Humans

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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Health & Medicine

    Burning the stomach lining reduces the ‘hunger hormone’ and cuts weight 

    An experimental weight loss procedure blasts the stomach lining with heat to curb hunger and cut pounds.

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  2. Health & Medicine

    Genetic analyses of the bird flu virus unveil its evolution and potential

    The H5N1 outbreak in cattle is giving flashbacks to the COVID pandemic. But this time is different.

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  3. Health & Medicine

    Extreme heat will put millions more older adults at risk in the future

    By 2050, as many as an additional 246 million adults 69 and older could experience temperature extremes that exceed 37.5° Celsius.

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  4. Health & Medicine

    Cows might host both human and bird flus

    Both kinds of influenza viruses may break into cattle cells using receptors similar to those in people, wild birds and poultry.

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  5. Health & Medicine

    A new gel stops mice from getting too drunk

    The iron-milk substance can break down alcohol fast and protect against liver damage in mice. Scientists hope to test the gel in people next.

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  6. Health & Medicine

    Chronic asthma could be caused by cell overcrowding in the airways

    Identifying drugs to reduce the excessive expulsion of cells in the lung lining could reduce the damage of chronic asthma.

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  7. Health & Medicine

    50 years ago, phantom pain was blamed on misfiring nerves 

    Researchers now know that the cause of post-amputation pain is more complex, which is leading to new treatments.

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  8. Animals

    Getting wild mosquitoes back to the lab alive takes a custom backpack

    The new low-tech transportation method could help scientists in Africa assess if malaria-carrying mosquitoes are resistant to a common insecticide.

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  9. Psychology

    Online spaces may intensify teens’ uncertainty in social interactions

    Little is known of how teens learn about emotions online and then use that knowledge to cope with social uncertainty during in-person encounters.

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  10. Health & Medicine

    College students want to help during an opioid overdose but don’t know how

    A survey of college students reported many are comfortable calling emergency services for an overdose, but fewer know how to intervene with naloxone.

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  11. Health & Medicine

    50 years ago, margarine’s ‘healthy’ reputation began to melt away

    In the 1970s, scientists began to suspect that margarine was bad for heart health. A key component, artificial trans fat, was a major factor.

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  12. Archaeology

    These Stone Age humans were more gatherer than hunter

    Though not completely vegetarian, the Iberomaurusian hunter-gatherers from North Africa relied heavily on plants such as acorns, pistachios and oats.

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