Humans

Health & Medicine

A 25-year-effort uncovers clues to unexplained deaths in children

When Laura Gould’s daughter died in 1997, there was almost no research in unexpected deaths in children older than one. Gould helped change that.

Archaeology

A four-holed piece of ivory provides a glimpse into ancient rope-making

The tool, unearthed in Central Europe, suggests that locals made devices for stringing together sturdy cords over 35,000 years ago, researchers say.

Microbes

Bird flu viruses may pack tools that help them infect human cells

Bringing along their own ANP32 proteins may give avian flu viruses a jump-start on copying themselves to adapt to and infect humans and other animals.

Health & Medicine

Under very rare conditions, Alzheimer’s disease may be transmitted

Alzheimer’s isn’t contagious. But contaminated growth hormone injections caused early-onset Alzheimer’s in some recipients, a new study suggests.

Humans

Here’s why COVID-19 isn’t seasonal so far

Human immunity and behavior may be more important than weather for driving seasonality when it comes to COVID-19.

Climate

Cold, dry snaps accompanied three plagues that struck the Roman Empire

New climate data for ancient Italy point to temperature and rainfall influences on past infectious disease outbreaks.

Animals

What parrots can teach us about human intelligence

By studying the brains and behaviors of parrots, scientists hope to learn more about how humanlike intelligence evolves.

Health & Medicine

Is aging without illness possible?

Researchers are harnessing basic biology to develop drugs that foster healthy aging. Just don’t call them antiaging pills.

Archaeology

An ancient, massive urban complex has been found in the Ecuadorian Amazon

Found by airborne laser scans, this settlement and others throughout Mesoamerica and the Amazon are shifting how archaeologists think about urbanism.

Genetics

How ancient herders rewrote northern Europeans’ genetic story

New DNA analyses show the extent of the Yamnaya people’s genetic reach starting 5,000 years ago and how it made descendants prone to diseases like MS.

Health & Medicine

The teen brain is especially susceptible to the harms of THC

Marijuana that’s higher in THC and concentrated cannabis products may pose even higher risks of addiction and psychosis.

Anthropology

Ancient primates’ unchipped teeth hint that they ate mostly fruit

Of more than 400 teeth collected, just 21 were chipped, suggesting that early primate diets were soft on their choppers.