Humans

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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Science & Society

    Online reviews can make over-the-counter drugs look way too effective

    Online patient reviews put a far more misleading spin on medications than clinical trials do.

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  2. Climate

    Changing climate could worsen foods’ nutrition

    Climate change could aggravate hidden hunger by sapping micronutrients from soils and plants, reducing nutrition in wheat, rice and other crops.

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  3. Archaeology

    Ancient dental plaque tells tales of Neandertal diet and disease

    Researchers have reconstructed the diet and disease history of ancient Neandertals.

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  4. Archaeology

    Ancient dental plaque tells tales of Neandertal diet and disease

    Researchers have reconstructed the diet and disease history of ancient Neandertals.

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  5. Archaeology

    Ancient nomadic herders beat a path to the Silk Road

    Herders’ mountain treks helped mold the Silk Road, an ancient, cross-continental trade network.

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  6. Psychology

    Nudging people to make good choices can backfire

    Steering people’s decisions with simple nudges, such as e-mail reminders or opt-out programs, can come with a downside.

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  7. Tech

    Virtual reality has a motion sickness problem

    Virtual reality games and experiences can make some people sick, and women are more susceptible.

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  8. Health & Medicine

    Anesthesia for youngsters is a tricky calculation

    Scientists, doctors and parents face uncertainty when it comes to anesthesia for babies.

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  9. Anthropology

    ‘Monkeytalk’ invites readers into the complex social world of monkeys

    In Monkeytalk, a primatologist evaluates what’s known about monkeys’ complex social lives in the wild.

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  10. Ecosystems

    If you think the Amazon jungle is completely wild, think again

    Ancient Amazonians partly or fully domesticated fruit and nut trees that still dominate some forests.

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  11. Health & Medicine

    Certain birth defects are on the rise since Zika arrived in the U.S.

    The rate of certain birth defects is much higher in babies born to Zika-infected mothers in the United States, the CDC reports.

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  12. Health & Medicine

    Microcephaly, other birth defects are on the rise since Zika’s arrival

    The rate of certain birth defects is much higher in babies born to Zika-infected mothers in the United States, the CDC reports.

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