Life
- Brain
Hands-free but still distracted
When people aren’t distracted, they can see a traffic light change very quickly. But a teen scientist now shows that texting — even with a hands-free device — gets dangerously slow.
- Animals
What’s the buzz? A new mosquito lure
Broadcasting a fake buzz can lure male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes away from females. That could reduce populations of these annoying — and disease-causing — insects, reports a teen at the 2015 Intel ISEF competition.
- Brain
Back off, bullies!
Mental health is another reason to stop bullies. Victims of bullying are more likely to develop anxiety problems than are victims of abuse or neglect, a new study finds.
- Health & Medicine
Do mosquitoes love you? Blame your parents
By studying twins, scientists found that how attractive we are to mosquitoes depends partly on our genes. That could lead to better bug repellents.
- Brain
Trip to Mars could damage astronauts’ brains
Experiments in mice suggest the high-energy particles that would zap astronauts on a mission to Mars could leave the explorers with brain damage.
- Animals
What’s for dinner? Mom.
Female spiders of one species make the ultimate sacrifice when raising their young: The mothers feed themselves to their children.
- Fossils
Ritual cannibalism occurred in Stone Age England
Stone Age human bones from a cave in England show signs of cannibalism. The people had been eaten during burial rituals nearly 15,000 years ago, experts say.
- Brain
Twisters: Can warning people too early backfire?
If people think they have enough time to flee a tornado, they may try to drive away, information shows. This could leave them stuck in traffic — with no protection — when the storm does show up.
- Fossils
‘Frankenstein’ dino showed a mashup of traits
New species unearthed in Chile is “an anatomical Frankenstein,” declares one of its discoverers.
- Environment
News Brief: Smokin’ plants
A new study points out how some herb teas and spices could have accidentally picked up nicotine from the smokers working around them.
- Microbes
News Brief: Ebola’s dead stay infectious for a week
The Ebola virus doesn’t die with its victims — at least not right away. A corpse may host live virus for up to a week after death, a new study finds.
- Agriculture
Ditching farm pollution — literally
An Indiana project shows how fighting fertilizer runoff can save farmers money, protect wild habitats and prevent harmful algae blooms.
