Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Neuroscience
Bingeing rats show the power of food habits
Rats allowed to binge on sweetened milk show a bad habit for food. But while food might change our habits, a bad food habit may not necessarily be an addiction.
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- Health & Medicine
Unsolved drugs
Long thought to launch precision attacks against bacteria, antibiotics may also cause lethal collateral damage, according to a controversial theory. Exploring how these compounds kill may reveal new ways to fight antibiotic resistance.
- Health & Medicine
Gene variant, processed meat linked to boost in cancer risk
In people with a specific variation of a gene on chromosome 10, eating processed meat is associated with an increased risk of developing colon cancer.
- Neuroscience
Poor slumber is bad for young flies’ brains
A child's sleep deprivation could alter brain development and adult behavior, a study of fruit flies suggests.
- Life
Protein that gets sperm into egg identified
The protein Folr4 on a reproductive egg plays this crucial role in the fusion of the sperm and egg, research shows.
- Neuroscience
Even with rest, brain changes linked to football linger
The offseason may not allow enough time for football players' brains to heal from hard hits.
- Genetics
Gene activity sets humans apart from extinct hominids
Differences in gene activity caused by DNA methylation distinguish modern people from Neandertals and Denisovans.
- Genetics
Down’s syndrome goes beyond chromosome 21
A genetic analysis suggests that the DNA changes linked to Down's syndrome happen on all chromosomes, not just the 21st.
- Health & Medicine
Possible measles drug tests well in animals
Compound that saves ferrets from viral infection might someday lead to measles treatment.
- Health & Medicine
What’s going on in the mind of a Skyping baby?
By studying how young children respond to video calls, scientists hope to understand the role of new technology.
- Psychology
That beard is only hot because it’s not cool
There’s more to facial hair than whether you can grow it. A new study shows that attractiveness increases when your style of facial hair is rare.
