Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
Lavender Revolution: Plant essences linked to enlarged breasts in boys
Two natural ingredients in many hair- and skin-care products act like a female sex hormone and can cause abnormal breast development in boys.
- Health & Medicine
Measuring Stick: Spinal tap test tracks Alzheimer’s compound
A new test is the first to measure production and clearance of amyloid-beta in the cerebrospinal fluid of people, enabling scientists to track this Alzheimer's disease peptide.
- Humans
With permission to nap, doctors stay more alert
Allowing doctors-in-training who are on call to hand off to another doctor the pager that summons them to the next patient increases the amount of sleep they get and reduces their fatigue.
- Health & Medicine
Pregnancy risk from blood pressure drugs?
Babies exposed in the first trimester of their mother's pregnancy to blood pressure drugs called ACE inhibitors are at an increased risk of birth defects.
- Anthropology
Mexican find reveals ancient dental work
A 4,500-year-old human skeleton found in Mexico represents the earliest instance in the Americas of intentionally modified teeth, apparently to create space for a ceremonial mouthpiece.
- Health & Medicine
A Vexing Enigma
While no drug or lab test is approved to treat or diagnose chronic fatigue syndrome, new research into the biology of the disorder may begin to shed light on the problem.
- Humans
Letters from the July 1, 2006, issue of Science News
Looking into the future Your article states that farsightedness will be treated with these new electric lenses (“Switch-a-Vision: Electric spectacles could aid aging eyes,” SN: 4/22/06, p. 243). With some tweaking, could nearsightedness and astigmatism be treated as well? Could binoculars, telescopes, and microscopes use this technology? Roger CurnowGrand Rapids, Mich. Yes and yes, says […]
- Humans
From the June 20, 1936, issue
A lightning portrait, the effects of cosmic rays, and helium to prevent the bends.
- Humans
Visible Proofs
This dramatic Web site from the U.S. National Library of Medicine unveils the world of forensic medicine, anthropology, technology, and history. The site includes information on significant cases, various technologies, and other topics. It also has three online activities and three lesson plans. Go to: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/visibleproofs/index.html
- Health & Medicine
Be Good to Your Gums, Bite Into Whole Grains (with recipe)
Diets rich in whole grains appear to help ward off a type of gum disease.
- Humans
Letters from the June 24, 2006, issue of Science News
Timely suggestions Clock time has long been out of step with the heavens (“To Leap or Not to Leap,” SN: 4/22/06, p. 248). Since the adoption of time zones in the 19th century, we have accepted disparities of as much as 30 minutes at the edges of the time zones (more in some cases since […]
- Health & Medicine
Proof of Protection: Condoms limit infection by cervical cancer virus
Condom use reduces a woman's risk of being infected with human papillomavirus and of developing precancerous growths on the cervix.
