Humans
Sign up for our newsletter
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
-
HumansA head for numbers
The brain shows slightly different, but overlapping patterns when processing digits and dots of the same value.
-
AnimalsSpider men weave silken tapestry
It took herculean effort, but Madagascar crafters created an extraordinary piece of woven art from spider silk.
By Janet Raloff -
AnthropologyDNA points to India’s two-pronged ancestry
Two ancient populations laid the genetic foundation for most people now living in India, a new DNA study suggests.
By Bruce Bower -
Health & MedicineTrimming rabies shots
A new rabies vaccine might be enough to stave off the virus with fewer injections, a study in monkeys suggests.
By Nathan Seppa -
Health & MedicineLinking obesity with leukemia relapses
Fatty tissue may provide a safe haven for cancerous cells to linger, according to a study of mice with leukemia.
By Nathan Seppa -
PhysicsNeutrons for military and medical imaging
An accelerator-based neutron-production system is being designed to cull bombs at risk of exploding prematurely — and make the feedstock for a major isotope used in nuclear medicine.
By Janet Raloff -
MathMath mimics hard-to-heal wounds
New model may lead to better treatments for chronic, blood-deprived sores
-
Health & MedicinePeer review: No improvement with practice
To keep the quality of what they publish high, journals may have to frequently recycle the experts asked to evaluate incoming manuscripts.
By Janet Raloff -
EcosystemsVenom attracts decapitating flies
New study may help scientists improve control of invasive fire ants
-
PsychologyRates of common mental disorders double up
New, higher prevalence rates for certain mental disorders fuel a debate over how to revise psychiatric diagnoses.
By Bruce Bower -
EarthCell phones: Precautions recommended
Scientists make a case for texting and using hand-free technologies with those cell phones to which society has become addicted.
By Janet Raloff -
Health & MedicineMonkeys get full color vision
Male squirrel monkeys with red-green colorblindness can distinguish the hues after gene therapy, study suggests.