News
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HumansHerders, not farmers, built Stonehenge
Farming’s temporary demise in ancient Britain may have spurred the creation of the iconic stone circle.
By Bruce Bower -
Planetary ScienceVoyager chasing solar system’s edge
On the 35th anniversary of the spacecraft’s launch, scientists ponder when it will move beyond the sun’s reach.
By Nadia Drake -
LifeTeam releases sequel to the human genome
ENCODE reveals the machinery that switches genes on and off.
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Health & MedicineMRI spots silent heart attacks
Scanning elderly population finds many people with telltale cardiac damage that was not diagnosed.
By Nathan Seppa -
Health & MedicineMilitary combat marks the brain
Regions involved in memory and attention changed after soldiers' deployment, though most eventually returned to their pre-combat state.
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SpaceAnother potentially habitable world emerges
The newfound planet orbits a common type of dwarf star, suggesting even more may be out there.
By Nadia Drake -
ChemistryBig jobs go to loyal proteins
Cells offload much of their nonessential work on enzymes that juggle a number of tasks.
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HumansDNA unveils enigmatic Denisovans
Technical advances amplify the genetic record of a Stone Age humanlike population, ancestors of modern Melanesians.
By Bruce Bower -
SpaceStars’ missing elements could signal lurking small planets
The sun's chemistry suggests some good other places to hunt for rocky orbs.
By Nadia Drake -
Health & MedicineLow-cal longevity questioned
Limited food intake in rhesus monkeys fails to extend the animals’ survival, in a departure from earlier reports.
By Nathan Seppa -
Health & MedicineBrain learns while you snooze
Mind can make associations between smells and sounds during sleep.
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HumansYoung scientists make the cut
With the naming of the 30 finalists, middle school students will vie for top prize in national Broadcom MASTERS competition.
By Meghan Rosen