Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
Recent advances may improve Jimmy Carter’s chances against melanoma
Improvements in melanoma treatment over the last five years may aid former President Jimmy Carter’s battle against the disease.
- Genetics
Gene thought to cause obesity works indirectly
Researchers have discovered a “genetic switch” that determines whether people will burn extra calories or save them as fat.
- Science & Society
Contentious science topics on Wikipedia subject to editing mischief
Global warming and other politically charged issues are prime targets for sabotage on Wikipedia.
- Health & Medicine
Stiff cellular environment links obesity to breast cancer
Obesity may directly support tumor growth by making a cell’s surroundings stiffer.
- Health & Medicine
‘Vomiting device’ sounds gross but it helps study infections
Scientists created a “vomiting device” to study how norovirus spreads through the air.
- Life
Experimental MERS vaccine shows promise
An experimental vaccine against the MERS virus triggers immune protection, a new study finds.
- Health & Medicine
Study finds early signs of bookishness in a child’s brain
Children from book-friendly homes show higher brain activity when they hear a story, but there’s more to learn about how reading affects growing brains.
- Health & Medicine
Teen e-cig users more likely to smoke tobacco
E-cigarette use is linked to later tobacco use in teens.
- Anthropology
Oldest humanlike hand bone discovered
Found at Tanzania’s Olduvai Gorge, pinkie bone is 1.84 million years old.
- Anthropology
Bones revive a 7,000-year-old massacre
Bones suggest Central Europe’s first farmers had an extremely violent streak.
- Psychology
Baby marmosets imitate parents’ sounds
Vocal learning may work similarly in marmoset monkeys, songbirds and humans.
- Astronomy
Lucy’s new neighbor, downloading New Horizon’s data and more reader feedback
Readers discuss why Pluto's data will take so long to get to Earth, the role the cerebellum plays in creative thinking and more.
