Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
U.S. lags in life expectancy gains
Among developed countries, Americans spend the most on health care even as they fall behind in extending longevity, a new study finds.
- Health & Medicine
Sleep makes the memory
Napping while reliving memories stabilizes people’s ability to recall them later.
- Psychology
Stage set early for success, or failure
Youngsters who lack self-control tend to hurtle toward a harsh rendezvous with adulthood.
- Psychology
Kids’ friendships sometimes illusory
A substantial minority of third to sixth graders think they're tight with a classmate who actually dislikes them.
- Health & Medicine
Vaccine against cocaine makes headway
Injections gin up antibodies in mice that limit the drug's effects, a new study shows.
- Humans
Citation-amnesia paper published
Many biomedical researchers fail to put their findings into context by citing related, previously published work. I termed this citation amnesia, when I wrote about it 18 months ago, based on data presented at a meeting on peer review and publishing. Readers who seek more details than my initial blog provided can now pore over the stats from that research for themselves. The Johns Hopkins University team that I encountered at the Vancouver meeting has now formally published its analysis.
- Health & Medicine
Tallying the caloric cost of an all-nighter
Sleep is energy-saving, and missing even one night sends the body into conservation mode, new measurements show.
- Chemistry
Why olive oil’s quality is in the cough
An anti-inflammatory compound found in the best presses tickles taste sensors in the throat, a study finds.
- Life
Making a worm do more than squirm
A laser used for locomotion control shines light on nematode behavior, one cell at a time.
- Health & Medicine
Tongue piercings worse with metal
Stainless steel or titanium studs collect bacteria more readily than do studs made of plastic or Teflon, a study finds.
- Humans
Reviving the taste of an Iron Age beer
Malted barley from a 2,550-year-old Celtic settlement offers savory insights into ancient malt beverage.
- Psychology
The write stuff for test anxiety
A brief writing exercise prompts higher exam scores for students struggling with academic stress.
