Feature
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Health & Medicine
Are we ready for the deadly heat waves of the future?
As heat waves become more common, cities try to respond.
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Health & Medicine
Opioids kill. Here’s how an overdose shuts down your body
Powerful opioids affect many parts of the body, but the drugs’ most deadly effects are on breathing.
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Animals
How oral vaccines could save Ethiopian wolves from extinction
A mass oral vaccination program in Ethiopian wolves could pave the way for other endangered species and help humans, too.
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Neuroscience
Depression among new mothers is finally getting some attention
Scientists search new mothers’ minds for clues to postpartum depression.
By Laura Beil -
Ecosystems
When bogs burn, the environment takes a hit
Bogs and other peatlands around the world store outsized amounts of carbon. Climate change and agriculture are putting them at risk.
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Paleontology
New fossils are redefining what makes a dinosaur
While some researchers question what characteristics define the dinosaurs, others are uprooting the dino family tree altogether.
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Humans
How to build a human brain
Organoids, made from human stem cells, are growing into brains and other miniorgans to help researchers study development
By Ingfei Chen -
Materials Science
Skyrmions open a door to next-level data storage
Skyrmions are tiny magnetic swirls that are hard to undo and may be perfect for miniaturizing electronics.
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Psychology
When it’s playtime, many kids prefer reality over fantasy
Given a choice between fantasy play and doing the things that adults do, children prefer reality-based tasks, studies suggest.
By Bruce Bower -
Anthropology
Ancient kids’ toys have been hiding in the archaeological record
Some unusual finds from thousands of years ago are actually toys and children’s attempts at mimicking adult craftwork.
By Bruce Bower -
Neuroscience
Somewhere in the brain is a storage device for memories
New technology and new ideas spur the hunt for the physical basis of memory.
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Computing
Your phone is like a spy in your pocket
Smartphones’ powers of perception make them more user-friendly and efficient. But they also open new opportunities for privacy invasions.