Science News

From the stroke of a mother's hand to the embrace of a lover, sensations of gentle touch activate a specialized set of nerves in humans.

Scientists at the Canadian Light Source have announced the first shipment of medical isotopes produced in its dedicated linear accelerator.

A 10-second kiss on the lips can transfer as many as 80 million bacteria into a person's mouth, a new study from The Netherlands finds.

The investigational drug ixazomib taken orally in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone shows promise in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, according to the results of a phase 1/2 study. "The all-o...

Black patients who have been diagnosed with heart failure are no less likely than white patients to get atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia), according to a new study. These findings run counter to...

A clinical trial testing hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment on persistent postconcussion symptoms in US military service members showed no benefits over a sham procedure in an air-filled chamber, but symptoms did improve ...

If the latest US Department of Agriculture standards for school meals and food sold in other venues such as vending machines and snack bars are fully implemented, there is potential to substantially improve school nutrit...

Young capillary vessels rejuvenate aged pancreatic islets, a new study has found. The finding challenges prevailing views on the causes of age-dependent impaired glucose balance regulation, a condition that often develop...

A credit score also says something about a person's health status, according to a new analysis from a long-term study of the physical and mental health of more than 1,000 New Zealanders. An international team of research...

The everyday use of a GPS device might be to find your way around town or even navigate a hiking trail, but for two physicists, the Global Positioning System might be a tool in directly detecting and measuring dark matte...

Triclosan is an antimicrobial commonly found in soaps, shampoos, toothpastes and many other household items. Despite its widespread use, researchers report potentially serious consequences of long-term exposure to the ch...

Scientists have identified weak spots on the surface of Ebola virus that are targeted by the antibodies in ZMapp, the experimental drug cocktail administered to several patients during the recent Ebola outbreak.

Breathing in secondhand marijuana smoke may damage the blood vessels just like breathing in secondhand cigarette smoke does, a new study in rats suggests.

The mystery surrounding a gruesome disease that affects starfish on the Pacific coast might finally be put to rest.

When robots fight in place of soldiers, will wars have fewer civilian casualties? Or will the world slide into non-stop conflict? (full text available to subscribers)

Three lines of evidence suggest a virus is the likely culprit behind a mysterious epidemic ravaging sea stars on North America's Pacific coast

In Life on the Edge, Jim Al-Khalili and Johnjoe McFadden argue quantum effects are decisive in biology - but this challenging idea needs proof

Pavlof volcano, one of Alaska's most active volcanoes, erupted for the second time this year on Saturday (Nov. 15).

Researchers are getting a new look at the workings of HIV and other viruses thanks to new techniques in electron microscopy. Making a vaccine against HIV has always been difficult, at least partly because the proteins on...

Researchers have demonstrated that adult cells, reprogrammed into another cell type in a living animal, can remain functional over a long period. The work is an important advance in the effort to develop cell-based thera...

Offering small financial incentives doubles smoking cessation rates among socioeconomically disadvantaged smokers, according to research. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, accord...

One of the family of drugs prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions is called tumor necrosis factor inhibitors. They act by dampening part of the immune system called tumor necrosis factor. I...