Humans

Sign up for our newsletter

We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Humans

    Adaptive no more

    A potential benefit in prehistoric lean times, genetic variant may increase risk of gestational diabetes today.

    By
  2. Health & Medicine

    Allergic to cancer

    Having an overactive immune system may protect against certain types of brain tumor, a study suggests.

    By
  3. Humans

    Humans

    How cell phones exert subtle mind control, plus more in this week’s news.

    By
  4. Health & Medicine

    Body & Brain

    Obesity rates skyrocket worldwide, plus more in this week’s news.

    By
  5. Life

    Running a cancer roadblock

    A new study shows how cells escaping from a breast tumor overcome a piece of RNA that usually stops them.

    By
  6. Humans

    Running past Neandertals

    Stone Age humans’ heel bones, more so than those of Neandertals, aided long-distance running.

    By
  7. Health & Medicine

    No flu vaccine link to Guillain-Barré syndrome found

    A massive study of millions of people in China finds no association between receiving the 2009 H1N1 immunization and developing the rare nervous system disorder.

    By
  8. Health & Medicine

    Bioengineering better blood vessels

    Durable conduits made with a tough protein produced by living cells might improve options for some patients who need heart bypass surgery or kidney dialysis, a new study finds.

    By
  9. Psychology

    Sometimes, happiness is for bozos

    Despite its benefits, happiness and its pursuit has risks, as writer Bruce Bower describes in a humorous report from the recent meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.

    By
  10. Humans

    Early cow’s milk consumption may cut breast-cancer risk

    Research studies paint a muddy picture of milk’s malignant threat. Some have linked consumption of cow’s milk with a heightened breast-cancer risk. Others have suggested milk drinking might be protective. A new animal study suggests those data may not be quite as contradictory as they at first seemed.

    By
  11. Humans

    In tough economy, PhD appears to help

    U.S. residents holding PhD’s in science, health and engineering were considerably more likely to be employed during late 2008 (the most recent period for which data are available) than were Americans generally, according to a just-released National Science Foundation report.

    By
  12. Life

    Straight to the heart

    New method transforms skin cells directly into beating cardiac cells.

    By