 15 September, 2025

Summer comes to a close for us in the Northern Hemisphere this week on 22 September 2025, as we enter the autumn. The moment is marked by the autumnal equinox, which is the moment when the sun crosses the celestial equator, moving south, and then, gradually, the days become shorter than the nights. The exact moment this happens is 19:19 BST (British Summer Time) on 22 September and it is caused by the movement of Earth along its orbit, gradually moving the Northern Hemisphere away from the sun.

The name equinox comes from the Latin aequus, meaning equal and nox, meaning night. So, it is said that the equinox is when day and night are the same length, which would be true if Earth had no atmosphere.

(www.theguardian.com/science/2025/sep/15/why-the-autumn-equinox-isnt--actually-when-day-and-night-are-equal. Acesso em 18.09.2025. Adaptado)

Autumnal equinox arrives in Northern Hemisphere

Stuart Clark 15 September, 2025

Summer comes to a close for us in the Northern Hemisphere this week on 22 September 2025, as we enter the autumn. The moment is marked by the autumnal equinox, which is the moment when the sun crosses the celestial equator, moving south, and then, gradually, the days become shorter than the nights. The exact moment this happens is 19:19 BST (British Summer Time) on 22 September and it is caused by the movement of Earth along its orbit, gradually moving the Northern Hemisphere away from the sun.

The name equinox comes from the Latin aequus, meaning equal and nox, meaning night. So, it is said that the equinox is when day and night are the same length, which would be true if Earth had no atmosphere.

(www.theguardian.com/science/2025/sep/15/why-the-autumn-equinox-isnt--actually-when-day-and-night-are-equal. Acesso em 18.09.2025. Adaptado)