Research News

Image of a mini-kidney formed in a dish from human induced pluripotent stem cells.

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Scientists Grow Primitive Human Kidneys In A Dish

4:36pm October 07, 2015

by Rob Stein

Scientists have tried for years to grow artificial kidneys in the lab. They've gotten a bit closer by using stem cells to create an "organoid" much like a fetal kidney. But it's missing key parts.

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Nobel Prize In Chemistry Awarded To 3 Scientists For DNA Repair Discovery

4:36pm October 07, 2015

by Joe Palca

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry will be shared by three scientists for their work on how cells repair damage to DNA. They have discovered DNA damage can lead to mutations, which in turn can lead to cancer.

The model of a DNA stands on a desk during a press conference to announce the winners of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2015 on Wednesday at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm. Sweden's Tomas Lindahl, Paul Modrich of the US and Turkish-Ameri

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3 Scientists Win Nobel Prize In Chemistry For DNA Repair Research

1:19pm October 07, 2015

by Bill Chappell

Their work details how cells repair damaged DNA and preserve genes. And now three scientists — Tomas Lindahl, Paul Modrich and Aziz Sancar — have won the 2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

The large British study, begun in 1958, tracked the diet, habits and emotional and physical health of thousands of people from childhood through midlife.

Childhood Stress May Prime Pump For Chronic Disease Later

10:48am October 07, 2015

by Allison Aubrey

A British study that tracked the health of thousands from childhood through midlife finds early distress to be even more potent than adult stress in predicting later diabetes and heart disease.

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Are Big Cities Still A Primary Engine For Scientific Innovation?

7:53am October 07, 2015

by Shankar Vedantam

For scientists, there have long been advantages to working in big cities — in close proximity to other scientists and inventors. A new analysis delves into whether this is still the case.

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3 Scientists Win 2015 Nobel Chemistry Prize

7:53am October 07, 2015

by Joe Palca

The work of Tomas Lindahl, Paul Modrich and Aziz Sancar details how cells repair damaged DNA and preserve genes.

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Ken (left) and Henry were created using DNA plucked from a skin cell of Melvin, the beloved pet of Paula and Phillip Dupont of Lafayette, La.

Cloning Your Dog, For A Mere $100,000

6:56pm October 06, 2015

by Rob Stein

The Duponts in Louisiana loved their mutt Melvin so much they jumped at the chance to replicate him. Melvin is gone now, but he has left behind two clones, Ken and Henry.

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Modern, domesticated rice comes in a range of colors, usually described as white, red and black. But collectors have never found black grains in more than a thousand samples of wild rice stored in gene banks. Now geneticists have traced this rare grain's

How 'Forbidden' Black Rice Flourished For Millennia

12:36pm October 06, 2015

by Jeremy Cherfas

Once reserved for the exclusive use of Chinese royalty, black rice these days has become the darling of gourmets seeking superior nutrition. Now geneticists have traced where this rare rice came from.

3 Scientists Awarded Nobel Prize In Physiology Or Medicine

11:30am October 06, 2015

by Jason Beaubien

The scientists from the U.S., Japan and China were awarded the Nobel Prize Monday for discovering drugs to treat parasitic diseases such as malaria, river blindness and elephantiasis.

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Stereotype Threat: How Often Are Students Assigned Works By Female Authors?

10:11am October 06, 2015

by Shankar Vedantam

Analysis finds that four in five course readings in the field of international relations are written by men. Female professors are 36 percent more likely to offer readings that have female authors.

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