Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
Itch
When it comes to sensory information detected by the body, pain is king, and itch is the court jester. But that insistent, tingly feeling—satisfied only by a scratch—is anything but funny to the millions of people who suffer from it chronically.
- Humans
Food allergy advice may be peanuts
Early exposure to peanuts in a baby’s diet seems to lessen the risk of developing a peanut allergy later.
- Psychology
A genetic pathway to language disorders
Researchers suspect a newly uncovered regulatory link between two genes contributes to language impairments in a range of developmental disorders.
- Chemistry
First complete cancer genome sequenced
With the entire genome sequence of a tumor now in hand, scientists may be able to start answering basic questions about cancer.
- Health & Medicine
Vitamins don’t alter cancer risk
Taking supplemental folate and other B vitamins doesn’t raise or lower the risk of cancer in women.
- Chemistry
From Aerators to Rust — New Lead Risks
Rusty water and other unusual sources of toxic risks in home drinking water.
- Archaeology
An ancient healer reborn
A research team in Israel has uncovered one of the oldest known graves of a shaman. The 12,000-year-old grave hosts a woman’s skeleton surrounded by the remains of unusual animals.
- Chemistry
Faucets Destined for Brassy Changes
Although new standards poised to take effect in a few years will reduce the lead-leaching risk from drinking water faucets, showerheads and many other water dispensers around will remain unregulated.
- Tech
Lead-free? Faucets are anything but
Featured blog: Users of brand-new buildings on a major university campus were surprised to discover high concentrations of lead in the water. Faucets were the culprit.
- Humans
Stone Age innovation out of Africa
Researchers have dated two innovative Stone Age tool industries in southern Africa that may have helped spur human migrations out of Africa.
- Life
The Iceman’s mysterious genetic past
Scientists say that they have identified the complete mitochondrial DNA sequence of the 5,000-year-old Tyrolean Iceman, whose body was found protruding from a glacier in 1991.
- Chemistry
Holey Copper Pipes!
Engineers are homing in on germs and other surprises behind the development of tiny holes in home water pipes.
