Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Archaeology
How the house mouse tamed itself
When people began to settle down, animals followed. Some made successful auditions as our domesticated species. Others — like mice — became our vermin, a new study shows.
- Health & Medicine
Autism, ADHD risk not linked to prenatal exposure to antidepressants
Taking antidepressants during pregnancy does not increase the risk of autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, two new large studies suggest.
- Archaeology
Shock-absorbing spear points kept early North Americans on the hunt
Ancient Americans invented a way to make spear points last on an unfamiliar continent.
- Health & Medicine
Rules restricting artificial trans fats are good for heart health
Taking artificial trans fats off the menu reduces hospitalizations for heart attack and stroke.
- Health & Medicine
Vaccinating pregnant women protects newborns from whooping cough
Pregnant women who receive the pertussis, or whooping cough, vaccine pass on to their new-borns immunity to the potentially deadly bacterial infection.
- Humans
Scientists seek early signs of autism
The search for autism biomarkers, in the blood and the brain, is heating up.
- Health & Medicine
Genetic risk of getting second cancer tallied for pediatric survivors
Inherited mutations, not only treatment, affect the chances that a childhood cancer survivor will develop a second cancer later in life.
- Archaeology
Stone Age hunter-gatherers tackled their cavities with a sharp tool and tar
Late Stone Age hunter-gatherers scraped and coated away tooth decay.
- Health & Medicine
Common virus may be celiac disease culprit
A common virus may turn the immune system against gluten, leading to the development of celiac disease.
- Health & Medicine
50 years ago, contraception options focused on women
Women have more birth control choices than they did 50 years ago. The same can’t be said for men.
- Health & Medicine
Language heard, but never spoken, by young babies bestows a hidden benefit
Adults who as babies heard but never spoke Korean benefited from their latent language knowledge decades later, a new study finds.
- Health & Medicine
Readers question mental health research
Maintaining mental health, protecting ocean critters and more in reader feedback.
