Humans

  1. Animals

    Cool Jobs: A whale of a time

    Studying blue whales, spinner dolphins and other cetaceans demands clever ways to unveil the out-of-sight behaviors of these marine denizens.

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  2. Genetics

    Owww! The science of pain

    No one likes pain, but it keeps us alive. That’s why scientists want to learn how best to coexist with this complicated and still somewhat mysterious sensation.

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  3. Fossils

    Fossil hunting can start as child’s play

    Paleontology isn’t just for professionals. You don’t even need to be a teen to sometimes make startling — and scientifically important — contributions.

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  4. Earth

    Nifty science

    Inspired research put select high school seniors on the path to the 2014 Intel Science Talent Search finals.

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  5. Health & Medicine

    Beautiful nails may harbor germs

    Two students wondered why they weren’t allowed to wear fake nails as nursing assistants. They decided to use science to probe why. What they found sent them to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

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  6. Health & Medicine

    For better weight control, fiber up!

    Certain types of fiber suppress appetite, at least in mice. Found in fruits, vegetables, oats and barley, this fiber breaks down in the gut to release acetate. That travels to the brain, where the chemical prompts the release of hunger-fighting hormones.

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  7. Health & Medicine

    Infected cutting boards

    Germs can hitchhike into the kitchen on meat and many types of produce. A new study finds that some of those germs are particularly nasty. They are immune to the one or more of the drugs doctors would prescribe to wipe out the infection.

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  8. Brain

    Ghosts in your head

    Many people see, feel and hear things that aren’t really there — despite how much their brain tries to convince them otherwise.

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  9. Health & Medicine

    New ‘Heartland’ disease emerges in U.S. Midwest

    A new viral disease causes major pain and flu-like symptoms. At present, no treatment or cure exists.

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  10. Brain

    Loneliness can breed disease

    Everyone experiences loneliness from time to time. But when allowed to persist, loneliness can damage your health and steal years from your life.

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  11. Health & Medicine

    Explainer: Tips for overcoming loneliness

    This assortment of tips can help overcome loneliness. The approach focuses on changing — for the better — those ways in which you and others interact.

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  12. Animals

    Explainer: How invasive species ratted out the tuatara

    The introduction of rats to New Zealand led to huge population losses of the ancient tuatara. These uncommon reptiles vanished from the mainland. This left isolated populations to survive on several dozen isolated islands.

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