Life

  1. Neuroscience

    Cocoa antioxidant sweetens cognition in elderly

    Very high doses of antioxidants found in cocoa may prevent some types of cognitive decline in older adults. But that’s not an excuse to eat more chocolate.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  2. Neuroscience

    Year in review: Young blood aids old brains

    Ingredients in young blood can rejuvenate old mice’s bodies and brains, scientists reported in 2014.

    By Laura Sanders
  3. Genetics

    Domestication did horses no genetic favors

    Horses bear the cost of domestication in the form of harmful genetic variants, a study of equine DNA finds.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  4. Animals

    The dinosaurs in the backyard

    Chickens are some of the closest relatives of dinosaurs, and though genetic tinkering the birds might even one day be turned into tiny dinos.

    By Sarah Zielinski
  5. Genetics

    Year in review: Genes linked to tameness

    A look at the genes of domesticated animals offers possible insights into why taming has altered animals’ appearances.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  6. Animals

    Year in review: Insect, bird evolution revisited

    Insects got an entirely new family tree after an extensive genetic analysis rearranged the creatures' relations.

    By Susan Milius
  7. Genetics

    Year in review: Easy stem cells a no go

    An incredibly easy method for making stem cells turned out to be impossible, again tainting the stem cell research field with controversy.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  8. Life

    Images reveal secrets of zinc sparks

    These sparks are created when billions of zinc atoms shoot from thousands of small pouches nestled just beneath the surface of a mouse egg cell.

    By Ashley Yeager
  9. Life

    Source of sperm and egg’s zinc sparks identified

    Detailed imaging reveals the origin of zinc sparks that fly when egg meets sperm in mammals.

    By Ashley Yeager
  10. Neuroscience

    Year in review: The nose knows a trillion odors

    Humans can suss out more than 1 trillion different smells, a 2014 study estimated.

    By Bruce Bower
  11. Archaeology

    Year in review: Roster of dinosaurs expands

    With the discovery of several new species and a few dogma-shaking revelations, dinosaurs got a total rethink in 2014.

    By Meghan Rosen
  12. Animals

    Year in review: The post-pigeon century

    Birds' troubles received an eerie emphasis in the news when biologists marked the 100th anniversary of the death of the last known passenger pigeon.

    By Susan Milius