Thomas Merritt, Laurentian University You’re reading this with a cup of coffee in your hand, aren’t you? Coffee is the most popular drink in many parts of the world. Americans drink more coffee than soda, juice and tea — combined. How popular is coffee? When news first broke that PrinceRead More →
Matt Parker, University of Portsmouth You’ve probably heard that fish have a three-second memory, or that they’re incapable of feeling pain. Neither of these statements is true, but it’s telling that these misconceptions don’t crop up for other vertebrates. Perhaps it’s because fish appear so different from us. They don’tRead More →
New drill core shows a boom-bust landscape in the east African rift valley at a defining moment in human evolution, technology and culture. For hundreds of thousands of years, early humans in the East African Rift Valley could expect certain things of their environment. Freshwater lakes in the region ensuredRead More →
Scientists have identified the binding pocket for molecules that can stabilize a key braking mechanism in cancer — opening the door to the development of drugs that target it. A team of scientists led by the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center and Case Comprehensive Cancer Center has identified theRead More →
Aspirin is associated with a reduction in the risk of developing several cancers of the digestive tract, including some that are almost invariably fatal, such as pancreatic and liver cancers. The largest and most comprehensive analysis to date of the link between aspirin and digestive tract cancers, published in theRead More →
UCLA biologists reveal interplay between estrogen and key gene Can women in menopause get the benefits of hormone replacement therapy without the risks? A new UCLA study conducted with mice points in that direction, but additional research is necessary. Women commonly experience hot flashes and weight gain, among other changes,Read More →
An unusual skullcap and thousands of clues have created a southern twist to the story of human ancestors, in research published in Science on 3 April. The rolling hills northwest of Johannesburg are famous for fossils of human-like creatures called hominins. Because of this, the area is known as the Cradle ofRead More →
UC San Diego researchers discover the enzyme SPRK1’s role in reorganizing the paternal genome during the first moments of fertilization — a finding that might help explain infertility cases of unknown cause A sperm enters an egg, an embryo develops and eventually a baby is born. But back up aRead More →
The term “hepatitis” refers to an inflammatory condition of the liver and can be due to different possible causes, including toxic substances, such as alcohol or certain drugs and autoimmune diseases. However, hepatitis viruses are the most common cause of hepatitis around the world. If left untreated, the condition can beRead More →
An investigation in which different Spanish institutions have participated, including the University of Valencia, has shown that the factors that most influence cognitive development in childhood are the formative level of the mother and the social class of the father. The study, on 525 children minors aged 5 and 6Read More →
