Humans
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AgricultureThe first farmers were two groups, not one
The humans that began farming 10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent may have been two cultures living side-by-side.
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Health & MedicineBlame your ‘environment’ for your taste in music
Some scientists had thought we are born with our musical tastes. But a new study finds that what the ear prefers depends on what we listened to as we were growing up.
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Health & MedicineDiabetes seems to be climbing quickly in U.S. teens
A serious disease is showing up more often in kids. Many are unaware they are sick. Many more show signs they are at risk of developing the disease, for which there is no cure.
By Janet Raloff -
Health & MedicineEven some Olympic athletes cheat with drugs
Some athletes have been using banned drugs or other methods to boost their performance. But scientists are working on new ways to catch them.
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GeneticsHow fake sugar can lead to overeating
Scientists have found that fruit flies and mice eat more after consuming food laced with a popular fake sugar.
By Dinsa Sachan -
EarthSomething in plastics may be weakening kids’ teeth
The body can confuse some pollutants for a natural hormone. Researchers in France now find such pollutant exposures in childhood may lead cells to make defective tooth enamel.
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EarthNon-scents: Pollution can confuse pollinators’ sniffers
New research uses computers to predict how much longer it takes bees and other pollinating insects to sniff out lunch in a polluted environment.
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AnimalsEnd of Latin America’s Zika epidemic is in sight
A computer simulation suggests the Zika epidemic in Latin America is peaking and may not strike hard again for up to three decades.
By Meghan Rosen -
Health & MedicineNew study raises questions about cell phone safety
U.S. government study in rats links cell-phone radiation to a small increase in brain cancers and heart tumors. Some scientists now worry about lifetime risks to today’s children and teens.
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AnimalsGM mosquitoes cut rate of viral disease in Brazil
Adults males carrying the altered gene cannot father young that survive to adulthood. That’s when they suck blood — and can transmit disease.
By Susan Milius -
Health & MedicineDon’t use dinner-table spoons for liquid medicines!
Kids are safer when parents use precise tools to measure liquid medicines. Switching from teaspoons to metric tools could help, a new study finds.
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Health & MedicineU.S. mosquitoes now spreading Zika virus
Scientists had worried that if people sick with Zika came to America, local mosquitoes might bite them and spread the disease. That’s now happened.
By Meghan Rosen