Humans

  1. Pink and white Paxlovid pills on a Paxlovid box with the Pfizer logo
    Health & Medicine

    COVID-19 infections can rebound for some people. It’s unclear why

    Rebounding COVID-19 isn’t limited to Paxlovid patients. An infection can come back even for people not given the drug.

    By Erin Garcia de Jesús
  2. In 2019, scientists found a way to store human livers for more than a day at subzero temperatures without the organs freezing (shown). The technique could eventually help ease the shortage of donor organs, saving thousands of lives.
    Health & Medicine

    50 years ago, scientists hoped freezing donor organs would boost transplants

    In the 1970s, biologists hoped to freeze organs so more could last long enough to be transplanted. Scientists are now starting to manage this feat.

    By Asa Stahl
  3. Chemist Michel Nieuwoudt and art historian Erin Griffey, both blond women wearing goggles, masks and lab coats, holding vials and standing in front of Renaissance-era art and a sign that reads Beautiful Chemistry
    Chemistry

    These researchers are unlocking Renaissance beauty secrets

    An art historian has teamed up with chemists to uncover the science behind cosmetics used around 500 years ago.

    By Rina Diane Caballar
  4. a group of people talking in a corporate office setting
    Humans

    Why humans have more voice control than any other primates

    Unlike all other studied primates, humans lack vocal membranes. That lets humans produce the sounds that language is built on, a new study suggests.

    By Asa Stahl
  5. an electron micrograph showing red viruses leaving a B cell
    Health & Medicine

    Multiple sclerosis has a common viral culprit, opening doors to new approaches

    Learning how the common Epstein-Barr virus may trigger multiple sclerosis could help experts design better treatments — or perhaps end the disease.

    By Erin Garcia de Jesús
  6. a woman sleeps next to her baby. The photo is taken through a mosquito net.
    Health & Medicine

    A shot of immune proteins may protect against malaria for months

    A monoclonal antibody for malaria passed an early hurdle and now will be tested in children in Africa, who are most at risk of dying from the disease.

    By Aimee Cunningham
  7. microscope image of tiny Dictyostelium discoideum amoebas shown as dots forming larger blobs
    Health & Medicine

    Tiny amoebas move faster when carrying cargo than without

    A new study of the carrying capacity of single-celled amoebas may help scientists develop mini “trucks” to precisely target disease in the human body.

    By James R. Riordon
  8. Health & Medicine

    I think I have long COVID. What does that mean?

    The condition comes with varying levels of severity and symptoms, making it hard to diagnose and treat.

    By Anil Oza
  9. ultrasound patch on skin
    Health & Medicine

    This stick-on ultrasound patch could let you watch your own heart beat

    A new, coin-sized ultrasound probe can stick to the skin like a Band-Aid for up to two days straight, marking a milestone in personalized medicine.

    By Asa Stahl
  10. a child holding a glass of milk grimaces
    Anthropology

    Famine and disease may have driven ancient Europeans’ lactose tolerance

    Dealing with food shortages and infections over thousands of years, not widespread milk consumption, may be how an ability to digest dairy evolved.

    By Bruce Bower
  11. a man in a red shirt and a black cap standing in front of a misting fan
    Climate

    Humans may not be able to handle as much heat as scientists thought

    Humans’ capacity to endure heat stress may be lower than previously thought — bad news as climate change leads to more heat waves around the globe.

    By Carolyn Gramling
  12. A woman wearing a mask pokes through window blinds. A sign on the window says COVID-19 with SELF ISOLATING above and below a masked face
    Health & Medicine

    Here’s what to do when someone at home has COVID-19

    Creating an isolation ward and filtering the air can prevent viral transmission.

    By Tina Hesman Saey