Humans
- Neuroscience
Serotonin lies at the intersection of pain and itch
Serotonin may help relieve pain, but it also causes itch. A study shows why scratching just makes it worse.
- Health & Medicine
Whooping cough shot shown safe for pregnant women
Women who get a booster shot against whooping cough, or pertussis, during pregnancy don’t increase their risk of having a problem birth, and they boost their babies’ immunity to the disease.
- Environment
Thirdhand smoke poses lingering danger
Harmful cigarette chemicals that linger on surfaces, known as thirdhand smoke, can go on to pollute the air and may harm people’s health.
By Beth Mole - Neuroscience
For a friendlier zebra finch, just add stress
Adding stress hormones to the diet of developing zebra finches produced birds that were social butterflies.
- Health & Medicine
Uncommon malaria spreading in Malaysia
Malaria parasite’s jump from monkeys to people seems aided by deforestation in Malaysia.
By Nathan Seppa - Psychology
With a tap on the back, researchers create ghostly sensation
Experimentally induced illusion probes supernatural experiences, hallucinations.
By Bruce Bower - Materials Science
Batteries become safe to swallow with spongy covering
Quantum-inspired coating switches from a conductor to an insulator to prevent injury from swallowed batteries.
By Beth Mole - Health & Medicine
Snakebite test correctly IDs attackers in Nepal
A new test that swabs for traces of snake DNA around bite marks can identify the guilty serpent and may improve treatments.
By Nathan Seppa - Genetics
Genes influence Ebola’s impact
A study in a diverse strain of mice shows how the effect of an Ebola infection can depend on genes.
By Meghan Rosen - Health & Medicine
Mushroom extract might eradicate HPV infection
In a small trial, a nutritional supplement derived from shiitake mushrooms wiped out dormant human papillomavirus infections.
By Nathan Seppa - Health & Medicine
Dengue vaccine offers partial protection
Shots reduce severe cases of dengue among children in large study in Latin America.
By Nathan Seppa - Health & Medicine
Increase in Denmark’s autism diagnoses caused by reporting changes
Changes in how autism is detected and recorded explain 60 percent of the recent increase in diagnoses, a Danish study finds.