Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
A Way Forward: Releasing the brakes on cancer vaccines
A new way to overcome tumors' defenses against the immune system marks an important step toward effective cancer vaccines.
- Health & Medicine
Cancer Risk: Colon growths might not be so obvious
Some colorectal growths that are precancerous aren't polyps.
- Humans
Calling all clues …
Add flip-open cell phones to the list of crime-scene items that might harbor a suspect's DNA.
- Humans
Encyclopedia of Life starts online—at times
The project to create an online Encyclopedia of Life with a Web page for every species has taken its first, baby steps. The free-access, scientifically vetted encyclopedia, headquartered at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., opened its first portal to preliminary Web pages (www.eol.org) Feb. 26. Some 11 million hits in the first few hours […]
- Health & Medicine
Raising doubts about Crohn’s treatment
The conventional drug regimen prescribed for people with Crohn’s disease might not be the best strategy, a new study shows. Crohn’s disease is marked by inflammation and ulcers in the intestines. It has no cure, but patients often get relief from corticosteroids, such as prednisone, the standard medication for flare-ups. If those don’t work, doctors […]
- Health & Medicine
Fungi aid immune system’s fight
Scientists have discovered that white button mushrooms, the plain Janes of edible fungi, are actually quite stimulating. Their powder seems to jump-start the immune response of cells taken from mice, a new study finds. MUSHROOM MIGHT. Adding white button–mushroom powder to incubating immune system cells from mice revved up the cells’ development and their response […]
- Health & Medicine
Rotten Remedy
The gas well-known for its smell of rotten eggs is, recent studies show, a ubiquitous concoction in the body. New studies suggest that the hydrogen sulfide occurring naturally inside us can be both friend and enemy to our health.
- Humans
Letters from the March 8, 2008, issue of Science News
No cure yet “Growing Up to Prozac: Drug makes new neurons mature faster” (SN: 2/9/08, p. 83) suggests that growth of new brain cells, along with increasing connections, may mediate some of the effect of some SSRIs. Since these new cells would likely persist significantly longer than the drugs themselves, do we see a “cure” […]
- Health & Medicine
Medicinal Chocolate . . . Part 2
Dark chocolate can be healthful, but it isn't always so. Here's why.
- Health & Medicine
Medicinal Chocolate . . . Part 1
Therapeutic? - Some health groups are touting the benefits of the antioxidants found in candy.
- Humans
From the February 26, 1938, issue
Evidence of religious head-hunting in ancient Peru, the link between climate and body size, and chest pain tied to obesity.
- Anthropology
Digging that Maya blue
The unusual pigment Maya blue was probably made over an incense fire as part of a ceremony honoring the rain god Chaak, a new analysis of a pot reveals.
