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Humans

DNA indicates how ancient migrations shaped South Asian languages and farming

Farming in the region may have sprung up locally, while herders from afar sparked language changes.

Space

Einstein’s general relativity reveals new features of a pulsar

Measurements that rely on the physicist’s theory of gravity are letting astronomers view a pulsar in ‘a whole new way.’

Tech

A mini chemical lab could one day test for toxic nerve agents in the field

Portable lab equipment that detects nerve agents could help judge when it’s safe to return to previously exposed areas.

Anthropology

This ancient Denisovan finger bone is surprisingly humanlike

Despite Neandertal ties, extinct hominids called Denisovans had a touching link to humans, a new study finds.

Health & Medicine

Liquid mouth drops could one day protect people from peanut allergies

An immune treatment given as liquid mouth drops helped allergic children eat the equivalent of a few peanuts without having a reaction.

Health & Medicine

Pancreatic cancer tumors attack the blood vessels that deliver chemo drugs

Pancreatic cancer is nearly impossible to treat, but now we may know why. New research shows that the tumors destroy nearby blood vessels, making it harder for drugs to reach them.

Earth

Hurricane Dorian’s slow pace makes it dangerous and hard to predict

Hurricane Dorian is one of several recent hurricanes that moved extremely slowly. Whether that's due to climate change isn't yet clear.

Space

Iron sulfide may be keeping Mercury’s core toasty and its magnetic field alive

New estimates of how much heat Mercury’s core loses could explain why the tiny world has a long-lived magnetic field.

Earth

How ancient oceans of magma may have boosted Earth’s oxygen levels

Chemical reactions involving iron could have increased the amount of oxygen-rich compounds in the early Earth’s mantle, lab experiments suggest.

Space

Overnight changes in Mars’ atmosphere could solve a methane mystery

Overnight atmospheric changes on Mars can explain why two spacecraft measure vastly different concentrations of methane.

Life

Human meddling has manipulated the shapes of different dog breeds’ brains

By analyzing the shape of different dog breeds’ brains, researchers show how humans have manipulated the animals’ brain anatomy.

Life

Fly fossils might challenge the idea of ancient trilobites’ crystal eyes

Fossilized crane flies from 54 million years ago probably got their crystal lenses after death.