Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
Certain carbs boost fat burning
Smarter breakfasting will help boost the value of exercise.
- Health & Medicine
Seemingly misplaced DNA acts as lenses
Nocturnal animals orient DNA in retinal cells to focus light.
- Health & Medicine
Epilepsy drug might harm fetuses
Young children born to women who took the drug valproate for epilepsy during pregnancy have lower IQ scores, on average, than children whose moms used a different antiepilepsy medication.
- Health & Medicine
Hypoglycemia linked to dementia
Episodes of low blood sugar that require medical attention seem to increase a person’s risk of developing dementia in old age, a study in people with type 2 diabetes shows.
- Humans
An ancient remedy: Bitter herbs and sweet wine
New chemical analyses of wine jars suggest that ancient Egyptians mixed medicinal plants into wine.
- Humans
In teeth, more cracks are better than one
Cracks in tooth enamel, called tufts, distribute force and shield a tooth from fracture, researchers report.
- Anthropology
African pygmies may be older than thought
A new DNA analysis indicates that pygmy hunter-gatherers and farming groups in Africa diverged from a common ancestral population around 60,000 years ago.
- Health & Medicine
Touch and sight push each other around
When the fingers feel downward motion, the eyes see upward motion.
- Health & Medicine
Coming: Hard tax on soft drinks?
Some health-policy analysts believe sweetened beverages should be taxed to discourage over-consumption.
- Health & Medicine
The other, friendly fat
Brown fat is active in adult humans and could help keep people lean.
- Health & Medicine
Acid reflux link to asthma now in doubt
Heartburn drugs called proton pump inhibitors, commonly prescribed for asthma patients, don’t prevent breathing attacks.
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