News in Brief

  1. Anthropology

    Earliest case of a battered child found in Greece

    A baby living in Athens around 2,200 years ago was probably beaten to death.

    By Bruce Bower
  2. Earth

    Huge space rock rattled Earth 3 billion years ago

    An asteroid almost as wide as Rhode Island may have plowed into Earth 3.26 billion years ago, leaving a trace in South Africa’s Barberton greenstone belt.

    By Ashley Yeager
  3. Anthropology

    Ancient boy died surprisingly young

    Imaging analysis reduces age of Australopithecus sediba youngster from 9 to 7.5 years old.

    By Bruce Bower
  4. Genetics

    Five mutations could make bird flu spread easily

    Handful of alterations can turn H5N1 bird flu into virus that infects ferrets through the air.