Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
Approval of gene therapies for two blood cancers led to an ‘explosion of interest’ in 2017
The first gene therapies approved in the United States are treating patients with certain types of leukemia and lymphoma.
- Neuroscience
Brains of former football players showed how common traumatic brain injuries might be
Examinations of NFL players’ postmortem brains turned up chronic traumatic encephalopathy in 99 percent of samples in large dataset.
- Health & Medicine
Zika cases are down, but researchers prepare for the virus’s return
The number of Zika cases in the Western Hemisphere have dropped this year, but the need for basic scientific and public health research of the virus remains strong.
- Health & Medicine
When tumors fuse with blood vessels, clumps of breast cancer cells can spread
Breast cancer tumors may merge with blood vessels to help the cancer spread.
- Genetics
CRISPR/Cas9 can reverse multiple diseases in mice
A new gene therapy uses CRISPR/Cas9 to turn on dormant genes.
- Health & Medicine
What hospitals can do to help keep excess opioids out of communities
Guidelines for prescribing opioids following a routine surgery prevented thousands of unnecessary pills from leaving the hospital, a new study finds.
- Health & Medicine
Staring into a baby’s eyes puts her brain waves and yours in sync
Brain waves line up when adults and babies lock eyes.
- Humans
50 years ago, folate deficiency was linked to birth defects
50 years ago, scientists found that a lack of folic acid in pregnant women could cause birth defects. But now, how much is too much?
- Neuroscience
Scientists are seeking new strategies to fight multiple sclerosis
Facing so many unknowns about multiple sclerosis, researchers explore the immune system, the neurons and the gut to fight the disease.
- Anthropology
Strong-armed women helped power Europe’s ancient farming revolution
Intensive manual labor gave ancient farm women arms that female rowers today would envy.
- Health & Medicine
Testosterone may be one reason why men don’t get asthma as much as women
Adult women have higher rates of asthma than men, and testosterone’s effect on the immune system may partly explain that difference.
- Archaeology
Hidden hoard hints at how ancient elites protected the family treasures
A secret stash at an ancient site in Israel called Megiddo illuminates the Iron Age practice of hoarding wealth.
