Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
No, mastic gum won’t reshape your jaw
Chewing gum made from mastic resin is a Greek staple that has some benefits for the mouth and gut. But it won’t change your face shape.
- Health & Medicine
Measles has no treatments. Changing that may not be easy
Vaccination remains the priority, but some researchers are looking for drugs to fight the virus in people who don't get the shot.
- Psychology
Neuroscientists left the lab to study memory loss. The results were surprising
Using smartphone-based tools, researchers find that older adults’ recollections of past events may remain more intact than previously thought.
- Health & Medicine
A new guideline links care for heart, kidney and metabolic diseases
A guideline treats heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes and obesity as connected conditions under one umbrella: CKM syndrome.
- Health & Medicine
Sleep and exercise may dampen genetic drivers of heart disease
Over time, immune cells acquire mutations that promote atherosclerosis. Lifestyle changes may offset these DNA glitches, new mouse data suggest.
- Health & Medicine
Engineered hookworms could one day dispense drugs from inside your gut
In a first, researchers genetically modified hookworms. It’s a step toward turning the parasites into living pharmacies.
- Health & Medicine
A drug may help people on GLP-1 meds preserve muscle
In a clinical trial, an experimental antibody reduced lean-mass loss in people on a GLP-1 drug. Whether that improves health is unclear.
- 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.
