Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
Unorthodox Strategy: New cancer vaccine may thwart melanoma
In experiments on mice, destroying good skin cells can induce the immune system to kill cancerous versions of these cells.
- Health & Medicine
Demanding careers may thwart Alzheimer’s
People who spend many years in mentally taxing jobs are less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than are people who do more-routine work.
- Humans
Letters from the August 21, 2004, issue of Science News
Complex issue When cyanobacteria and plants transfer electrons photosynthetically, light is absorbed not by their photosynthetic proteins but by chlorophylls (“Protein Power: Solar cell produces electricity from spinach and bacterial proteins,” SN: 6/5/04, p. 355: Protein Power: Solar cell produces electricity from spinach and bacterial proteins). Some of these proteins indeed participate in electron flow, […]
- Humans
From the August 11, 1934, issue
Ruins of magnificent Assyrian palace uncovered, termites need fungus to thrive, and Homo sapiens thought to be 10 million years old.
- Health & Medicine
Joint Effort: Bacteria in yogurt combat arthritis in rats
Yogurt containing certain types of live bacteria may help prevent or treat arthritis.
- Health & Medicine
Curbing Allergy to Insect Venom: Therapy stops reactions to stings years later
Some children don't outgrow an allergy to insect stings, but immunizations against such allergies can protect them into adulthood.
- Health & Medicine
Cancer cells on the move
A new study suggests how a gene recently linked to liver, skin, and pancreatic cancer also causes an often-deadly form of breast cancer.
- Health & Medicine
Boldly into the breech controversy
Addressing a long-simmering controversy, a large new study has shown that in pregnancies where the baby has positioned itself to emerge feet or buttocks first, the delivery safest for the mother and child is a planned cesarean section rather than a vaginal birth.
- Health & Medicine
A vaccine to help ex-smokers
By generating antibodies that neutralize nicotine, a vaccine could keep ex-smokers from getting the nicotine high that drives many of them back to their bad habit.
- Health & Medicine
Caffeine may ward off Parkinson’s
Scientists may have found an explanation for why coffee drinking prevents Parkinson's disease.
- Health & Medicine
Sputum Test May Predict Lung Cancer
By zeroing in on aberrations in two cancer-fighting genes, researchers have found a marker for cancer risk that could help doctors screen people for signs of lung cancer early enough for treatment to be effective.
- Health & Medicine
Old-fashioned circumcision can spread herpes
Boys whose ritual circumcisions involve an ancient, and now rare, practice may acquire herpes during the operation.
