Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
In ‘The Perfect Predator,’ viruses vanquish a deadly superbug
In ‘The Perfect Predator,’ an epidemiologist recounts the battle to save her husband from an antibiotic-resistant infection.
- Health & Medicine
A single-dose antidote may help prevent fentanyl overdoses
Packing overdose medication into nanoparticles could help it better counteract dangerous synthetic opioids.
- Anthropology
The first known fossil of a Denisovan skull has been found in a Siberian cave
A new fossil and evidence that the hominids interbred with humans as recently as 15,000 years ago only add to Denisovans’ mystery.
- Health & Medicine
50 years ago, drug abuse was higher among physicians than the public
In 1969, physicians abused drugs at a higher rate than the general public — that’s still true today.
- Health & Medicine
Blood vessels built from a patient’s cells could help people on dialysis
Bioengineered blood vessels could provide a safer alternative than donor vessels or synthetic implants.
- Health & Medicine
Treating cystic fibrosis patients before birth could safeguard organs
Starting a cystic fibrosis drug sooner than usual may protect an afflicted child’s lungs, pancreases and reproductive tissue, a study in ferrets hints.
- Science & Society
The science of CBD lags behind its marketing
Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses the lack of scientific research on CBD.
- Tech
Readers respond to classroom robots, soil erosion and more
Readers had comments and questions about robots in classrooms, benzodiazepines and more.
- Science & Society
The CBD boom is way ahead of the science
As CBD-laced foods and health products gain popularity, researchers are just beginning to fill the gaping holes in knowledge about this cannabis molecule’s benefits.
- Health & Medicine
Epileptic seizures may scramble memories during sleep
Overnight seizures seemed to muddle memories in people with epilepsy.
- Health & Medicine
Sperm with damaged DNA may cause some repeat miscarriages
An analysis of semen from men whose partners have experienced multiple miscarriages revealed abnormalities, a small study finds.
- Health & Medicine
A single sweaty workout may boost some people’s memory
Memory improvements after a short bout of exercise mirrored those seen after months of training.
