Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
New approaches may help solve the Lyme disease diagnosis dilemma
Lyme disease is hard to detect, but scientists are investigating new diagnostic approaches.
- Science & Society
Lost wallets are more likely to be returned if they hold cash
Worldwide, return rates of lost wallets goes up as the money inside increases, contradicting the idea that people act in their own self-interest.
- Health & Medicine
Rotavirus vaccines may lower kids’ chances of getting type 1 diabetes
Vaccination against rotavirus is associated with a reduced incidence of type 1 diabetes in children, according to an analysis of U.S. insurance data.
- Life
Norovirus close-ups might help fight stomach flu
Detailed views of a common stomach virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea could aid vaccine and disinfectant development.
- Science & Society
Science hasn’t managed to span the diagnosis gap
Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses how scientists are devising better diagnostic tools to detect diseases.
- Health & Medicine
When fighting lice, focus on kids’ heads, not hats or toys
Learning a little about lice makes for a more efficient battle against the bugs.
- Archaeology
People may have smoked marijuana in rituals 2,500 years ago in western China
Cannabis may have been altering minds at an ancient high-altitude cemetery, researchers say
- Animals
Bats are the main cause of rare rabies deaths in the U.S.
In the United States, bats are mostly to blame for rabies deaths, while rabies transmitted by overseas dogs comes in second.
- Health & Medicine
Extra fingers, often seen as useless, can offer major dexterity advantages
Two people born with six fingers on each hand can control the extra digit, using it to do tasks better than five-fingered hands, a study finds.
- Health & Medicine
A tiny crater on viruses behind the common cold may be their Achilles’ heel
Researchers have discovered a potential new drug target in a family of viruses responsible for the common cold and more serious infections.
- Archaeology
These knotted cords may hide the first evidence that the Incas collected taxes
Some knotted string devices point to crop levies imposed by the Incan empire, researchers say. But other khipus continue to evade description.
- Health & Medicine
Medicaid-expanding states had fewer cardiovascular deaths than other states
Counties in states with expanded Medicaid eligibility had 4.3 fewer cardiovascular deaths per 100,000 residents, on average, than if they hadn’t expanded.
