Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
Forewarning of preeclampsia
Scientists have found an early warning sign of preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication marked by high blood pressure. Pregnant women with too much of a protein called soluble endoglin in their blood have a heightened risk of preeclampsia, the researchers say. Endoglin normally sits on the surface of blood vessels, where it plays a role in […]
- Health & Medicine
Pick Your Antipoison
New research may soon make treating venomous bites and stings less expensive, less risky, and more effective.
- Humans
Letters from the September 16, 2006, issue of Science News
Hot topic It seems more likely that a decline of total precipitation and humidity would be the direct cause of both temperature and fire incidence (“The Long Burn: Warming drove recent upswing in wildfires,” SN: 7/8/06, p. 19). It is fashionable to blame every weather problem on greenhouse gases and global warming, but in this […]
- Health & Medicine
A New Bible for Eating Well
The Institute of Medicine has just summarized in a new book 5,000 pages of comprehensive nutrition guidelines issued over the past decade.
- Humans
From the September 5, 1936, issue
A field divided, hope for mine workers exposed to silica dust, and taking the brain's temperature.
- Health & Medicine
Problem Paternity: Older men seem more apt to have autistic kids
Children born to fathers who are age 40 or older have an increased risk of developing autism.
- Humans
Letters from the September 9, 2006, issue of Science News
Brother bother If having biological older brothers correlates to homosexuality (“Gay Males’ Sibling Link: Men’s homosexuality tied to having older brothers,” SN: 7/1/06, p. 3), then we would expect that in the past, when families were larger, there would be a greater proportion of homosexuals. Is there any evidence for this? Rick NorwoodMountain Home, Tenn. […]
- Health & Medicine
Herpes simplex viruses dip in prevalence
Two viruses that cause genital herpes decreased in prevalence in the United States during the past 2 decades.
- Health & Medicine
Old drug can stop clots as well as newer drug does
A decades-old form of the anticlotting drug heparin is as safe, as effective, and potentially as convenient to use as recent derivatives that are many times more expensive.
- Humans
From the August 29, 1936, issue
Fighting forest fires with science, a young Milky Way, and atom-smashing cosmic rays.
- Health & Medicine
Another Way Men and Women Differ
One reason young women face a much lower heart-disease risk than do men may reflect the different way their bodies respond to fats circulating in their blood during the first hours after a meal.
- Health & Medicine
Head to Head: Brain implants are better for Parkinson’s patients
Parkinson's patients who get electrodes surgically implanted in their brains regain some muscle control and have improved quality of life.
