Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Genetics
Some Stone Age humans returned to Africa
DNA from an ancient woman suggests some humans trekked back to Africa.
- Health & Medicine
Math offers new view of brain and its disorders
Editor in chief Eva Emerson discusses new insights into the brain's role in mental illness, sleep, and ancient rituals.
- Health & Medicine
Zika, psychobiotics and more in reader feedback
Readers respond to the April 2, 2016, issue of Science News with thoughts on Zika virus, planetary science, microbes in mental health and more.
- Health & Medicine
With easy e-cig access, teen vaping soars
The vast majority of U.S. states ban sales or distribution of e-cigarette products to minors. Still, it’s no sweat for teens to buy them online.
- Health & Medicine
Scientists wrestle with possibility of second Zika-spreading mosquito
It’s hard to say yet whether Asian tiger mosquitoes will worsen the ongoing Zika outbreak in the Americas.
- Genetics
Faulty gene can turn colds deadly for babies, toddlers
Children with a faulty virus-sensing gene may land in intensive care after a cold.
- Health & Medicine
Here are a few more things for the childproofing list
Some seemingly safe objects may be particularly dangerous for little kids.
- Anthropology
‘Slam-dunk’ find puts hunter-gatherers in Florida 14,500 years ago
Finds at an underwater site put people in Florida a surprisingly long time ago.
- Neuroscience
Bayesian reasoning implicated in some mental disorders
An 18th century math theory may offer new ways to understand schizophrenia, autism, anxiety and depression.
- Neuroscience
Brain waves in REM sleep help store memories
Mice with disturbed REM sleep show memory trouble.
- Health & Medicine
Early work on human growth hormone paved way for synthetic versions
In 1966, researchers reported the complete chemical structure of human growth hormone. Today synthetic growth hormone is used to treat growth hormone deficiency.
- Health & Medicine
Healthiest weight just might be ‘overweight’
The body mass index tied to lowest risk of death has risen since the 1970s. It now falls squarely in the “overweight” category.
