Humans
- Brain
Childhood stress can leave changes in the adult brain
A new study finds that young men who had experienced lots of stress early in life carried a lasting legacy — changes in the size and shape of their brains.
- Health & Medicine
New treatments may rally ex-president’s fight against cancer
Former President Jimmy Carter has a potentially lethal type of skin cancer that has already spread to his liver and brain. Recent improvements in medicine may help him fight it.
- Agriculture
Insecticide can change a spider’s personality
A chemical meant to kill moths affects the behavior of some spiders. It alters the spiders’ ability to capture prey — including those moths.
- Animals
Some pollutants made mice less friendly
Hormone-interfering chemicals make mice less social and may also alter their weight, a study finds. That affected the animals’ confidence — and behavior.
- Health & Medicine
Survey finds U.S. schools start ‘too early’
The school bell dings too early for U.S. tweens and teens, a survey finds. Most kids start class well before the recommended 8:30 a.m.
- Health & Medicine
More data link vaping to smoking
A new study finds vapers who don’t smoke are likely to start — even when they initially had no intention of ever taking up a cigarette.
- Animals
Chikungunya wings its way north — on mosquitoes
A mosquito-borne virus once found only in the tropics has adapted to survive in mosquitoes in cooler places, such as Europe and North America.
- Health & Medicine
News Brief: Stress may break diet willpower
A new study suggests stress can affect our behavior — and willpower — by making tasty foods look more irresistible.
- Chemistry
Nanosilver: Naughty or nice?
Nanosilver is in many products, from socks to toothbrushes. The tiny particles kill microbes. But it’s still unclear whether they can harm us or the environment.
- Genetics
DNA: Our ancient ancestors had lots more
Ancestral humans and their extinct relatives had much more DNA than do people today, a new study finds. It mapped genetic differences over time among 125 different human groups.
- Earth
Can house dust make us fat?
Materials found in dust, including common fats, may trigger human fat cells to grow. This might promote weight gain, some scientists worry.
- Agriculture
Organic food starts to prove its worth
Organic food often comes with a higher price. But research is showing that food grown this way can be better for the environment — and possibly for us.
