Humans

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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Psychology

    Undecided voters not so undecided

    A measure of unconscious attitudes predicts the opinions that undecided people eventually reach on a controversial issue.

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  2. Health & Medicine

    Ear infections make fatty food sound good

    A history of middle ear infections could give people an affinity for fatty foods and leave them twice as likely to become obese.

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  3. Health & Medicine

    Dopamine fends off zzzzz’s

    A reward chemical in the brain helps keep sleep-deprived people awake.

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  4. Chemistry

    FBI reveals more details of anthrax investigation

    A panel of scientists involved in the anthrax investigations released new details.

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  5. Astronomy

    Preserving digital data for the future of eScience

    From the August 30, 2008 issue of Science News.

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  6. Health & Medicine

    Immune cells show long-term memory

    Survivors of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic still make antibodies against the virus, revealing a long-lived immunity previously thought impossible.

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  7. Archaeology

    Saharan surprise

    A chance discovery in the Sahara leads to the excavation of a Stone Age cemetery containing remains from two lakeside cultures.

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  8. Health & Medicine

    Heart to heart

    Successful heart transplant experiment in infants draws attention to debate on defining death of organ donors.

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  9. Health & Medicine

    Finding the golden genes

    Advances in gene therapy could tempt some athletes to enhance their genetic makeup, leading some researchers to work on detection methods just in case.

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  10. Life

    H9N2 avian flu strain has pandemic potential

    Just one change in a strain of avian flu virus makes it transmissible by direct contact in ferrets, but the virus still lacks the ability to spread by airborne particles.

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  11. Health & Medicine

    Running interference on cholesterol

    Injected RNA molecule lowers LDL in rats and monkeys.

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  12. Health & Medicine

    Never bet against a pro

    Players run a simulation of a throw in their own brains and muscles and are more accurate at predicting whether a shot will go in the basket than coaches, sports journalists or novice watchers.

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