Humans
- Chemistry
Specially coated fabric could turn a shirt into a shield
Specially treated fabrics offer a new kind of defense against chemical attacks. It could protect troops — and people living in war-torn nations where chemical weapons may be used.
- Health & Medicine
Good germs lurk in gross places
What do poop, dog drool and snot have in common? Though disgusting, they all carry microbes that can help keep people healthy.
- Brain
Understanding body clocks brings three a Nobel Prize
Three American men will share this year’s Nobel prize for physiology or medicine. The award recognizes their contributions to understanding the workings of the body’s biological clock.
- Animals
Scientists Say: Dung
This word is used to refer to animal poop. You know, manure. Crap. Feces.
- Archaeology
Clay reveals secrets of China’s mysterious terra-cotta army
Production of the famous terra-cotta troops found in ancient Chinese emperor’s tomb was made possible by a specialized system of clay manufacturing.
- Life
Cool Jobs: Puzzling over proteins to study life and death
Scientists are using proteins to understand dinosaur family trees, to fight malnutrition with a peanut-butter mix in Africa and to make “Google maps” of human cells.
- Computing
Video games level up life skills
A new study shows that playing video games can sharpen important life skills, including communication, adaptability and resourcefulness.
- Genetics
Genes may predict how well the flu vaccine will work in young people
The activity of nine genes predicted how well people 35 and under would respond to the flu vaccine.
- Health & Medicine
Tiny spongelike machines sop up blood sugar
Diabetes disrupts the body’s ability to control blood sugar levels. So researchers invented a tiny plastic machine that could do the job.
- Psychology
Warnings may help flag fake news, but they also backfire
Warning that a news story may be false can help people avoid being duped by hoaxes — but not as much as you might think, according to a new study.
- Health & Medicine
The five-second rule: Designing an experiment
Is it true that food is still clean if it’s picked up off the floor before five seconds have passed? To find out, we designed an experiment to give us data.
- Health & Medicine
The five-second rule: Growing germs for science
Is it true that food dropped on the floor and picked up after five seconds is clean? To find out, we’re building an incubator and allowing any hitchhiking germs to grow.
