Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Humans
Letters from the February 11, 2006, issue of Science News
Preventive measure? Regarding “Rare but Fatal Outcome: Four deaths may trace to abortion pill” (SN: 12/3/05, p. 358), would it be possible for an antibiotic to be included with the RU-486 package to prevent a Clostridium sordellii infection? Like millions of other people, I have to take an antibiotic prior to dental procedures to prevent […]
- Health & Medicine
Newborn head size linked to cancer risk
Healthy newborns with big heads face an increased risk of brain cancer.
- Humans
From the February 1, 1936, issue
Groundhog Day, a new dental pain-killer, and a glarefree optical material dubbed polaroid.
- Health & Medicine
Protecting People from a Terrifying Toxin: Vaccine stimulates immune response against ricin
In its first test in people, a vaccine against the toxin ricin appears safe and generates antibodies that are expected to be protective against the potential bioterrorism agent.
- Health & Medicine
Self Help: Stem cells rescue lupus patients
By rebuilding a patient's immune system using his or her own stem cells, doctors can reverse of the course of lupus in severely ill patients.
- Humans
Letters from the February 4, 2006, issue of Science News
Double trouble? “Sleep apnea could signal greater danger” (SN: 11/26/05, p. 349) says that “twice as many … with sleep apnea had a stroke or died of that or another cause. …” This sounds serious, but your readers can’t correctly assign importance to “twice as many” because you omit numbers of deaths. David KollasTolland, Conn. […]
- Health & Medicine
Rotavirus vaccines pass big safety tests
The largest industry-funded medical trials in history have found that two new vaccines are both safe and effective against life-threatening childhood diarrhea caused by rotavirus.
- Health & Medicine
Tumor’s border cells told to leave
Cells on a tumor's outer layer that touch healthy tissue receive a chemical signal that sends them wandering away.
- Health & Medicine
Diabetes most often begins in March
A person's likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes varies seasonally and is about 50 percent higher in March than in August.
- Health & Medicine
Born to Love Salt
A growing body of research hints that some type of biological programming may occur in the womb to foster a preference for salty foods.
- Humans
From the January 25, 1936, issue
A giant scoop shovel, a new atom smasher, and making wheat grow better.
- Humans
Young Scientists Get Results: Science, math, and engineering competition selects 40 talented finalists
Forty high school students have each earned a spot as a finalist in the 65th annual Intel Science Talent Search.
