Humans
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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Climate
EPA asks: Could you drive less?
Gas prices may need to climb more before most of us do the right thing.
By Janet Raloff - Health & Medicine
Journey to the center of the brain
New map of brain's anatomy reveals communication hub that corresponds to an area active when the mind wanders.
- Psychology
Woman knob twists
People nonverbally impose a specific order on descriptions of witnessed events, a tendency that may influence the structure of new languages, a new study suggests.
By Bruce Bower - Astronomy
Citizen Astronomy
Astronomers have found big benefits from recruiting the public to lend their eyes and image-processing prowess
By Janet Raloff - Psychology
Wave of resilience
Indian survivors of the devastating Asian tsunami employed spiritual and community coping strategies to regain emotional balance
By Bruce Bower - Astronomy
Too much information in the Odyssey
A controversial interpretation of passages from the Odyssey suggests that Homer knew much more about planetary motions than historians thought possible.
- Life
Losing sleep
A genetic source of mental retardation and autism may also disrupt sleep patterns.
- Health & Medicine
Vessel rescue
A blood pressure medication limits damage to the aorta in people with Marfan syndrome, possibly signaling a new therapy for the condition.
By Nathan Seppa - Agriculture
Bee-Loved Plantings
Zipcode-organized guidelines tell gardeners, farmers and others how to design a landscape that will not only entice pollinators but also keep these horticultural helpers happy.
By Janet Raloff - Health & Medicine
Ch-ch-ch-changes
Epigenetic shifts continue throughout a person’s lifetime, and the overall pattern of these shifts appears similar within families.
- Ecosystems
Human ‘Signature’ in Fish Losses
Why the whales-ate-my-fish argument doesn't hold water.
By Janet Raloff - Health & Medicine
Heel test
A simple, inexpensive ultrasound test of the heel might reveal whether a person is at risk of osteoporosis and should get more extensive tests.
By Nathan Seppa