Humans
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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Life
Antibiotics may make fighting flu harder
The drugs kill helpful bacteria that keep the immune system primed against viral infections.
- Humans
Iron Age goldsmith retooled
An ancient warrior's tomb brings back jewelry making from 2,400 years ago.
By Bruce Bower - Health & Medicine
Body & Brain
The brain 'sees' Braille, plus engineered urethras and baseball practice swings in this week's news.
By Science News - Humans
In-laws transformed early human society
A study of today's hunter-gatherers finds marital relationships help spread a social fabric.
By Bruce Bower - Humans
Burying potential conflicts of interest
A new study reports evidence that few meta-analyses of human drug trials identify who funded the those trials, even though such information could be useful in identifying potential conflicts of interest
By Janet Raloff - Health & Medicine
Digging into the roots of lupus
Two new studies implicate common white blood cells called neutrophils in this autoimmune disease.
By Nathan Seppa - Humans
Missing bits of DNA may define humans
Genetic information lost along the way may have led to bigger brains and spineless penises, among other traits.
- Life
Anxiety switch makes mice shy no more
Brain-control experiments could help shed light on psychiatric disorders
- Health & Medicine
‘Diabetes Belt’ outlined
The Deep South and Appalachia show a high prevalence linked to obesity, poor educational achievement and a sedentary lifestyle, a study shows.
By Nathan Seppa - Health & Medicine
Stretchy electronics aid heart surgery
New balloon catheters may help cardiologists treat common cardiac problems.
- Health & Medicine
Alpha wave may affect sleep quality
A type of brain activity once considered diagnostic of wakefulness persists during slumber, and the more intense it is the more easily a person can be jolted awake.
- Psychology
A man lost in musical time
A man who can’t feel music’s pulse or move in time to it provides initial clues to ‘beat deafness.’
By Bruce Bower