A single genetic tweak that occurred among our ancestors 25 million years ago means humans today are unable to grow a tail, according to a new study. Scientists knew that a gene called TBXT was involved in the snipping of the tail. Asep Supriatna/Getty ImagesWandering DNA snipped off our tailsThe solution, they found, was in a type of "jumping gene" called an Alu element. Scientists found two Alu elements around a part of the TBXT gene, called Exon 6. Scientists tested their findings by inserting Alu sequences in mice.

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Persons: —, Himanshu Sharma, it's, we've, Asep Supriatna, Miriam Konkel, Emily Casanova, Konkel, Casanova Organizations: Service, Business, Anadolu Agency, Getty, NYU, Grossman School of Medicine, Nature, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Science Locations: Pushkar, Rajasthan, India