Humans

  1. Health & Medicine

    50 years ago, U.S. drinking water sparked health and safety concerns

    The discovery of potential cancer-causing agents in tap water led to the Safe Drinking Water Act — a law that continues protecting public health.

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  2. Health & Medicine

    22 pesticides show links to prostate cancer

    The new finding comes from an analysis of pesticide use and prostate cancer incidence in over 3,100 U.S. counties.

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  3. Psychology

    Researchers seek, and find, a magical illusion for the ears

    A contest to design a sound-only magic trick could help psychologists learn about differences between visual and auditory perception.

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  4. Health & Medicine

    Lizard spit can help detect a rare pancreatic tumor

    A protein found in Gila monster saliva flags tiny pancreatic tumors in PET scans.

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  5. Anthropology

    Fossil teeth hint at a surprisingly early start to humans’ long childhoods

    Signs of temporarily delayed tooth development in the skull of an ancient Homo species youth spark debate about the origins of humanlike growth.

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  6. Anthropology

    How does a fossil become a superstar? Just ask Lucy.

    Geologic good fortune, skilled scientific scrutiny and a catchy name turned Lucy into an evolutionary icon.

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  7. Health & Medicine

    The virus behind an outbreak in Brazil can spread from mother to fetus

    Transmission of Oropouche virus to the womb has been confirmed in two stillbirths and one birth with congenital anomalies that occurred in Brazil.

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  8. Health & Medicine

    A twisted protein sheds light on chronic wasting disease in deer

    The detailed structure of a misfolded protein from a diseased deer could help explain why the disease hasn’t made the leap to humans.

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  9. Genetics

    A common drug may help treat a rare genetic disease

    Ibuprofen counters problems caused by mutations in the MAN1B1 gene, fruit fly tests show. Early results in three children are ”fairly positive.”

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  10. Health & Medicine

    ‘The Power of Prions’ explores misfolded proteins’ role in brain diseases

    Michel Brahic’s new book spotlights prions’ role in diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

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  11. Archaeology

    A digital exam reels in engraved scenes of Stone Age net fishing

    Nearly 16,000-year-old portrayals of fish surrounded by nets had evaded detection until a new technique took magnification to a new level.

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  12. Archaeology

    A huge, ancient Maya city has been found in southern Mexico

    Lasers revealed that the city spanned roughly the same area as Beijing and may have been among the most densely populated in the region.

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