Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
Got a cold? A placebo might help
Amid doubts over a common decongestant, evidence suggests the placebo effect can still help people suffering from a cold.
- Health & Medicine
U.S. dementia cases may rise to 1 million per year by 2060
Baby Boomers may drive a drastic increase in dementia cases in coming decades, but there are steps people can take to reduce their risk.
- Health & Medicine
AI could transform health care, but will it live up to the hype?
AI has the potential to make health care more effective, equitable and humane. Whether the tech delivers on these promises remains to be seen.
- Humans
How child soldiers heal after the trauma of war
For more than two decades, Theresa Betancourt has studied Sierra Leone’s former child soldiers. Her new book Shadows into Light tells their stories.
- Health & Medicine
Is alcohol linked to cancer? Here’s what the science says
A new U.S. Surgeon General's report describes the link between drinking alcohol and developing cancer. Many Americans aren’t aware of the risk.
- Health & Medicine
What to know about the first bird flu–related death in the U.S.
H5N1 has infected 66 people in the United States since early 2024, mostly causing mild illness. A Louisiana man was the first to get severely sick.
- Health & Medicine
AI helps doctors detect more breast cancer in the largest real-world study
AI is as good as clinicians at interpreting mammograms, a cancer study with nearly 500,000 participants in Germany suggests.
- Health & Medicine
The spread of breast cancer may be inherited
A variant of PCSK9, a gene involved in raising cholesterol, may spur metastasis. An approved antibody might stop it.
- Health & Medicine
Short bursts of physical activity cut women’s risk of heart attack
Even just a few minutes of vigorous movement per day lowers the risk of serious cardiovascular problems, like heart attack and heart failure, in women.
- Health & Medicine
Dogs team up with AI to sniff out cancer
Scientists paired Labrador retrievers with an AI model in a new screening test for breast, lung, colorectal or prostate cancer.
- Physics
Eyelashes’ special features help fling water from the eyes
Eyelashes “micro-ratchet” structure and curved shape help wick water away from the eyes.
- Health & Medicine
Telehealth helps people get health care, but access may soon be in limbo
COVID-era telehealth laws made health care more accessible for rural patients, but telehealth might not be as easy to access next year.
