Body
Five Surprising Facts About the Common Cold
How far do germs travel after a sneeze? Can you really catch a cold if it's chilly outside? And does vitamin C actually help battle cold symptoms?
April 15, 2013 |
By Marina Koren
Merely a Taste of Beer Can Trigger a Rush of Chemical Pleasure in the Brain
New research shows just a sip can cause the potent neurotransmitter dopamine to flood the brain
April 15, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Why Humidity Makes Your Hair Curl
Humid air causes hydrogen bonds to form between water molecules and the proteins in your hair, triggering curls and frizz
April 12, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Revealed: The Part of Our Brains That Makes Us Like New Music
Imaging technology shows that a reward center known as the nucleus accumbens lights up when we hear melodies we love
April 11, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Researchers Turn Brains Transparent By Sucking Out the Fat
By turning brains clear and applying colored dyes, connections between neuron networks can now be examined in 3D at unprecedented levels of detail
April 10, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Video: Researchers Produce Human Tissue-Like Material Using 3D Printing
Using droplets coated in oil as "ink," a 3D printer can construct a network of synthetic cells that mimics brain and fat tissue
April 04, 2013 |
By Marina Koren
Scientists Figure Out What You See While You’re Dreaming
A learning algorithm, coupled with brain scans, was able to predict the images seen by dreamers with a 60 percent accuracy
April 04, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
A Survey of the 161 Bacterial Families That Live on Your Fruits and Veggies
The first-ever sequencing of the "produce microbiome" reveals that grapes, peaches and sprouts host the largest diversity of harmless bacteria
March 27, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Warning: Living Alone May Be Hazardous to Your Health
Being socially isolated increases your chance of death—but not because you're feeling depressed over being lonely
March 25, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Prehistoric Human Skull Shows Signs of Inbreeding
A 100,000-year-old skull has a hole that reflects genetic mutations from inbreeding—likely a common behavior for our ancestors
March 19, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Science Shows Why You’re Smarter Than a Neanderthal
Neanderthal brains had more capacity devoted to vision and body control, with less left over for social interactions and complex cognition
March 12, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
What Does the Unbelievably Bad Air Quality in Beijing Do to the Human Body?
The level of soot in Beijing's air is off the charts, leading to higher risks of lung cancer, heart attacks and other health problems
March 01, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Where Men See White, Women See Ecru
Neuroscientists prove what we always suspected: the two sexes see the world differently
March 2013 |
By Libby Copeland
Video: This Stretchable Battery Could Power the Next Generation of Wearable Gadgets
Durable and rechargeable, the new battery can be stretched to 300 percent of its size and still provide power
February 27, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Climate Change is Reducing Our Ability to Get Work Done
Increased temperature and humidity have already limited humankind's overall capacity for physical work—and it will only get worse in the future
February 25, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Growing New Hearts Without Using Embryonic Stem Cells
A different type of stem cell—one used in asexual reproduction—can create new heart muscle tissue without raising ethical questions, new studies show
February 23, 2013 |
By Marina Koren
An Artificial Ear Built By a 3D Printer and Living Cartilage Cells
Cornell scientists used computerized scanning, 3D printers and cartilage from cows to create living prosthetic ears
February 21, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Study Predicts Political Beliefs With 83 Percent Accuracy
Scans show that liberals and conservatives use different parts of the brain when they take risks, helping to pinpoint the political party a person prefers
February 14, 2013 |
By Marina Koren
Pick Your Poison: A Diet Mixer Could Make You Get Drunk Faster
The same amount of liquor causes a higher level of intoxication when mixed with diet soda instead of regular soda, a new study finds
February 05, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Obesity Could Be the True Killer for Football Players
Head injuries have received much deserved attention in the news, but there’s a 350-pound problem that few are discussing
January 31, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
