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Magazine
In the April 14 SN: Killer heat, mass insect migrations, the latest Saturn updates, rethinking the Nobel Prize, tectonics on Venus, the science of mass shootings, ancient tool trends and more.
Humans & Society
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Humans & Society
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Ancestry
NewsPacific islanders got a double whammy of Stone Age DNA
Neandertal and Denisovan genes influence the health of present-day Melanesians.NewsHuman DNA found in a Neandertal woman
Interbreeding between humans and Neandertals happened earlier than thought, leaving traces in the Neandertal genome. -
Anthropology
News in BriefA hole in an ancient cow’s skull could have been surgery practice
Before performing skull operations on people, ancient surgeons may have rehearsed on cows.NewsFinger fossil puts people in Arabia at least 86,000 years ago
A desert discovery suggests that Arabia was an ancient human destination. -
Archaeology
NewsThis ancient Maya city may have helped the Snake King dynasty spread
A rural hub in an ancient Maya state gets its due with some laser help.NewsDogs lived and died with humans 10,000 years ago in the Americas
Dogs unearthed at sites in Illinois were older than originally thought. -
Psychology
FeatureWhen it’s playtime, many kids prefer reality over fantasy
Given a choice between fantasy play and doing the things that adults do, children prefer reality-based tasks, studies suggest.ScicuriousWhether psychology research is improving depends on whom you ask
Psychologists are pessimistic about the state of their field but want to improve, a survey shows. But are new measures working? -
Science & Society
ContextInformed wisdom trumps rigid rules when it comes to medical evidence
Narrative reviews of medical evidence offer benefits that the supposedly superior systematic approach can’t.Science VisualizedClosing the gender gap in some science fields may take over 100 years
In some STEM fields, the gender gap won’t disappear for decades or even centuries, a new study suggests. -
Networks
Letters to the EditorReaders respond to terrorism's roots
Readers respond to the July 9, 2016, issue of Science News with questions on terrorism, dog evolution and more.NewsMonitoring online groups offers insight into ISIS attacks
Targeting online groups may be key to limiting the digital reach of ISIS. -
Language
NewsOldest alphabet identified as Hebrew
Contested study indicates ancient Israelites developed first alphabet from Egyptian hieroglyphics.ContextTom Wolfe’s denial of language evolution stumbles over his own words
Tom Wolfe’s book denies that language evolved and attacks Darwin and Chomsky with smugness lacking substance. -
History of Science
ContextTop 10 papers from Physical Review’s first 125 years
The most prestigious journal in physics celebrates its 125th anniversary, highlighting dozens of its most famous papers.Context2018’s Top 10 science anniversaries
2018’s Top 10 anniversaries include notable birthdays and discoveries in math, science and medicine. -
Human Evolution
Year in ReviewThe story of humans’ origins got a revision in 2017
Human evolution may have involved the gradual assembly of scattered skeletal traits, fossils of Homo naledi and other species show.NewsHomo naledi’s brain shows humanlike features
South African Homo species had small but humanlike brain, scientists say.