News
- Life
Why diversity rules
A new experiment demonstrates the way a multitude of specialized species absorb nutrients more effectively than a highly productive one.
By Susan Milius - Humans
Genetic roots of ‘orchid’ children
Kids who inherit certain DNA variants may be most likely to wilt in bad circumstances and bloom in good ones.
By Bruce Bower - Psychology
Shocking experiment shows talk is cheap
Though most people swear they'd never hurt anybody for money, most are also quick to shock a new acquaintance for a few quid when actually given the chance, a British study finds.
- Health & Medicine
Beer, bugs, DNA linked to stomach cancer
Guzzlers who have a particular genetic variant and an unnoticed bacterial infection are at high risk, a European study finds.
By Nathan Seppa - Life
Sugar fuels growth of insulin-making cells
Mouse study suggests a new strategy for treating diabetes.
- Health & Medicine
Meditators can concentrate the hurt away
Experiment participants felt less pain while practicing mindfulness.
- Earth
Arctic Ocean hosts weird freshwater pond
Odd, persistent winds prevent river inputs from mixing with the sea.
By Janet Raloff -
- Health & Medicine
Breast milk may harbor cancer clues
Analysis could provide a noninvasive means for testing risk in women, an early-stage study shows.
By Nathan Seppa - Humans
Brain’s mirror system loves the robot
Experiments that shed light on how the "monkey see, monkey do" part works may suggest why we feel sad for Wall-E.
- Health & Medicine
Heart drug may fight prostate cancer
Digitalis inhibits the common malignancy in lab tests, and long-term users are less likely to develop the disease, a study shows.
By Nathan Seppa - Life
Worries grow over monarch butterflies
Migrants overwintering in Mexico rebounded somewhat this past winter, but still trending downward.
By Susan Milius