Humans

In the technique known as intracytoplasmic sperm injection, a fertility specialist uses a tiny needle to inject sperm into an egg cell.

What's My Chance Of Having A Baby? A Better Predictor Of IVF Success

6:19pm April 08, 2015

by Katherine Hobson

Achieving pregnancy with in vitro fertilization depends largely on your age. But other factors contribute, too. A study compares two online tools aimed at giving couples a realistic sense of the odds.

Blaze Bioscience is commercially developing the "paint," which glows when exposed to near-infrared light.

Doctors Test Tumor Paint In People

5:52pm April 08, 2015

by Joe Palca

A modified venom from scorpions that carries a dye into the brain and makes tumors glow has cleared its latest hurdle. But will this attempt to improve brain surgery work in humans as well as animals?

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Will A Transplanted Hand Feel Like His Own? Surgery Raises Questions

3:29pm April 08, 2015

by Rob Stein

A 20-year-old man born without fingers on one hand hopes a transplanted hand will give him more confidence. He knows the risks of such a visible transplant, but says, "It's something I always wanted."

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The Allen Institute for Brain Science hosted its first BigNeuron Hackathon in Beijing earlier this month. Similar events are planned for the U.S. and U.K.

Hackers Teach Computers To Tell Healthy And Sick Brain Cells Apart

11:17am April 08, 2015

by Jon Hamilton

Scientists are still better than computers at assessing a neuron's health by looking at its shape. But an effort that includes an international series of hackathons could help speed the process.

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Studies show that having too many tests done too frequently is a recipe for getting sick, not staying healthy.

Tracking Your Own Health Data Too Closely Can Make You Sick

8:32am April 07, 2015

by Charles Ornstein

Why not check bloodwork a few times a year as some celebrities advise? Because too much testing can lead to false positives (and abnormalities that don't threaten health) and to unnecessary treatment.

When Did Humans Start Shaping Earth's Fate? An Epoch Debate

11:35am April 06, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Some scientists suggest calling the era we live in the Anthropocene, to denote the time when humans came to dominate Earth's fate. But did it start with farming, the atom bomb or another event?

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Stuart Kinlough/Getty Images/Ikon Images

Searching Online May Make You Think You're Smarter Than You Are

5:13pm April 03, 2015

by Poncie Rutsch

Googling that fact can make insufferable know-it-alls even more sure of their superior abilities, a study finds. The mere act of searching seems to boost faith in one's knowledge.

Todd Davidson/Getty Images/Illustration Works

Men And Women Use Different Scales To Weigh Moral Dilemmas

3:48pm April 03, 2015

by Poncie Rutsch

Would you kill a young Hitler to prevent World War II? Men are more likely to say yes, a study finds, while women weigh the moral cost of murder along with lives saved.

While you're resting, your armpit bacteria are hard at work pumping out stinky thioalcohols.

Meet The Bacteria That Make A Stink In Your Pits

5:51pm April 02, 2015

by Poncie Rutsch

Scientists say they've identified the bacteria that emit that rank smell after a hard workout. Future deodorants might target that bad actor rather than blocking sweat glands or nuking all bacteria.

Will this maker of snus, an alternative to cigarettes, be allowed to claim it is less harmful?

Tobacco Firm Seeks Softer Warning For Cigarette Alternative

5:50pm April 02, 2015

by Rob Stein

The product is called snus — a tiny bag of smokeless tobacco that users slip between the lip and gum. A Swedish maker claims the product is safer than cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco.

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