Humans
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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
Daily drug shown effective in preventing HIV infections
After a history of controversy, preexposure prophylaxis has been demonstrated to work for HIV prevention.
By Laura Beil - Health & Medicine
Eating meat officially raises cancer risk
Eating processed meats like bacon, ham and sausage causes cancer, says the World Health Organization.
- Psychology
Views on bias can be biased
When presented with a study showing bias against women, male scientists are more inclined to nitpick the results. But a little intervention can go a long way toward gender equality in science.
- Neuroscience
Signs of Alzheimer’s seen in young brain’s GPS cells
Signs of Alzheimer’s can show up in the brain’s compass decades before symptoms strike.
By Meghan Rosen - Anthropology
Plagues plagued the Bronze Age
Ancient bacterial DNA provides first clues to Bronze Age plagues in Europe and Asia.
By Bruce Bower - Health & Medicine
Hollywood-made science documentary series comes to TV
Breakthrough series gives a closer look at scientists at work.
- Neuroscience
Signs of Huntington’s show up in the brain in childhood
Hints of Huntington’s disease show up in the brain long before symptoms do.
- Humans
An amusing romp through word histories
From ak to wid, a new book makes etymology fun.
By Nathan Seppa - Chemistry
Nanoparticles in foods raise safety questions
As scientists cook up ways to improve palatability and even make foods healthier, some are considering the potential health risks of tiny additives.
By Susan Gaidos - Anthropology
Sleep time in hunter-gatherer groups on low end of scale
Hunter-gatherer communities in Africa and South America have similar sleeping patterns as people living in postindustrial societies, researchers find.
- Health & Medicine
First known case of sexually transmitted Ebola reported
A Liberian woman contracted Ebola in March by having sex with a survivor of the viral disease, researchers report.
- Neuroscience
Adolescent brains open to change
Adolescent brains are still changing, a malleability that renders them particularly sensitive to the outside world.