News

Chemistry

Mad cow-type diseases lie in wait

Prion infections build quickly in the brain then pause before killing, new research suggests.

Health & Medicine

News in brief: Body & Brain

Baby's first bites make a big impression, and so do European biomedical journals, in this week's news.

Earth

Ancient fossil sheds light on early evolution of body armor

A relative of today’s crabs and insects, the 10-legged, 520-million-year-old find may be the earliest known example of its kind with protected, jointed limbs.

Health & Medicine

Tired, sure, but is it from Lyme disease or chronic fatigue?

A scan of proteins in spinal fluid reveals distinct signatures for these two conditions, offering hope for better diagnosis and possibly treatment.

Humans

Mafia informants fail acid test

Tests of sulfuric acid on pig carcasses cast doubts on Mafia claims of dissolving murder victims in a matter of minutes.

Life

Tobacco tricks caterpillars with treats

Larvae that eat tempting hairs on the plant's leaves make themselves more attractive to predators.

Tech

Physics of burrowing sandfish revealed

A new study shows how sandfish lizards swim through Saharan sands, a find that could inspire better burrowing tools for use in the aftermath of disasters.

Health & Medicine

Cell phones may affect brain metabolism

Activity increases near phones pressed to users' ears, a new study finds.

Tech

Model copes with chaos to deliver relief

A computer program can get supplies to disaster areas efficiently even when the transportation system is part of the problem.

Tech

New batteries fix themselves

Self-healing lithium-ion batteries may last longer than current versions and be less likely to burst into flames.