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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
50 years ago, antibiotic resistance alarms went unheeded
Scientists have worried about antibiotic resistance for decades.
- Health & Medicine
Babies categorize colors the same way adults do
Babies divide hues into five categories, much like adults, a result that suggests color categorization is built into the brain.
- Genetics
Mummy DNA unveils the history of ancient Egyptian hookups
A study of DNA extracted from Egyptian mummies untangles ancient ancestry and attempts to resolve quality issues.
- Health & Medicine
Some topics call for science reporting from many angles
There’s heartbreak in this issue. Science News investigates different facets of the ongoing opioid epidemic in the United States.
- Health & Medicine
For babies exposed to opioids in the womb, parents may be the best medicine
A surge in opioid-exposed newborns has U.S. doctors revamping treatments and focusing on families.
By Meghan Rosen - Health & Medicine
Researchers stumble onto a new role for breast cancer drug
At first, ophthalmologist Xu Wang thought her experiment had failed. But instead, she revealed a new role for the breast cancer drug tamoxifen — protection from eye injury.
- Archaeology
Peru’s plenty brought ancient human migration to a crawl
Ancient Americans reached Peru 15,000 years ago and stayed put, excavations suggest.
By Bruce Bower - Health & Medicine
The opioid epidemic spurs a search for new, safer painkillers
Today’s opioids stop pain — but they’re also dangerous. Scientists are hunting for replacements.
- Psychology
Running is contagious among those with the competitive bug
Can behaviors really be contagious? Runners log more miles when their friends do — especially if they want to stay leader of the pack, a new study finds.
- Health & Medicine
New test may improve pancreatic cancer diagnoses
Blood test that detects five tumor proteins may someday help doctors better screen for pancreatic cancer.
- Health & Medicine
Drugs for reflux disease in infants may come with unintended consequences
Infants prescribed proton-pump inhibitors for reflux disease may be at higher risk for broken bones later on.
- Archaeology
Tool sharpens focus on Stone Age networking in the Middle East
Stone Age tool’s route to Syrian site covered at least 700 kilometers.
By Bruce Bower