Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Genetics
Male smokers more likely to lose Y chromosomes
Male smokers are more likely to lose Y chromosomes in their blood cells than men who have never smoked or those who have kicked the habit.
- Health & Medicine
A look back at 2013’s disasters
The Philippines, India and China each lost more than 1,000 lives in 2013 in mass calamities.
- Planetary Science
Preparing for disaster, celebrating success
Science cannot prevent all disasters or solve all the problems they spawn, but it can point to the best ways to prepare, making disasters less damaging than they might otherwise be
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- Health & Medicine
Old drug reduces herpes symptoms, spread in animal tests
The antidepressant tranylcypromine might also work as antiviral against herpes, animal studies suggest.
- Archaeology
Human ancestors engraved abstract patterns
Indonesian Homo erectus carved zigzags on a shell at least 430,000 years ago.
- Archaeology
Magnetism paved way for excavation without digging
In the 1960s, archaeologists used a new technique to locate and map a submerged Greek city without digging.
- Archaeology
Genetic tests confirm remains are those of King Richard III
DNA evidence has finally confirmed that remains found beneath a parking lot in Leicester, England, are those of King Richard III.
- Health & Medicine
For kids, news coverage can bring distant tragedy home
Media coverage of disasters and other major events can have an emotional effect on kids. Experts suggest that parents limit news exposure and discuss tough topics.
- Health & Medicine
Children can suffer emotional wounds in a disaster
Natural disasters and terrorist attacks have taught researchers that a subset of children may face long-term problems. Parent reactions and how quickly life returns to normal can make a difference.
- Health & Medicine
Ebola vaccine shows no major side effects in small study
An experimental vaccine against Ebola virus has tested well in people, researchers report.
- Health & Medicine
Turning the immune system on cancer
A new class of drugs uncloaks tumors in some patients, awakening home-grown cells to fight several cancer types.
