Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
Nobel in medicine honors discoveries of telomeres and telomerase
Three scientists share the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of telomeres, which protect the ends of chromosomes, and the enzyme telomerase, which adds the structures to the ends of chromosomes.
- Humans
Flu: Grim stats
Though risk of death from conventional flu strains escalates dramatically, beginning around age 45, a new study finds that masks do a fair job of slowing the infection's transmission.
- Life
Mitochondria behind life span extension
Study in flies suggests low-protein diet works through power-producing organelles.
- Humans
Partial skeleton gives ancient hominids a new look
African hominid fossils, including a partial skeleton, reveal a surprising mix of features suitable for upright walking and tree climbing 4.4 million years ago.
- Health & Medicine
Excreted Tamiflu found in rivers
A Japanese study finds that excreted Tamiflu ends up in river water, raising concerns that birds hosting a flu virus will develop drug-resistant strains.
- Health & Medicine
Obesity epidemic may threaten mitten industry
Hot fingers: That appears to be one consequence of big bodies.
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- Humans
Autism may include aptitude for analogy
Contrary to what had been thought, some kids with this disorder recognize and compare relationships among objects in visual scenes
- Humans
Schools need to test water, report results
Survey of EPA database turn up widespread problems, which may be only the tip of the iceberg.
- Earth
Protected whales found in Japan’s supermarkets
Toothless Asian whales find themselves being protected by fairly toothless regulations.
- Health & Medicine
Alzheimer’s linked to lack of Zzzzs
Sleep deprivation leads to more Alzheimer’s disease plaques in the brains of genetically susceptible mice.
- Humans
A head for numbers
The brain shows slightly different, but overlapping patterns when processing digits and dots of the same value.
