Humans

  1. Health & Medicine

    Novel diabetes strain has rapid onset

    Japanese researchers have confirmed that some patients with type 1 diabetes have a novel form of the disease that's not caused by immune cells attacking the pancreas.

    By Nathan Seppa
  2. Anthropology

    Ancient populations were game for growth

    Archaeological evidence of a Stone Age shift in dietary preferences, from slow to swift small game, suggests that the human population rose sharply sometime between 100,000 and 50,000 years ago.

    By Bruce Bower
  3. Anthropology

    Drowned land holds clue to first Americans

    A map of a now-flooded region charts the path that Asians may have taken to first reach the Americas.

    By Richard Monastersky
  4. Humans

    Treaty Nears on Gene-Altered Exports

    In an effort to help preserve biodiversity, negotiators from 130 nations crafted rules of conduct for international trade in living, genetically engineered organisms.

    By Janet Raloff
  5. Health & Medicine

    Diet Pills: It’s Still Buyer Beware

    With some half of the adult U.S. population overweight–many individuals severely so–is it any wonder that the fastest growing segment of the dietary supplement industry is weight-loss aids? Since 1997, sales of diet pills and related supplements have been increasing 10 to 20 percent annually to the point where last year they reached $2 billion. […]

    By Janet Raloff
  6. Health & Medicine

    New Antidote to Botulism: Drug neutralizes toxin in mouse tests

    An experimental drug disables deadly botulism toxin much better than current treatment does.

    By Nathan Seppa
  7. Health & Medicine

    Fullness Factor: Gut hormone tells brain the stomach is well fed

    A hormone produced by the intestines could be the primary satiety signal sent to the brain.

    By John Travis
  8. Health & Medicine

    Ulcer bug linked to stroke

    Potent strains of an ulcer-causing bacterium may also trigger strokes.

    By Damaris Christensen
  9. Health & Medicine

    Lab tool may spawn new antiviral drugs

    Short strands of RNA can be used to stop viruses such as HIV.

    By John Travis
  10. Health & Medicine

    Breast-feeding has protective bonus

    Breast-feeding appears to help ward off breast cancer.

    By Damaris Christensen
  11. Humans

    From the August 6, 1932, issue

    WEIRD STINK-BUG PARENTS PRODUCE CURIOUS EGGS “Like parent, like child,” is one of the oldest and best-known folk-proverbs. It holds outside the human realm, too. For instance, the pair of stink-bugs which Cornelia Clarke’s magnifying camera lens caught for the cover of this issue of the Science News Letter are weird enough little monsters, in […]

    By Science News
  12. Health & Medicine

    Obesity and Genetics

    Studies show that genes are a significant factor in developing obesity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide an online guide to the problem of obesity and insights into current research on the genetics of obesity. Go to: http://www.cdc.gov/genomics/training/perspectives/obesity.htm

    By Science News