Humans
- Health & Medicine
Why many Olympic athletes have early birthdays
When kids start out in sports, coaches tend to pick the biggest as the best. Here’s what scientists are trying to do about it.
- Health & Medicine
Scientists Say: Triclosan
This chemical is known for its bacteria-killing skills. But its use can also promote the development of dangerous, antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
- Health & Medicine
Athletes’ head injuries can provoke surprisingly long-lasting harm
Even as symptoms of an athletic head injury fade, the brain may remain impaired, new data show. The harm may last months — perhaps even a lifetime.
- Health & Medicine
Explainer: What is a concussion?
A concussion is a severe type of head injury that can damage a brain for weeks to years — perhaps even a lifetime.
- Brain
Unlike adults, teens don’t perform better when the stakes are high
Adults tend to do better on tasks that have bigger rewards. Not teens. This difference might have to do with the rewiring of the brain during adolescence, new data suggest.
- Health & Medicine
Janet’s chocolate mousse pie
The top two ingredients — dark chocolate and tofu — both have a reputation for being healthy. The good news for those who don’t like tofu: You can’t taste it in this pie. It just tastes like a very rich, thick chocolate mousse.
- Health & Medicine
Scientists probe new ways to control malaria
In the quest to stop malaria, one researcher studies the disease in birds, bats and other animals. Another focuses on climate change and human sprawl.
- Health & Medicine
Don’t blame the rats for spreading the Black Death
Popular history says millions of people died of the Black Death in the Middle Ages after being bit by fleas living on rats. But human fleas may be the real culprits, a new study finds.
- Materials Science
Cool Jobs: Drilling into the secrets of teeth
A bioengineer, a biologist and an archaeologist all study teeth to explore new materials, to grow better tissues and to learn more about prehistoric humans.
- Chemistry
Scientists Say: Salt
Salts in chemistry are compounds made when a positively charged acid is combined with a negatively charged base. Table salt is one example.
- Chemistry
Changing toothpastes? Change your toothbrush
Scientists have found that toothbrush bristles absorb triclosan, then release the potentially toxic chemical when users switch toothpastes.
- Health & Medicine
Scientists Say: Epidermis
The epidermis is the outer layer of your skin. It helps protect you from dangerous things in the environment, and helps control how much water evaporates from your body.
