Anthropology
Early globalization on display in history of Eurasian civilization
It was a long, strange trip from the first Eurasian farmers to the modern world.
Reviews & Previews
Science Visualized
Animals
Diagram captures microbes’ influence across animal kingdom
A network diagram of animal species shows that many microbes living in humans also make themselves at home in dogs, pigs and cattle.
Notebook
Paleontology
Earliest sea scorpion discovered in Iowa
Earliest sea scorpion discovered in impact crater in Iowa.
Features
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New fascination with Earth’s ‘Boring Billion’
The Mesoproterozoic era, known as the boring billion, had very low oxygen, but it set the stage for the evolution of animals.
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Blood exerts a powerful influence on the brain
Instead of just responding to the energy needs of neurons, the blood can have a direct and powerful influence on the brain.
More Stories from the November 14, 2015 issue
- Astronomy
First stars may lurk in our galactic neighborhood
Representatives from the first generation of stars might be hiding in our cosmic backyard, masked by interstellar pollution.
- Planetary Science
Ceres mountains and craters named for food
A host of agricultural spirits are immortalized on several craters and mountains on the dwarf planet Ceres.
- Animals
Oldest pregnant horselike fossil found
A 48-million-year-old fossil of an early horse and fetus is the oldest and best-preserved specimen of its kind.
- Humans
Into Africa: Ancient skeleton sheds light on reverse migration
Ancient man’s DNA helps reveal extent of Eurasian farmers’ back-to-Africa migration some 3,000 years ago.
- Genetics
Chemical tags on DNA appear to differ between gay and straight men
DNA marks distinguished homosexual men from heterosexual men with in a small twin study.
- Quantum Physics
Future quantum computing could exploit old technology
Silicon transistors have been modified and patched together to form logic gates that could perform calculations in future quantum computers.
- Environment
Air pollutants enter body through skin
Although scientists have largely viewed skin as an unimportant portal to blood for toxic air pollutants, new human data show that skin can surpass lungs as a route of entry.
- Genetics
Gene editing makes pigs safer for human transplants
CRISPR/Cas9 disables multiple viruses at one time
- Health & Medicine
Elephants’ cancer-protection secret may be in the genes
An extra dose of cancer-fighting genes may be the secret to elephants’ long life spans.
- Anthropology
Long before going to Europe, humans ventured east to Asia
Cave finds indicate modern humans reached southern China long before entering Europe.
- Genetics
Microbes may reveal colon cancer mutations
Certain microbial mixes are associated with particular DNA mutations in colon cancer, a new study suggests.
- Humans
U.S. is growing more genetically diverse
Young Americans are more genetically diverse than previous generations, a new DNA analysis reveals.
- Anthropology
Sleep time in hunter-gatherer groups on low end of scale
Hunter-gatherer communities in Africa and South America have similar sleeping patterns as people living in postindustrial societies, researchers find.
- Paleontology
Dimetrodon’s diet redetermined
The reptilelike Dimetrodon dined mainly on amphibians and sharks, not big herbivores as scientists once believed.
- Paleontology
New evidence weakens case against climate in woolly mammoths’ death
Hunters responsible for woolly mammoths’ extinction, suggests a chemical analysis of juveniles’ tusks.
- Neuroscience
Signs of Huntington’s show up in the brain in childhood
Hints of Huntington’s disease show up in the brain long before symptoms do.
- Neuroscience
Nets full of holes catch long-term memories
Tough structures that swaddle nerve cells may store long-term memories.
- Animals
Hunchbacked conchs jump at the smell of danger
Hunchbacked conchs are among the most vigorous of snailkind’s few jumpers.
- Astronomy
Comet carries alcohol, sugar
Sugar and alcohol are just two of the ingredients that go into making a comet.
- Health & Medicine
Daily drug shown effective in preventing HIV infections
After a history of controversy, preexposure prophylaxis has been demonstrated to work for HIV prevention.
- Neuroscience
1960s dog brain transplant was not followed by human studies
A pioneering study to transplant a dog’s brain led to later work on a monkey, but ethical considerations and technical know-how have prevented further work.
- Animals
For glowworms, the brightest girls get the guy
Brighter female glowworms attract more mates and lay more eggs than their dimmer peers.
- Health & Medicine
Cancer drug’s effectiveness overinflated in animal studies
Claims about the cancer drug sunitinib are overblown because of poorly designed studies and negative results that were never published, a new analysis suggests.
- Astronomy
White dwarf upsets planetary system, consumes evidence
Rocky planets are disintegrating around a white dwarf, the core of a dead star.
- Animals
‘On the Wing’ chronicles origins of flying animals
In "On the Wing," a biomechanicist reviews how animals took to the air.
- Science & Society
‘Failure’ explores errors’ upsides
Missteps are a must in science, biologist argues in new book.
