News

Physics

Complexity by way of simplicity

Researchers have demonstrated a new way to simplify some intricate patterns whose extreme complexity has convinced theoretical physicist Stephen Wolfram that traditional science can't explain many important natural phenomena.

Anthropology

Grannies give gift of longer lives

Data from two 18th- and 19th-century farming communities supports the theory that child care assistance from grandmothers has contributed to the evolution of extended human longevity.

Health & Medicine

Drug for migraines helps some patients

An experimental drug that slows blood flow in the brain knocks out migraine headaches in some people.

Animals

Hornbills know which monkey calls to heed

Hornbills can tell the difference between two kinds of alarm calls given by monkeys.

Planetary Science

Revisiting a forgotten planet

Engineers are readying a NASA spacecraft for a May 11 launch to Mercury, one of the least-explored planets in the solar system.

Earth

Smoking out a source of painful menses

Breathing in secondhand smoke may contribute to the development of menstrual cramps.

Earth

Allergic to computing?

The plastic cases of certain computer monitors emit a chemical—triphenyl phosphate—that can cause allergic reactions.

Health & Medicine

Immune response in brain sparks nausea

Ailments ranging from the common cold to many types of cancer can make people nauseous, an effect that may occur because signals from the brain suppress the muscle contractions required for digestion.

Health & Medicine

Cell therapy not just for Parkinson’s

Transplanted nerve cells can survive in the brains of people who have suffered strokes and may alleviate some brain damage.

Health & Medicine

Making scents of Alzheimer’s

Among people with mild symptoms of memory loss, a limited ability to recognize smells—along with an inability to detect the disability—has been linked to the future development of Alzheimer's.