News
- Anthropology
The first known fossil of a Denisovan skull has been found in a Siberian cave
A new fossil and evidence that the hominids interbred with humans as recently as 15,000 years ago only add to Denisovans’ mystery.
By Bruce Bower - Astronomy
4 things we’ll learn from the first closeup image of a black hole
Scientists are gearing up to release the first image of the black hole at the center of the galaxy. Here’s what they hope to find out.
- Planetary Science
Saturn’s rings paint some of its moons shades of blue and red
Moons located among Saturn’s inner rings are different colors depending on their distance from the planet, suggesting they’re picking up ring debris.
- Animals
Chytrid’s frog-killing toll has been tallied — and it’s bad
Losses due to the amphibian-killing chytrid fungus are “the greatest documented loss of biodiversity attributable to a pathogen,” researchers find.
- Health & Medicine
Blood vessels built from a patient’s cells could help people on dialysis
Bioengineered blood vessels could provide a safer alternative than donor vessels or synthetic implants.
- Planetary Science
Kuiper Belt dust may be in our atmosphere (and NASA labs) right now
Bits of space debris that collect in Earth’s atmosphere may come from as far as the cold, distant Kuiper Belt region beyond Neptune.
- Health & Medicine
Sperm with damaged DNA may cause some repeat miscarriages
An analysis of semen from men whose partners have experienced multiple miscarriages revealed abnormalities, a small study finds.
- Health & Medicine
A single sweaty workout may boost some people’s memory
Memory improvements after a short bout of exercise mirrored those seen after months of training.
- Health & Medicine
Edibles are tied to more severe health issues than smoking marijuana
Most marijuana-linked cases at a Denver hospital involved weed smokers. But people who ate the drug were more likely to have heart or psych issues.
By Jeremy Rehm - Health & Medicine
Signs of new nerve cells spotted in adult brains
A study finds new evidence that adult brains grow new nerve cells, even the brain of an octogenarian.
- Neuroscience
Women have a new weapon against postpartum depression, but it’s costly
The newly approved drug brexanolone simulates a natural hormone to alleviate symptoms of postpartum depression.
By Jeremy Rehm - Paleontology
Newfound fossils in China highlight a dizzying diversity of Cambrian life
A new treasure trove of Cambrian fossils in China dating to 518 million years ago could rival Canada’s Burgess Shale.