Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
Ebola vaccine protects people in West Africa
In Guinea trial, zero cases of Ebola occurred in people potentially exposed who received immediate shots of a new experimental vaccine.
- Health & Medicine
Kidney transplants may benefit from a slightly chilled donor
Transplanted kidneys performed better when taken from organ donors whose bodies were intentionally cooled after death.
- Health & Medicine
Antibiotics early in life may have lingering effects
A study in mice show long-lasting effects from courses of antibiotics early in life.
- Health & Medicine
The five basic tastes have sixth sibling: oleogustus
Scientists dub the taste of fat oleogustus.
- Health & Medicine
How trans fats oozed into our diet and out again
Trans fats are no longer “generally recognized as safe” by the FDA. In a world where we want to have our doughnuts and eat them, too, it’s back to the drawing board, and back to butter.
- Health & Medicine
Resveratrol’s anticancer benefits show up in low doses
Small amounts of the compound found in red wine and grapes prove protective against colon cancer in mice fed a high-fat diet.
- Anthropology
Remains of Jamestown leaders discovered
Colonial-era graves reveal leading figures in founding of English America.
- Science & Society
Autism’s journey from shadows to light
Science writer Steve Silberman considers autism in the modern era of neurodiversity - a movement to respect neurological differences as natural human variation - framing the relatively progressive autistic experience of today against the the conditions oppressed past.
- Health & Medicine
Bystanders deliver on CPR
People suffering from cardiac arrest are more likely to survive without brain damage if a bystander performs CPR, new studies suggest.
- Genetics
Research teams duel over Native American origins
Genetic link between Australia and the Amazon fuels two interpretations of Native American origins.
- Health & Medicine
Death by brain-eating amoeba is an inside job
Immune response to brain-eating amoeba may be the real killer.
- Neuroscience
Breakdown of Alzheimer’s protein slows with age
It takes longer to get rid of an Alzheimer’s-associated protein with age.
