Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Neuroscience
25 people learned to fly with virtual wings. Here’s how the brain changed
A new study shows learning to fly in virtual reality with virtual wings can reshape the brain, making it treat wings more like body parts.
- Health & Medicine
A low-cost rotavirus test could save childrens’ lives in Nigeria
Nigerian virologist Margaret Oluwatoyin Japhet has designed a rapid test that could diagnose rotavirus at a child’s bedside.
- Archaeology
Neandertals used rhinoceros teeth as tools
Finds at sites in Spain and France suggest that Neandertals used the teeth of ancient rhinos for heavy-duty fabrication.
- Health & Medicine
What to know about a rare hantavirus outbreak at sea
Public health officials are racing to find out how the sometimes deadly hantavirus got aboard a cruise ship and if there has been human-to-human spread.
- Health & Medicine
Do GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic prevent cancer?
Several studies have served up tantalizing hints about the drugs’ potential cancer prevention benefits, but other results land all over the map.
- Health & Medicine
Peptides are unproven as health aids. FDA may unleash them anyway
Rather than reining in the compounds, the FDA may be poised to broaden access, perhapas even adding peptides to supplements. Experts say “buyer beware.”
- Health & Medicine
Can AI help doctors avoid missed diagnoses? A new study suggests yes
AI may help doctors avoid missed diagnoses, but it still needs real-world testing and human oversight before it can guide patient care.
- Health & Medicine
Prenatal surgery for spina bifida may get a boost from stem cells
A clinical trial for spina bifida treatment suggests that a surgical approach relying on stem cells is safe for patients. Its efficacy is still being evaluated.
- Health & Medicine
This dangerous pregnancy complication is common. A new treatment might help
Preeclampsia complicates 3 to 8 percent of pregnancies. In a recent trial, a blood filter lowered blood pressure and helped prolong some pregnancies.
- Neuroscience
Imagination is not just replaying what we see and hear
The findings differ from prior work, showing it's tough to disentangle how similarly our brains register imagined thoughts and real sensations.
- Health & Medicine
An experimental new drug for stiff person syndrome restores mobility
CAR T cell therapy wipes out rogue antibodies' source and improves walking speed in people with the same autoimmune disorder that affects Celine Dion.
- Health & Medicine
Suicide deaths in U.S. teens and young adults fell after 988 launch
Suicide is a top cause of death for teens and young adults. A study finds a link between the 988 Lifeline and a drop in their suicide mortality.
