Aidan Burn, Tufts University Remnants of ancient viral pandemics in the form of viral DNA sequences embedded in our genomes are still active in healthy people, according to new research my colleagues and I recently published. HERVs, or human endogenous retroviruses, make up around 8% of the human genome, leftRead More →
Satdarshan (Paul) Singh Monga, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences The liver is known for its ability to regenerate. It can completely regrow itself even after two-thirds of its mass has been surgically removed. But damage from medications, alcohol abuse or obesity can eventually cause the liver to fail. Currently, theRead More →
Michelle Moscova, UNSW Hi I’m Miranda. I am ten years old and I live in California. My question is: why do older adults get shorter? What an interesting question, Miranda! Luckily, you don’t have to worry about this for some time. Until you are 30 or so (I know, itRead More →
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 →
