Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Science & Society
How newsy science becomes Science News
Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses how a news story makes it into Science News magazine.
- Astronomy
Readers have questions about Ultima Thule, thirsty plants and vitamin D
Readers had comments and questions about Ultima Thule, photosynthesis and more.
- Health & Medicine
FDA has approved the first ketamine-based antidepressant
A nasal spray with a ketamine-based drug promises faster relief from depression for some people.
- Anthropology
Hominids may have hunted rabbits as far back as 400,000 years ago
Stone Age groups in Europe put small game on the menu surprisingly early.
- Health & Medicine
A second HIV patient has gone into remission after a stem cell transplant
A second person with HIV has gone into remission after receiving blood stem cells from a donor unable to make a protein needed by the virus.
- Health & Medicine
Ripples race in the brain as memories are recalled
A fast brain wave called a ripple often came before a person’s correct answer on a memory test.
- Archaeology
A 2,000-year-old tattoo tool is the oldest in western North America
The artifact is made of two pigment-stained cactus spines, and has been sitting in storage since its discovery in 1972.
- Life
Eating a lot of fiber could improve some cancer treatments
A high-fiber diet, which boosts the diversity of gut microbes, may make an immune therapy against skin cancer more effective.
- Health & Medicine
Sleeping in on the weekend can’t make up for lost sleep
Using the weekend to catch up on sleep is ineffective at making-up for lost sleep and offsetting the consequences to a person’s health.
- Health & Medicine
Wireless patches can comfortably monitor sick babies’ health
New skin sensors that wirelessly transmit health data could offer a less invasive way to keep tabs on newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit.
- Health & Medicine
Watching hours of TV is tied to verbal memory decline in older people
The more television people age 50 and up watched, the worse they recalled a list of words in tests years later, a study finds.
- Health & Medicine
50 years ago, people thought MSG caused ‘Chinese restaurant syndrome’
In the 1960s, people blamed monosodium glutamate in Chinese food for making them sick, but the claim hasn't stood up to time or science.
