Humans
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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
Phage Attack: Antibacterial virus might suppress cholera
Bacteria-attacking viruses that infect bacteria hold cholera bacteria in check throughout most of the year except during the rainy season when these viruses become diluted.
By Nathan Seppa - Health & Medicine
Not to Your Health: New mechanism proposed for alcohol-related tumors
New findings suggest that alcohol encourages blood vessels to invade tumors, supplying nutrients that promote tumor growth.
- Humans
Letters from the January 15, 2005, issue of Science News
Maybe a smoky card game I’m a veterinarian, and, here in west Texas, we see a high occurrence of parvovirus infection in young dogs. It destroys the intestinal villi, allowing gastrointestinal bacteria and their toxins to enter the bloodstream (“Nicotine’s Good Side: Substance curbs sepsis in mice,” SN: 11/6/04, p. 291). I would be very […]
By Science News - Health & Medicine
Antibiotics could save nerves
Penicillin and its family of related antibiotics may prevent the type of nerve damage that occurs in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other diseases.
- Health & Medicine
Palm-Nut Problem
The ancient custom of chewing areca nuts is getting more popular as young Asians take up the habit, but betel-nut chewing has been linked to several types of oral cancer.
- Humans
Letters from the January 8, 2005, issue of Science News
Below the surface I would suggest that the Italian hydrologists cited in “Fighting Water with Water: To lift the city, pump the sea beneath Venice” (SN: 10/30/04, p. 277: Fighting Water with Water: To lift the city, pump the sea beneath Venice) consider the law of unintended consequences. Similar actions begun in 1978 at an […]
By Science News - Humans
From the January 5, 1935, issue
Karl T. Compton, Einstein explains relativity theory, and controlling cancer cells.
By Science News - Health & Medicine
Bad Combo? Some antidepressants may hamper breast cancer drug
Certain widely used antidepressants and a woman's own genes might diminish the effect of tamoxifen, a frontline breast cancer drug.
By Nathan Seppa - Anthropology
Temples of Boom: Ancient Hawaiians took fast road to statehood
A boom in temple construction on two Hawaiian islands around 400 years ago marked the surprisingly rapid formation of an early political state.
By Bruce Bower - Health & Medicine
Beat Generation: Genetically modified stem cells repair heart
Tissue engineers have for the first time used genetically modified human stem cells to repair damaged hearts in guinea pigs.
By David Shiga - Humans
Helping patients decipher options
Scientific publishers and research organizations are preparing to launch a Web site that will make new research findings available to the public in an easy-to-understand context.
By Janet Raloff - Health & Medicine
Food Colorings
Many deeply hued plant pigments appear to offer health benefits, from fighting heart disease and obesity to preserving memory.
By Janet Raloff