Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
What’s good for the heart is good for the prostate
A new study finds that lower cholesterol levels slow the growth of prostate tumors in mice.
- Climate
Obama’s budget would boost science
Featured blog: Here's a preview of what science programs the Obama administration plans to push in the coming year's federal budget.
- Health & Medicine
Stick to a low-cal diet and it will work
Summary: Overweight people on low-calorie diets lose weight equally well despite differences in how much fat, protein or carbohydrates the diet allows.
- Health & Medicine
Women: How bad is a regular nip?
Featured blog: A new study on alcohol and cancer deserves to be interpreted with a bit of caution.
- Life
Prions complicit in Alzheimer’s disease
A study in mice suggests a version of prion proteins, which are known to cause the brain-wasting mad cow and Creutzfeldt-Jakob diseases, may also play a role in neuron malfunction.
- Humans
DOE wants to become more like Bell Labs
Steven Chus prizes DOE's research prowess, but not it's ability to marshall its discoveries into marketable innovations.
- Life
Tastes like metal
Scientists have discovered that proteins that help sense sweet and spice also help taste metals.
- Math
Mathematician answers Supreme Court plea
New, fair method for dividing states into congressional districts could reduce political squabbles.
- Health & Medicine
B vitamins, folic acid may protect vision
Vitamin B and folic acid supplements might defend against macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly.
- Health & Medicine
Sunshine vitamin diminishes risk of colds, flu
A study of nearly 19,000 adults shows that people with low levels of vitamin D are more likely to develop colds, flu and pneumonia.
- Health & Medicine
Breast cancer drug gets boost
Natural protein could make the most aggressive breast cancers vulnerable tamoxifen, and may even prevent the cancer’s spread.
- Health & Medicine
Taking age stereotypes to heart
A long-term investigation indicates that young and middle-aged adults who hold negative attitudes about the elderly are more likely to have heart ailments and strokes later in life.
