Humans
- Health & Medicine
Vaping emerges as possible trigger for seizures
Anonymous accounts have been filed with the FDA reporting seizures in teens after vaping. These were linked most often to JUUL and related pods.
By Janet Raloff - Brain
As teens gain weight, they find high-fat foods less pleasurable
Teens who gained excess weight showed less activity in the brain’s reward center when viewing or tasting foods with lots of fat.
- Life
Scientists Say: Nutrient
Nutrients provide living things, from bacteria to animals, with the energy and materials to grow. But too much of a nutrient can sometimes cause harm.
- Brain
Sleep may jumpstart the brain’s power washing system
Waves of fluid wash into the human brain during sleep. That’s good. They just may help clean out toxic proteins.
- Animals
Scientists Say: Papillae
These small nubs stick out from a body part. They include things such as tongue bumps with taste buds and the structures under the skin that help grow hair.
- Health & Medicine
Health risks are scaring some teen vapers into considering quitting
As teens learn of serious — and sometimes lethal — risks associated with vaping, many are looking to quit their e-cig use. The challenge is finding groups able to help them.
- Planets
Does the moon influence people?
Unless you believe in werewolves (and you shouldn’t), there are few compelling data to suggest the moon has a big effect on people.
By Erin Wayman - Health & Medicine
The science of ghosts
One in five Americans say they’ve encountered a ghost. But science has no evidence that ghosts are real. Here are more likely explanations.
- Tech
Graphene fabric keeps mosquitoes from biting
Graphene is a super-thin material with many cool uses. The latest: protection against mosquito bites by embedding it in your clothing.
- Health & Medicine
Could disabling one protein cure the common cold?
Cold viruses — and there are many — seem to need this human molecule to spread.
By Sofie Bates - Genetics
Explainer: How DNA testing works
Lots of companies will now test DNA from people and their pets. How do these gene-sequencing techniques work? We explain.
- Brain
Slower brain development ups a teen’s risk of getting into a car accident
Lack of driving experience isn't the only factor in whether a teen gets into a car crash. Crash risk in young drivers is also related to development of their brains’ working memory.