Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
Link between obesity and vitamin D clarified
People carrying gene variants tied to weight are also prone to deficiency of the sun-derived nutrient, but not vice versa.
- Health & Medicine
TV watching linked to low sperm counts
Couch potatoes’ reproductive health may suffer.
- Humans
Earlier Neandertal demise suggested by redating
Using an improved radiocarbon method, researchers challenge the notion that the species hung on in Iberia for millennia after modern humans arrived in Europe.
- Health & Medicine
Nothing to fear but suffocation
People with a rare brain disorder don’t get scared — except when they breathe carbon dioxide.
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- Life
As fish watch prey, researchers watch fish’s brains
Genetically engineered neurons allow researchers to watch fish brains as they track prey.
- Health & Medicine
Some service members sleep too little
Of active-duty military personnel seeking help for sleep complaints, two-thirds get six or less hours per night.
- Humans
Professional athletes have superior perception
Soccer, rugby, hockey players better ignore distractions to follow motion with their eyes.
- Health & Medicine
Specialized nerve fibers send touchy-feely messages to brain
Nerve fibers send pleasure signal to brain when mice get caressed.
- Humans
Some chores linked to less sex
Husbands who do more household chores make love less often, a new study suggests.
- Humans
Published clinical trials shown to be misleading
A comparison of internal and public reports about Pfizer’s drug Neurontin reveals many discrepancies.
- Life
Gene variant makes flu particularly dangerous
People with one form of IFITM3 are more likely to develop pneumonia.
