It turns out the unique color is caused by a recessive genetic mutation, rather than the expression of a gene known to turn cats white ... from Pennsylvania with a background in astrophysics ...

The main difficulty in estimating rates of mutation involves the fact that DNA changes are extremely rare events and can only be detected on a background of identical DNA. Because biological ...

This DNA has suffered a mutation, either through mis-copying (when its parent cell divided), or through the damaging effects of exposure to radiation or a chemical carcinogen.

A single base change can create a devastating genetic disorder or a beneficial adaptation, or it might have no effect. How do mutations happen, and how do they influence the future of a species?