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Science / Mind & Body

Arachnophobia, coral reefs, artificial cells and strange amphibians starred in some of this year's science finds you might have missed.

Ten Cool Science Stories You May Have Missed in 2014

ICYMI, there’s a newfound coral reef in Iraq, the smallest force has been detected and more in this year’s surprising science

Puberty Is Beginning Earlier in Girls, So What Can Parents Do?

The authors of a new book about the earlier onset of female puberty explain the evidence and offer advice

Researchers found that human joint-bone density remained pretty high until recently in our evolutionary history, around the same time that humans began switching from hunting and gathering to farming.

Switching to Farming Made Human Joint Bones Lighter

A more fragile skeleton evolved about 12,000 years ago, probably driven by a shift from hunting to agriculture

The way cancer cells process zinc might help scientists identify a new biomarker.

Using Zinc to Detect Breast Cancer Early

Researchers at Oxford have taken the first step towards finding a new biomarker for breast cancer

Science can help you avoid a holiday gift faux pas.

How to Give the Best Gifts, According to Science

Researchers are unwrapping the science behind gift giving, from the value of simplicity to the quality of the bow on top

Meet William Harvey, a Misunderstood Genius in Human Anatomy

A new video from the World Science Festival tells the story of this medical pioneer

A light therapy session in a German clinic.

The Dangers of Winter Darkness: Weak Bones, Depression and Heart Trouble

Long periods without sunshine can play a role in a surprising variety of physical and mental disorders

Though playing music is common in operating rooms, sleeping is not.

What’s Your Surgeon’s Jam? Probably Classical or Soft Rock

British doctors make the case for playing music during an operation

Frost on a sprig of European mistletoe.

Medical Mistletoe: Can the Holiday Plant Really Fight Cancer?

In some countries, cancer patients take mistletoe injections to ease symptoms, but the exact effects of the extracts are still up for debate

When Scott Kelly (right) goes to the International Space Station in 2015, he and his twin brother Mark (left) will participate in tests to study how spaceflight affects the body.

With An Eye To Mars, NASA is Testing its Astronaut Twins

Scott and Mark Kelly, the only twins to have traveled in space, are embarking on a mission to help NASA prepare for Mars

Bath salts obtained by the Tampa Bay Times for testing back in 2012.

No, “Bath Salts” Won’t Turn You Into a Cannibal

But now we have a better idea what the latest generation of the drugs is really doing to your brain

The image of a witch brewing her cauldron reigns in Halloween celebrations today. But, what actually went into witches cauldrons?

Halloween

How Witches’ Brews Helped Bring Modern Drugs to Market

Got nausea, headaches or heart trouble? You can thank medieval witches’ potions for helping to cure what ails you

A yellow fever epidemic may have planted the seeds of inspiration for Washington Irving's iconic tale of the a headless horseman.

Halloween

What “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” Tells Us About Contagion, Fear and Epidemics

Washington Irving fled New York because of a yellow fever epidemic. Twenty-two years later, his classic story spoke to the chaos of his youth

2014 Ingenuity Awards

Meet the Two Scientists Who Implanted a False Memory Into a Mouse

In a neuroscience breakthrough, the duo pioneered a real-life version of Inception

A hazmat crew cleans the steps outside the Dallas apartment of a health care worker who tested positive for Ebola.

How Do You Clean Up an Ebola Patient’s Home?

Decontaminating biohazard sites can be a tough job, but the hardest microbe to wash away may not be what you think

Inside the Brain’s Amazing Ability to Re-Map Your Body

Surgeons only have to go so far before the brain takes over and reconnects the nervous system

President Roosevelt at N.I.H.

See Rare Footage of F.D.R. Speaking at the National Institute of Health

Right before being elected to a third term, F.D.R. spoke at N.I.H. about preparedness for war and the need to research deadly diseases

Kale is delicious, nutritious and unnatural, genetically speaking.

Sorry Hipsters, That Organic Kale Is a Genetically Modified Food

And those juicy red grapefruits are mutants created by radiation exposure

A digitally-colorized scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of Ebola virus particles.

New Research

Tracking the 2014 Ebola Outbreak Through Its Genes

Genetic detective work also revealed 395 mutations unique to the virus in West Africa

A wolf yawning in the snow near Hesse, Germany.

New Research

Yawning Spreads Like a Plague in Wolves

Evidence of contagious yawning in chimps, dogs and now wolves suggests that the behavior is linked to a mammalian sense of empathy

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