Humans
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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Genetics
Mummy DNA unveils the history of ancient Egyptian hookups
A study of DNA extracted from Egyptian mummies untangles ancient ancestry and attempts to resolve quality issues.
- Health & Medicine
Some topics call for science reporting from many angles
There’s heartbreak in this issue. Science News investigates different facets of the ongoing opioid epidemic in the United States.
- Health & Medicine
For babies exposed to opioids in the womb, parents may be the best medicine
A surge in opioid-exposed newborns has U.S. doctors revamping treatments and focusing on families.
By Meghan Rosen - Health & Medicine
Researchers stumble onto a new role for breast cancer drug
At first, ophthalmologist Xu Wang thought her experiment had failed. But instead, she revealed a new role for the breast cancer drug tamoxifen — protection from eye injury.
- Archaeology
Peru’s plenty brought ancient human migration to a crawl
Ancient Americans reached Peru 15,000 years ago and stayed put, excavations suggest.
By Bruce Bower - Health & Medicine
The opioid epidemic spurs a search for new, safer painkillers
Today’s opioids stop pain — but they’re also dangerous. Scientists are hunting for replacements.
- Psychology
Running is contagious among those with the competitive bug
Can behaviors really be contagious? Runners log more miles when their friends do — especially if they want to stay leader of the pack, a new study finds.
- Health & Medicine
New test may improve pancreatic cancer diagnoses
Blood test that detects five tumor proteins may someday help doctors better screen for pancreatic cancer.
- Health & Medicine
Drugs for reflux disease in infants may come with unintended consequences
Infants prescribed proton-pump inhibitors for reflux disease may be at higher risk for broken bones later on.
- Archaeology
Tool sharpens focus on Stone Age networking in the Middle East
Stone Age tool’s route to Syrian site covered at least 700 kilometers.
By Bruce Bower - Health & Medicine
Older adults may not benefit from taking statins
Statins did not reduce heart attacks, coronary heart disease deaths or deaths from any cause in people age 65 and older, a new analysis finds.
- Anthropology
European fossils may belong to earliest known hominid
With new analyses of Graecopithecus fossils from Greece and Bulgaria, researchers argue for possible hominid origins in Europe, not Africa.
By Bruce Bower