Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Humans
Letters from the May 28, 2005, issue of Science News
Hunger pangs I was interested to read about factors influencing the “hunger hormone’s”—ghrelin’s—effectiveness (“Still Hungry?” SN: 4/2/05, p. 216). One factor not considered but seemingly very significant is physical activity. I suggest that it is more useful to understand and encourage the positive effects of physical activity on overall well-being than to develop new drugs […]
- Humans
From the May 25, 1935, issue
A yacht's air resistance-reducing mast, plants that absorb poison, and new fossils from Patagonia.
- Health & Medicine
Positive Jolt: Electroshock therapy may have side benefit
People with depression have high concentrations of norepinephrine, a brain hormone, but electroshock treatment lowers these levels to the normal range.
- Anthropology
Founding Families: New World was settled by small tribe
A new genetic analysis indicates that only about 200 to 300 people crossed the ice age land bridge from Asia to become the founding population of North America.
- Health & Medicine
Shot in the gut
A mystifying case of lead poisoning, which may have lasted more than a decade, turned out to have been caused by a swallowed shotgun pellet.
- Health & Medicine
Enzyme stopper combats cancers
An experimental drug combination that inhibits an enzyme that's abundant in tumor cells shows promise against several cancers.
- Health & Medicine
Us against Them
New antibiotics may be valuable weapons in the fight against tougher bacteria.
- Health & Medicine
Star Wars Goes Organic
A group promoting organic foods has produced its own version of Star Wars, featuring heroic produce, villainous eggs and bananas, and warnings about dangerous agricultural practices.
- Humans
Letters from the May 21, 2005, issue of Science News
Rascal rabbits Evidence of animals sensing where people are looking and what they’re seeing is interesting yet hardly new (“Monkey See, Monkey Think: Grape thefts instigate debate on primate’s mind,” SN: 3/12/05, p. 163). For years, I have observed that wild rabbits will remain motionless as long as I stare in their direction. But as […]
- Humans
From the May 18, 1935, issue
Making heavy water, probing the cause of multiple sclerosis, and establishing galaxy rotation.
- Anthropology
Coasting to Asia in the Stone Age
New genetic analyses of people from native island groups in Southeast Asia support the unconventional view that around 70,000 years ago, people living in Africa crossed the Red Sea and moved east along Asia's southern coast.
- Health & Medicine
Insulin may trigger type 1 diabetes
Insulin itself may precipitate the body's autoimmune attack in people with type 1 diabetes.
