Humans

Humans

Small World After All: Short e-mail chains reach targets worldwide

A large-scale study of e-mail users has borne out the notion that one person on the planet can reach any other person through a chain of about six social ties.

Health & Medicine

Brawny Brains: Creatine pills may aid memory and cognition

The popular muscle-building supplement creatine can boost performance on mental tests.

Health & Medicine

Switching Off Pain: Modeling relief on the action of marijuana

A new drug, tested in rats, blocks pain caused when the nervous system goes awry without producing unwanted side effects.

Humans

In Search of a Scientific Revolution

A year after self-publishing a best-selling book in which he proposes a new framework for doing science, Stephen Wolfram is taking new steps to transform science.

Health & Medicine

Blood Sugar Fix

A new class of experimental drugs that mimic the actions of the hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 shows benefits against type 2, or adult-onset, diabetes.

Humans

From the August 12, 1933, issue

CONTINENTAL LIGHTHOUSE This is a moonlight photograph of the 400-watt electric lamp on the top of Mt. Washington. When flashed recently in visibility tests conducted by the Mt. Washington Polar Year observers, it was noticed as far away as Boothbay Harbor, Maine, 95 miles distant, and at many other points in New England. Current for […]

Humans

Alexandria’s Library

The Library of Alexandria was one of the wonders of the ancient world. Egypt has now rebuilt the library as the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, housed in a new complex in Alexandria. The Web site includes a history of the ancient library, a photo tour of the new facility, links to archaeological investigations of Alexandria, and other […]

Anthropology

New World Newcomers: Men’s DNA supports recent settlement of the Americas

New data on genetic differences among the Y chromosomes of Asian and Native American men support the notion that people first reached the Americas less than 20,000 years ago.

Health & Medicine

Virus Shield: Ebola vaccine works fast in monkey test

Tests on monkeys show that an experimental vaccine can build immunity against Ebola virus within a month, suggesting the vaccine might help contain outbreaks of the deadly pathogen.

Archaeology

Maya palace suddenly expands

Archaeologists find a sprawling palace and other surprises at a 1,300-year-old Maya site in Guatemala.

Humans

Postdocs warrant more status and support

A new study finds a pressing need to improve the pay and status of postdoctoral scholars.

Health & Medicine

Blood-cell transplants slow kidney cancer

A new transplant technique that uses blood transfusions from a sibling combined with decreasing doses of immune-suppressing drugs enables some patients to fight off advanced kidney cancer.