Humans

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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Chemistry

    A better fate for plastic bottles

    Using microbes to convert PET into a high-value plastic could encourage more recycling.

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  2. Health & Medicine

    The Candidates’ Shadow Health Advisers

    Here are a few names from the teams of advisers counseling the presidential candidates.

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  3. Climate

    Energy: Apollo-like Program Needed

    Big action and big bucks are needed to deal with the United States' energy problems, research leaders argued today.

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  4. Humans

    Pain relief to believe in

    Religious believers shown pictures that evoke spiritual responses display brain activity that may contribute to feeling relief from physical pain, a new study finds.

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  5. Humans

    The presidential candidates on science

    The Science Debate 2008 team sent science and technology questions to Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama. Find out how they answered.

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  6. Health & Medicine

    Plastics chemical linked to heart disease, diabetes

    Study is based on data collected from human adults and matches urine concentrations of bisphenol A with type 2 diabetes, heart disease and liver enzyme problems

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  7. Astronomy

    McCain Is Bullish on R&D

    Featured blog: John McCain weighs in on science and technology issues with long-awaited written responses to the Science Debate 2008.

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  8. Health & Medicine

    Late nights and disease

    Getting too little sleep may lead to health problems. A new study shows that after only one night of sleep deprivation, women have higher levels of an inflammatory molecule linked to cancer, heart disease and other illnesses.

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  9. Materials Science

    A killer paint job

    New findings suggest that nanotechnology paints for walls, ceilings and surfaces could one day be used to kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals.

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  10. Humans

    Teen depression: No genes required

    The family-shattering effects of a mother’s depression can prompt the same mood disorder in her children, independent of any genetic risk.

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  11. Health & Medicine

    Averting Medical Mistakes

    Work-hour reforms are needed to protect both the youngest, most-inexperienced doctors and the hospital patients they're charged with treating.

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  12. Health & Medicine

    Good day care grime

    A study of 952 children in Manchester, England, suggests that children going to day care starting at age 6 months could be less likely to develop asthma later.

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