Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Chemistry
Nanoparticles in foods raise safety questions
As scientists cook up ways to improve palatability and even make foods healthier, some are considering the potential health risks of tiny additives.
- Anthropology
Sleep time in hunter-gatherer groups on low end of scale
Hunter-gatherer communities in Africa and South America have similar sleeping patterns as people living in postindustrial societies, researchers find.
- Health & Medicine
First known case of sexually transmitted Ebola reported
A Liberian woman contracted Ebola in March by having sex with a survivor of the viral disease, researchers report.
- Neuroscience
Adolescent brains open to change
Adolescent brains are still changing, a malleability that renders them particularly sensitive to the outside world.
- Humans
U.S. is growing more genetically diverse
Young Americans are more genetically diverse than previous generations, a new DNA analysis reveals.
- Genetics
Microbes may reveal colon cancer mutations
Certain microbial mixes are associated with particular DNA mutations in colon cancer, a new study suggests.
- Anthropology
Long before going to Europe, humans ventured east to Asia
Cave finds indicate modern humans reached southern China long before entering Europe.
- Health & Medicine
Cancer drug’s effectiveness overinflated in animal studies
Claims about the cancer drug sunitinib are overblown because of poorly designed studies and negative results that were never published, a new analysis suggests.
- Health & Medicine
Cancer drug’s effectiveness overinflated in animal studies
Claims about the cancer drug sunitinib are overblown because of poorly designed studies and negative results that were never published, a new analysis suggests.
- Health & Medicine
Elephants’ cancer-protection secret may be in the genes
An extra dose of cancer-fighting genes may be the secret to elephants’ long life spans.
- Health & Medicine
Why kids look funny when they run
Kids’ short legs give them little time to push high off the ground, a constraint that leads to the jerky toddler trot.
- Humans
Into Africa: Ancient skeleton sheds light on reverse migration
Ancient man’s DNA helps reveal extent of Eurasian farmers’ back-to-Africa migration some 3,000 years ago.
