Humans

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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Health & Medicine

    Mom’s weight during pregnancy shapes baby’s health

    Obesity at conception or during pregnancy is a big problem that's getting bigger: New evidence says a child's mental health could be at stake.

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  2. Neuroscience

    His stress is not like her stress

    When the pressure doesn’t let up, men and women react differently. The root of the difference may be messaging within the brain.

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  3. Neuroscience

    Pain produces memory gain

    Searing pain can burn memories into the brain.

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  4. Health & Medicine

    Young infants have perceptual superpowers

    Babies have superpowers that let them see and hear things that adults can’t.

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  5. Archaeology

    Roman toilets didn’t flush parasites

    Roman sanitation measures did little to dent parasite numbers, study finds.

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  6. Archaeology

    Roman toilets didn’t flush parasites

    Roman sanitation measures did little to dent parasite numbers, a study finds.

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  7. Health & Medicine

    New dietary guidelines emphasize big picture

    Americans’ new guidelines for healthy eating focus on subtle shifts to dietary habits.

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  8. Genetics

    The Iceman tells a new tale: Infection with ulcer-causing bacteria

    Ötzi the Iceman was infected with a virulent strain of H. pylori. A new study is the first to piece together an ancient genome of these bacteria.

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  9. Life

    Gene tweak led to humans’ big toe

    For lack of gene regulator, the human big toe appeared.

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  10. Microbes

    Get to know your microbes at ‘The Secret World Inside You’

    The American Museum of Natural History’s newest exhibit rehabilitates bacteria’s bad reputation and introduces visitors to the microbiome.

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  11. Psychology

    Kids grasp words as symbols before learning to read

    Preschoolers grasp that written words refer to specific things before they learn to read.

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  12. Neuroscience

    Shrub cells are true to form

    New cell types discovered in the brains of mice

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