Humans

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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Health & Medicine

    What hospitals can do to help keep excess opioids out of communities

    Guidelines for prescribing opioids following a routine surgery prevented thousands of unnecessary pills from leaving the hospital, a new study finds.

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  2. Health & Medicine

    Staring into a baby’s eyes puts her brain waves and yours in sync

    Brain waves line up when adults and babies lock eyes.

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  3. Humans

    50 years ago, folate deficiency was linked to birth defects

    50 years ago, scientists found that a lack of folic acid in pregnant women could cause birth defects. But now, how much is too much?

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  4. Neuroscience

    Scientists are seeking new strategies to fight multiple sclerosis

    Facing so many unknowns about multiple sclerosis, researchers explore the immune system, the neurons and the gut to fight the disease.

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  5. Anthropology

    Strong-armed women helped power Europe’s ancient farming revolution

    Intensive manual labor gave ancient farm women arms that female rowers today would envy.

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  6. Health & Medicine

    Testosterone may be one reason why men don’t get asthma as much as women

    Adult women have higher rates of asthma than men, and testosterone’s effect on the immune system may partly explain that difference.

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  7. Archaeology

    Hidden hoard hints at how ancient elites protected the family treasures

    A secret stash at an ancient site in Israel called Megiddo illuminates the Iron Age practice of hoarding wealth.

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  8. Health & Medicine

    Step away from the cookie dough. E. coli outbreaks traced to raw flour

    Flour, though low in moisture, can sicken people with E. coli toxins if it is eaten raw.

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  9. Health & Medicine

    Six-month-old babies know words for common things, but struggle with similar nouns

    Young babies know a cup of juice from a car, but have a hard time distinguishing more similar nouns, a new study finds.

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  10. Archaeology

    Skeletons could provide clues to who wrote or protected the Dead Sea Scrolls

    Skeletons suggest a group of celibate men inhabited Dead Sea Scrolls site.

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  11. Health & Medicine

    How dad’s stress changes his sperm

    Stress may change sperm via packets of RNA in the epididymis, a mouse study suggests.

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  12. Science & Society

    Readers inspired by SN 10 scientists’ research

    Readers wanted to know more about the scientists' research who were profiled in "The SN 10: Scientists to watch."

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