Humans
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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
As algae blooms increase, scientists seek better ways to predict these toxic tides
Scientists around the United States are developing programs that can predict harmful algal blooms in advance.
- Psychology
‘Replication crisis’ spurs reforms in how science studies are done
Redos of social sciences studies from major journals point to opportunities for improvement.
By Bruce Bower - Health & Medicine
Air pollution is shaving a year off our average life expectancy
The first country-by-country look at how dirty air affects when we die shows it can have more impact on mortality than breast or lung cancer.
By Katy Daigle - Humans
Meet the first known child of a Neandertal and a Denisovan
DNA analysis of a bone fragment reveals Neandertal movements between Siberia and western Europe.
- Health & Medicine
There’s a new cervical cancer screening option
Women now have another choice for cervical cancer screening: getting an HPV test alone every five years.
- Anthropology
A fossil mistaken for a bat may shake up lemurs’ evolutionary history
On Madagascar, a type of lemur called aye-ayes may have a singular evolutionary history.
By Bruce Bower - Science & Society
Cheese found in an Egyptian tomb is at least 3,200 years old
Solid cheese preserved in an ancient Egyptian tomb may be the world’s oldest.
- Health & Medicine
Cancer drugs may help the liver recover from common painkiller overdoses
Experimental anticancer drugs may help the liver recover after acetaminophen poisoning.
- Tech
Children may be especially vulnerable to peer pressure from robots
Elementary school children often endorsed unanimous but inaccurate judgments made by small groups of robots.
By Bruce Bower - Health & Medicine
A resurrected gene may protect elephants from cancer
Researchers have found another gene that may play a role in explaining elephants’ cancer resistance.
- Neuroscience
Strange brains offer a glimpse into the mind
A close look at unusual brains offers a way to understand how the human mind is constructed, two new books argue.
- Health & Medicine
The first gene-silencing drug wins FDA approval
The FDA just approved the first drug that works via RNA interference.