discoveries

Read the latest news stories about recent scientific discoveries on Newser.com

Stories 401 - 420 | << Prev   Next >>

Toilets in Ancient Jerusalem Reveal Nasty Parasites
Ancient Residents of
Jerusalem Carried
a Nasty Bug
new study
May 26, 2023 11:47 AM CDT

Ancient Residents of Jerusalem Carried a Nasty Bug

Researchers analyze poop from 2.5K-year-old toilets and find evidence of dysentery

(Newser) - Today in fascinating poop news: Even wealthy Iron Age residents of Jerusalem—then a booming city in the Assyrian empire—couldn't escape the distressing grip of intestinal parasites. CNN reports that researchers have unearthed 2,500-year-old latrines that once belonged to the elite, and they've found traces of...

Man&#39;s Brain Mutation Suggests a Way to Treat Alzheimer&#39;s
Alzheimer's Study 'Made
the Hair on My Arms Stand Up'
in case you missed it
May 20, 2023 12:15 PM CDT

Alzheimer's Study 'Made the Hair on My Arms Stand Up'

Man's genetic mutation staved off onset for decades, suggesting a future treatment

(Newser) - In one sense, the study subject's case is grim: He began showing signs of cognitive impairment at 67, developed full-blown dementia at 72, and died two years later, per STAT News . In another sense, his case is remarkable: He should have developed Alzheimer's in his early 40s because...

This Is the First Known Fish to Hold Its Breath
Sharks Holding Their Breath
Came as 'Complete Surprise'
in case you missed it
May 20, 2023 7:30 AM CDT

Sharks Holding Their Breath Came as 'Complete Surprise'

Behavior allows hammerheads to maintain body temperature during dives

(Newser) - Hammerhead sharks dive more than half a mile below the ocean's surface to find and catch prey. And they hold their breath while they do it, according to researchers, who say the discovery—the first time the behavior has been witnessed in fish—came as " a complete surprise...

Vesuvius' Eruption Didn't Kill Newly Found Bodies in Pompeii

Archeologists speculate the men were killed during quakes accompanying the eruption

(Newser) - A pair of newly discovered skeletons dating from the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius 2,000 years ago are adding to the tragic story of the destruction of Pompeii, which wasn't inflicted solely by the eruption, reports USA Today. In a statement , Pompeii archaeological park director Gabriel Zuchtriegel writes that...

Killer Poisonous Mushrooms May Have New Antidote

The death cap may have met its match

(Newser) - Eating even a tiny slice of the death cap mushroom—AKA Amanita phalloides —can be fatal. It contains a group of toxins called amatoxins, which are extremely poisonous to humans. Amatoxins damage the liver and kidneys, and can lead to death even if treated, but that may soon...

Patch Holds Promise for Kids Allergic to Peanuts
For Kids Allergic to Peanuts,
a Patch Holds Promise
new study
May 15, 2023 11:20 AM CDT

For Kids Allergic to Peanuts, a Patch Holds Promise

Study suggests it offers a measure of protection against exposure

(Newser) - A study in the New England Journal of Medicine offers some hopeful news for the parents of toddlers with peanut allergies. Researchers found that if children wear a patch that dispenses a tiny amount of a peanut protein for a year, they're likely to build up protection against being...

NHL Players Who Throw Down on the Ice Die Younger
Lethal News
for NHL's
'Enforcers'
NEW STUDY
May 14, 2023 5:05 PM CDT

Lethal News for NHL's 'Enforcers'

On average, former players known for getting into numerous brawls died a decade earlier than peers

(Newser) - Recent research shows that fighting at NHL games, "once considered an integral part of professional hockey," has plummeted over the past two decades. Seems like that might be a good thing down the line, at least according to a new study, which finds that ex-players who were...

Lowly Moss Is Far More Important Than You Think
Scientists 'Gobsmacked'
About Findings on Moss
in case you missed it
May 14, 2023 4:10 PM CDT

Scientists 'Gobsmacked' About Findings on Moss

Lowly plant is 'potentially as significant' as vascular plants, yet often ignored: study

(Newser) - We've underestimated the power of the lowly moss beneath our feet, which fuels the cycling of nutrients in soil, sucks up carbon, and may even prevent the proliferation of pathogens and "antibiotic resistant genes," according to a new, worldwide study. Considered globally, mosses—under threat from climate...

Here&#39;s How You Can Get a Cat to Pay Attention to You
Want a Cat to
Come to You?
Do These
2 Things
NEW STUDY
May 13, 2023 6:00 AM CDT

Want a Cat to Come to You? Do These 2 Things

Researchers find cats come up to strangers more quickly when both visual, verbal cues are used

(Newser) - A group of researchers out of France took a deep dive into "the nuances of cat-human conversation," with some expected findings and some a little more surprising. For their study published last week in the journal Animals , a research team out of Paris Nanterre University led by Charlotte...

