Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
50 years ago, scientists claimed marijuana threatened teens’ mental health
In the 1970s, scientists linked pot use to mental health woes in teens. Such concerns have helped keep the drug illegal for teens for 50 years.
- Health & Medicine
Here’s what we know about B.1.1.7, the U.S.’s dominant coronavirus strain
Studies show the variant is more contagious and may cause more severe COVID-19 overall. But vaccines still work against B.1.1.7.
- Health & Medicine
People with rare blood clots after a COVID-19 jab share an uncommon immune response
AstraZeneca’s and J&J’s shots are linked to antibodies that spark clots. Knowing that lets doctors ID cases and get patients the right treatment.
- Humans
Neandertal DNA from cave mud shows two waves of migration across Eurasia
Genetic material left behind in sediments reveals new details about how ancient humans once spread across the continent.
- Health & Medicine
The P.1 coronavirus variant is twice as transmissible as earlier strains
The variant first found in Brazil can evade some immunity from previous COVID-19 infections, making reinfections a possibility.
- Anthropology
A coronavirus epidemic may have hit East Asia about 25,000 years ago
An ancient viral outbreak may have left a genetic mark in East Asians that possibly influences their responses to the virus that causes COVID-19.
- Anthropology
‘First Steps’ shows how bipedalism led humans down a strange evolutionary path
In a new book, a paleoanthropologist argues that walking upright has had profound effects on human anatomy and behavior.
- Health & Medicine
U.S. pauses J&J vaccine rollout after 6 people of 6.8 million get rare blood clots
The COVID-19 vaccine’s pause is out of abundance of caution, experts say. The potentially deadly clots appear to be “extremely rare.”
- Neuroscience
Surprisingly, humans recognize joyful screams faster than fearful screams
Scientists believed we evolved to respond to alarming screams faster than non-alarming ones, but experiments show our brains may be wired differently.
- Anthropology
Ancient humans may have had apelike brains even after leaving Africa
Modern humanlike brains may have evolved surprisingly late, about 1.7 million years ago, a new study suggests.
- Health & Medicine
AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine is tied to uncommon blood clots in rare cases
Blood clots should be listed as a possible side effect of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, but its benefits still outweigh the risks, experts say.
- Psychology
People add by default even when subtraction makes more sense
People default to addition when solving puzzles and problems, even when subtraction works better. That could underlie some modern-day excesses.
