Scientists publish the first complete human genome

Scientists on Thursday published the first complete human genome, filling in gaps remaining after previous efforts while offering new promise in the search for clues regarding disease-causing mutations and genetic variation among the world's 7.9 billion people.

Researchers in 2003 unveiled what was then billed as the complete sequence of the human genome. But about 8 percent of it had not been fully deciphered, mainly because it consisted of highly repetitive chunks of DNA that were difficult to mesh with the rest.

A consortium of scientists resolved that...