Humans

Health & Medicine

Epidemics have happened before and they’ll happen again. What will we remember?

A century’s worth of science has helped us fend off infectious pathogens. But we have a lot to learn from the people who lived and died during epidemics.

Genetics

DNA from mysterious Asian mummies reveals their surprising ancestry

Ancient DNA indicates that an enigmatic Bronze Age group consisted of genetic, but not cultural, loners.

Archaeology

Lidar reveals a possible blueprint for many Olmec and Maya ceremonial sites

An Olmec site forged a building plan more than 3,000 years ago for widespread Olmec and Maya ritual centers across Mexico’s Gulf Coast.

Health & Medicine

What does the first successful test of a pig-to-human kidney transplant mean?

For the first time, a pig organ was successfully attached to a human patient. It’s a step toward vastly increasing the supply of organs.

Anthropology

Lasers reveal construction inspired by ancient Mexican pyramids in Maya ruins

Archaeologists have uncovered structures in Guatemala that are remarkably similar to La Ciudadela and its temple at the ancient city of Teotihuacan.

Archaeology

Vikings lived in North America by at least the year 1021

Wooden objects provide the most precise dating yet of a Norse settlement in Newfoundland.

Health & Medicine

Here’s what we know about booster shots for Moderna’s and J&J’s COVID-19 vaccines

Immunity against the coronavirus is waning, but additional doses of the same or different COVID-19 vaccines could help protect vulnerable people.

Health & Medicine

COVID-19 testing in schools works. So why aren’t more doing it?

School COVID-19 testing programs can keep kids in class and safe, but face challenges ranging from deciding on a testing strategy to parental buy-in.

Psychology

Nostalgia may have bona fide benefits in hard times, like the pandemic

Once described as a disease, nostalgia’s reputation is much improved. Researchers hope to develop mental health therapies that trigger these memories.

Archaeology

The earliest evidence of tobacco use dates to over 12,000 years ago

Burned seeds at an archaeological site in Utah hint at tobacco’s popularity long before it was domesticated.

Archaeology

Dog DNA reveals ancient trade network connecting the Arctic to the outside world

People in Siberia were exchanging canines and probably other goods as early as 7,000 years ago with cultures as far off as Europe and the Near East.

Anthropology

How catching birds bare-handed may hint at Neandertals’ hunting tactics

By pretending to be Neandertals, researchers show that the ancient hominids likely had the skills to easily hunt crowlike birds called choughs.