Humans

Anthropology

Fossil marks suggest hominids butchered one another around 1.45 million years ago

Researchers disagree whether new evidence of stone tool marks on a hominid leg bone reflects ancient cannibalism or perhaps some other, undetected behavior.

Astronomy

50 years ago, a search for proof that the Maya tracked comets came up short

The mystery of whether the ancient civilization tracked comets endures, but recent evidence hints the Maya tracked related meteor showers.

Genetics

The first gene therapy for muscular dystrophy has been approved for some kids

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared a shortened version of a gene for a muscle protein to be used in 4- and 5-year-olds with muscular dystrophy.

Tech

How understanding horses could inspire more trustworthy robots

Computer scientist Eakta Jain pioneered the study of how human-horse interactions could help improve robot design and shape human-robot interactions.

Health & Medicine

‘In the Blood’ traces how a lifesaving product almost didn’t make it

There’s plenty of drama in Charles Barber’s new book, which explores why a blood-clotting invention was initially dismissed.

Archaeology

An old perfume bottle reveals what some ancient Romans smelled like

Chemical analyses reveal that an unopened flask of perfume from 2,000 years ago contained patchouli, a common ingredient in modern perfumes.

Anthropology

These ancient flutes may have been used to lure falcons

Seven bird-bone flutes unearthed from a site in northern Israel are about 12,000 years old and may have been used as bird calls.

Health & Medicine

Taurine slows aging in mice. Will it ever work for people?

The amino acid taurine — found in meats, produced by the body and common in energy drinks — may have a role in health and aging, a new study suggests.

Neuroscience

Brain cavities that swell in space may need at least 3 years to recover

MRI scans of astronauts show that duration in space and time between flights affect how much the brain’s fluid-filled cavities expand during missions.

Animals

When and why did masturbation evolve in primates? A new study provides clues

In a first-of-its-kind comparative study, researchers show that primates were masturbating 40 million years ago and that the behavior may help males keep their sperm fresh.

Anthropology

Homo naledi may have dug cave graves and carved marks into cave walls

Proposed discoveries of humanlike activities by these ancient, small-brained hominids have elicited skepticism from some researchers.

Health & Medicine

With tools from Silicon Valley, Quinton Smith builds lab-made organs

Tissues made with 3-D printing and other techniques could offer insights into diseases such as fatty liver disease and preeclampsia.