Humans

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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Chemistry

    Nanosilver disinfects — but at what price?

    Silver demonstrates some unusual immunological impacts at the nanoscale.

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  2. Math

    Florence Nightingale: The passionate statistician

    Florence Nightingale pioneered the use of applied statistics to develop policy and developed novel ways of displaying them.

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  3. Earth

    Marine pollution spawns ‘wonky babies’

    Featured blog: Pollutants at sea can slow critters' sperm or induce DNA damage.

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  4. Health & Medicine

    Bone density may be determined in the gut

    A surprising new connection between the gut and bones may lead to new forms of treatment for human bone diseases such as osteoporosis.

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  5. Health & Medicine

    Lifestyle may link depression and heart disease

    The association between depression and heart problems could stem from a lack of physical activity and other lifestyle factors.

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  6. Humans

    Baby boys may show spatial supremacy

    Two new studies suggest that, at 3 to 5 months of age, boys already outperform girls on mental rotation tasks.

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  7. Health & Medicine

    Many drug trials never see publication

    Results of most drug trials are unreported, inaccessible to clinicians and patients, a new study confirms.

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  8. Humans

    Is Your Fish Oil Polluted?

    Clues to gauging the likely purity of fish-oil capsules.

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  9. Health & Medicine

    Brain reorganizes to make room for math

    New research suggests that, as children learn arithmetic, the brain reorganizes dramatically as it shifts from handling only estimates of quantities to attaching precise quantities to symbolic numerals.

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  10. Humans

    When Not to Flush

    Toilets are not where we should be disposing of unwanted medicines.

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  11. Earth

    Antidepressants Aren’t for Fish

    Antidepressants can play potentially dangerous mind games with fish.

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  12. Health & Medicine

    Treat HIV-positive babies from the start

    Babies who are born infected with HIV from their mothers should be treated for the virus as soon as possible, even before symptoms begin, a study finds.

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