Largest Explosion Ever Seen Is an 8B-Year-Old Mystery

Outrageously bright light from distant space suggests black hole ate a big, gassy meal

(Newser) - In 2020, a bright light appeared in the night sky. That light, still visible with advanced telescopes today, represents the largest explosion ever seen. You're forgiven for not noticing as this is all happening some 8 billion light years away, though that wasn't clear initially. The light was...

It&#39;s a &#39;Milestone&#39; for Cancer Vaccines
Cancer Just Got
a Little Less Scary
NEW STUDY
May 11, 2023 11:00 AM CDT

Cancer Just Got a Little Less Scary

BioNTech's mRNA vaccine appears to prevent pancreatic cancer's return in phase one trial

(Newser) - BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine overshadowed its development of an mRNA vaccine to target cancer , but that vaccine takes center stage in a phase one trial, offering new hope for the treatment of notoriously deadly and stubborn pancreatic cancers. Some 90% of pancreatic cancer patients who have tumors surgically removed see...

Finding Could Shrink Mounds of Plastic

Discovery could be a recycling breakthrough

(Newser) - Scientists have been aware of microorganisms that can digest plastic, but they're of limited help. They mostly need temperatures over 86 degrees Fahrenheit to function; heating the environment for them is impractical and not carbon neutral. But now microbes have been isolated that can do the work at a...

Researcher: Spoilers Don&#39;t Matter
Researcher:
Spoilers
Don't
Matter
May 9, 2023 1:25 PM CDT

Researcher: Spoilers Don't Matter

Psychology study suggests people still enjoy shows if they know the ending

(Newser) - The next time you inadvertently let a spoiler slip about a popular show, just explain to your angry friend that science say it's fine. Yeshiva University psychology professor Anna-Lisa Cohen makes the case in a New York Times essay, one that draws from a study by her and others...

We Got Bigger Noses From Neanderthals
We Got Bigger Noses
From Neanderthals
New Study
May 8, 2023 12:17 PM CDT

We Got Bigger Noses From Neanderthals

Researchers detect a genetic link, suggest the larger noses helped with colder climates

(Newser) - Scientists have made a fascinating discovery revealing more about human and Neanderthal interactions in prehistory: a gene that affects the size of our noses actually comes from our Neanderthal cousins, per Phys.org . One theory is that our predecessors developed larger noses to better adapt to colder climates as...

Dog Walkers Are Ending Up in the ER in Droves
Dog Walkers Are Ending
Up in the ER in Droves
in case you missed it
May 6, 2023 4:50 PM CDT

Dog Walkers Are Ending Up in the ER in Droves

Researchers: Leashed strolls have led to 420K injuries over last 20 years or so

(Newser) - Dogs may be man's best friend, but they're also unintentionally sending a lot of their humans to the ER. That's the upshot of a new study out of Johns Hopkins, where scientists discovered that, over the past 20 years or so, more than 422,000 people in...

Activity in Dying Brains Hints at Moments of Consciousness

Surges of electricity raise intriguing questions about near-death experiences

(Newser) - Activity in dying brains may provide insight into the possibility of brief conscious experiences in the last moments of life, according to research reported by Live Science . The study, published in the journal PNAS , observed electrical activity in the brains of dying patients and found that some individuals exhibited organized-looking...

Keep an Eye Out for These Early Signs of Colon Cancer

Researchers pinpoint the signals to look for in disease seeing a rise among young adults

(Newser) - Colon cancer is on the rise among young adults, and the cases have been much more aggressive than they used to be. That's why scientists hope the public pays attention to info out of a new study from St. Louis' Washington University School of Medicine, which looked for early...

Underwater in National Park, an 'Intriguing Find'

1861 grave of Fort Jefferson laborer is discovered submerged within Dry Tortugas National Park

(Newser) - The graves of dozens of people—including US soldiers—who died at Florida's Fort Jefferson in the late 19th century are now believed to be underwater. In August 2022, divers identified a grave carrying the name John Greer and the year 1861 on a submerged island near Garden Key...

In ChatGPT vs. Actual Doctors, an 'Unexpected' Result

Patients rated AI chatbot more empathetic in its written advice than human doctors

(Newser) - Scriptwriters , lawyers , and telemarketers are all warily eyeing ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot that may soon start horning in on their jobs. Doctors might want to keep tabs on how the AI tool could affect their industry as well, especially after new research found that ChatGPT had a better...

New Tool in Battling Misinformation: 'Pre-Bunking'

Based on inoculation theory, it could act as a psychological barrier against propaganda

(Newser) - Soon after the Russian invasion, the hoaxes began. Ukrainian refugees were supposedly taking jobs, committing crimes, and abusing handouts. The misinformation spread rapidly online throughout Eastern Europe, sometimes pushed by Moscow in an effort to destabilize its neighbors. It's the kind of swift spread of falsehood that has been...

Stories 401 - 420 | << Prev   Next >>