Humans
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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Animals
New case emerging for Culex mosquito as unexpected Zika spreader
The much-debated proposal that a Culex mosquito could help spread Zika gets some international support.
By Susan Milius - Health & Medicine
Measles has been eliminated in the Americas, WHO says
Thanks to wide-spread vaccination against the viral disease, measles has officially been declared eliminated from the Americas.
By Meghan Rosen - Archaeology
Ancient Maya codex not fake, new analysis claims
New report suggests an ancient Maya text — the bark-paper Grolier Codex — could be the oldest known document in Americas.
By Bruce Bower - Health & Medicine
Sugar industry sought to sugarcoat causes of heart disease
Sugar industry has long, sweet history of influencing science.
By Laura Beil - Health & Medicine
It’s time to retire the five-second rule
Wet food can slurp bacteria off the floor in less than a second.
- Genetics
Single exodus from Africa gave rise to today’s non-Africans
Genetics and climate studies differ on when modern humans left Africa.
- Archaeology
Digital rehab exposes Biblical roots of ancient Israeli scroll
Virtual unwrapping reveals Biblical text on charred remains of ancient Israeli scroll.
By Bruce Bower - Health & Medicine
Phil Baran finds simple recipes for complex molecules
Chemist Phil Baran draws on artistry and creativity to efficiently synthesize molecules that could improve people's lives.
By Eva Emerson - Neuroscience
Jessica Cantlon seeks the origins of numerical thinking
Cognitive neuroscientist Jessica Cantlon wants to find out how humans understand numbers and where that understanding comes from.
- Humans
Lawrence David’s gut check gets personal
Computational biologist Lawrence David regularly opens himself to new scientific challenges, including tracking his own microbiome.
- Life
How one scientist’s gut microbes changed over a year
Computational biologist Lawrence David chronicled changes in his gut microbes for a year.
- Health & Medicine
Activity trackers fall short in weight-loss trial
In a two-year study, wearable activity monitors didn’t help young adults lose more weight.