News
- Health & Medicine
Ovary removal proves beneficial for cancer-prone women
BRCA mutation carriers who opt for surgery survive longer than those who forgo the operation, a new study shows.
By Nathan Seppa - Life
Why starved flies need less sleep
Low lipid levels keep the insects buzzing past bedtime, a new study finds, suggesting a role for metabolism in regulating sleep.
- Space
Still no Earths, but getting closer
Two newly discovered planetary systems shed light on the likelihood of producing terrestrial planets.
By Ron Cowen - Archaeology
Big eats from a 12,000-year-old burial
Middle Eastern villagers may have feasted around a shaman’s grave 12,000 years ago, before the dawn of agriculture.
By Bruce Bower - Earth
Primordial bestiary gets an annex
A classic Canadian fossil trove extends to thinner deposits, geologists find.
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- Physics
Very tiny, very cool
Physicists outline a scheme to build a ‘refrigerator’ that can cool to near absolute zero and is based on only a few particles.
- Plants
Most energy drinks lag in added health benefits
Many caffeinated tonics lack natural antioxidants and other beneficial compounds found in coffee, yerba maté and other plant-based drinks.
- Tech
New help for greasy works of art
NMR technique identifies oil stains, guiding art conservation efforts.
- Anthropology
Prehistoric ‘Iceman’ gets ceremonial twist
Rather than dying alone high in the Alps, Ötzi may have been ritually buried there, a new study suggests.
By Bruce Bower - Life
Unraveling ant genomes yields high hopes
A new study may yield new insights into behavior and life-span in ants and other animals.
- Health & Medicine
New drug fights metastatic melanoma
A novel compound joins two other promising therapies to offer hope for patients with the advanced form of the skin cancer, who currently have poor treatment options.
By Nathan Seppa