Humans
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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
Parenting shapes genetic risk for drug use
A three-year study of black teens in rural Georgia finds that involved, supportive parenting powerfully buffers the tendency of some genetically predisposed youngsters to use drugs.
By Bruce Bower - Health & Medicine
Fingerprints filter the vibrations fingers feel
A new robotics study suggests that the ridges select the right frequencies for light touch
- Earth
‘Science fraud’ alleged in urban lead incident
Virginia engineer charges data were buried or manipulated to hide the lead-poisoning implications to children of water contamination in the nation's capital.
By Janet Raloff - Health & Medicine
Donating a kidney doesn’t hurt long-term health
A survey of donors since the 1960s finds survival rates on par with the general population.
By Nathan Seppa - Humans
Young scientists clear hurdle in national competition
Intel Science Talent Search finalists announced.
- Health & Medicine
I feel your pain, even though I can’t feel mine
A new imaging study looks at how people are able to empathize with others, even when they haven’t experienced something firsthand.
- Earth
Toxic Lead: Watch Out for Schools
Schools may present the "worst case" for encountering lead-tainted water, an engineer reports finding.
By Janet Raloff - Earth
Water-cleanup experiment caused lead poisoning
Featured blog: Lead concentrations spiked in many children living in the nation's capital after the local water authority altered the treatment used to disinfect drinking water.
By Janet Raloff - Health & Medicine
Newborns pick up the beat
Electrical measurements of sleeping newborn babies’ brains indicate that the 2- to 3-day-olds automatically detect a regular beat in rhythmic sequences, possibly reflecting an early capacity for learning music.
By Bruce Bower - Health & Medicine
Possible anticancer power in fasting every other day
When mice ate as important as what they ate in reducing cell division linked to cancer, new study reports.
- Health & Medicine
Overly Hungry for Frogs
Frogs are shipped half-way round the world to sate human appetites for this lean white meat.
By Janet Raloff - Health & Medicine
Darkness, melatonin may stall breast and prostate cancers
New studies suggest strong links between melatonin and breast and prostate cancers.
By Janet Raloff