Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Science & Society
Remote workers feel isolated. Back-to-office mandates are not a fix
Making social connection part of job design, whether people work remotely, hybrid or in-person, is key to supporting employees‘ well-being.
- Health & Medicine
Curbing Congo’s Ebola outbreak is hampered by unknowns about the virus
Answers to key questions could help public health officials develop Ebola treatments, predict the outbreak’s trajectory and prevent a future one.
- Archaeology
Ötzi the Iceman’s remains yielded ‘viable’ yeasts in the lab
The cold-loving yeasts from Ötzi’s remains suggest the Iceman’s microbiome may not be completely frozen in time.
- Health & Medicine
More young people are looking to AI chatbots for mental health help
A new survey estimates 8 million young people use AI chatbots for help when stressed, angry or sad, an increase from 2024.
- Neuroscience
A tiny part of your brain may still listen under anesthesia
Tones, oddball sounds and words can spark brain cell responses, hinting at nuanced processing without consciousness.
- Health & Medicine
A new pancreatic cancer pill may be a game changer for patients
Daraxonrasib, which nearly doubled patients' survival time, fights the disease in a new way. It bear-hugs a cancer protein that drives cell growth.
- Life
Can DEET attract mosquitoes? A lab study offers clues
Lab experiments suggest mosquitoes can smell DEET and learn to associate it with food, but it’s unclear whether that happens in the wild.
- Health & Medicine
A $4 tongue swab test detects tuberculosis within 30 minutes
The new test may catch active tuberculosis in those with low access to health care or who have trouble making the phlegm needed for traditional tests.
- Health & Medicine
Why is hantavirus so deadly? It’s not what you may think
Andes hantavirus causes deadly lung failure, but its method of attack differs from other respiratory illnesses. The details might inform future treatments.
- Health & Medicine
Congo prepared for Ebola. Now a rare strain is exposing gaps in readiness
As Congo’s Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak grows, public health responders are turning to old-school tactics to fight it as scientists search for new tools.
- Health & Medicine
Ultrasound aimed at the brain offers new hope for Parkinson’s patients
A noninvasive treatment called high-intensity focused ultrasound helped relieve the shaking, stiffness and pain that accompany Parkinson’s disease.
- Science & Society
How house design can curb childhood illnesses in Africa
Experimental houses with screens, rainwater systems and ventilation reduced malaria, diarrhea and infections among children in Tanzania.
