Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
WHO declares international emergency for cases linked to Zika virus
The recent spate of birth defects and neurological disorders linked to Zika virus infection constitutes an international public health emergency, the World Health Organization declared February 1.
- Neuroscience
Immune system gene leads to schizophrenia clue
Excessive snipping of nerve cell connections may contribute to schizophrenia.
- Archaeology
Babylonians used geometry to track Jupiter’s movements
Babylonians took a geometric leap to track Jupiter’s movements long before European astronomers did.
- Tech
Tracking health is no sweat with new device
New all-in-one electronic device can detect and analyze your temperature and four chemicals in your sweat.
- Health & Medicine
Monkeys with human gene show signs of autism
Genetically altered monkeys may help scientists understand autism.
- Psychology
There’s a sour side to serotonin
Serotonin has a sour side. The chemical messenger helps mice to taste sour, a new study shows.
- Health & Medicine
Rapid spread of Zika virus in the Americas raises alarm
After blazing through Brazil, a mosquito-borne virus called Zika, which may cause birth defects, is now poised to jump to the United States.
- Health & Medicine
Noisy toys mute conversations
Electronic toys put a damper on the conversations between parents and babies.
- Anthropology
Attack 10,000 years ago is earliest known act of warfare
Human skeletons unearthed in East Africa show signs of a roughly 10,000-year-old lethal raid.
- Humans
No fairy tale: Origins of some famous stories go back thousands of years
Pairing folktales with ancient languages shows that at least a few folktales originated thousands of years ago.
- Life
MicroRNAs manage gut microbes
MicroRNAs mold gut microbes into healthier communities for the host.
- Science & Society
Human evolution, biomimicry and more go on display
A new human evolution gallery and a lecture series on Europa are among science events to explore in February 2016.
