Research News

Health workers in protective suits tend to an Ebola victim kept in an isolation cube in Beni in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

2 Experimental Ebola Drugs Saved Lives In Congo Outbreak

10:47pm August 12, 2019

by Richard Harris

Drugs tested in the Democratic Republic of Congo are effective in treating Ebola, scientists say. They have run a study in the midst of a deadly epidemic and in the face of armed assaults on doctors.

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A goldenrod midge maggot begins to form a loop.

Science

Scientists Find Out How Leaping Maggots Leap

7:43pm August 09, 2019

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

The scientists captured the acrobatic jumps of a tiny maggot-like creature with high-speed cameras to figure out how it does this trick with no arms, legs, or wings.

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An artist's illustration of the giant parrot with a New Zealand wren for comparison.

Science

Scientists Discover Prehistoric Giant 'Squawkzilla' Parrot, As Big As Small Child

8:28pm August 07, 2019

by Vanessa Romo

The flightless bird weighed 15 pounds, was about 3 feet tall and probably feasted on other parrots. Study lead Trevor Worthy made the discovery after examining two 19 million-year-old leg bones.

Honeybees are seen feeding on the honeydew of whiteflies in citrus trees. Traces of neonicotinoids, a family of pesticides, have shown up in honeydew, an important food source for other insects.

New Evidence Shows Popular Pesticides Could Cause Unintended Harm To Insects

2:39pm August 06, 2019

by Dan Charles

Studies are revealing new, unintended threats that neonicotinoid pesticides pose to insects. The chemicals, widely used by farmers, are difficult to control because they persist in the environment.

Robyn Adcock (left), a University of California, San Francisco pain relief specialist, gently guides Jessica Greenfield to acupressure points on her son's foot and leg that have helped relieve his chronic pain.

Pain Rescue Team Helps Seriously Ill Kids Cope In Terrible Times

12:41pm August 05, 2019

by Alison Kodjak

An interdisciplinary team in San Francisco uses acupressure, massage, counseling and other methods, as well as medicine, to help kids get relief from chronic pain. But such pediatric centers are rare.

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Trust In Scientists Is Rising, Poll Finds

4:22pm August 02, 2019

by Richard Harris

The proportion of people who say they have a "great deal" of confidence in scientists to act in the public interest increased from 21% in 2016 to 35% in 2019, according to the Pew Research Center.

Montreal bagels sprinkled with sesame. New findings suggest allergies to sesame are comparably prevalent as those to some tree nuts. The findings come as the FDA weighs whether to require sesame to be listed as an allergen on food labels.

Sesame Allergies Are Likely More Widespread Than Previously Thought

1:34pm August 02, 2019

by Susie Neilson

New research suggests allergies to sesame are comparably prevalent as those to some tree nuts. The findings come as the FDA weighs whether to require sesame to be listed as an allergen on food labels.

The sex that a turtle develops into is determined by the temperature that an embryo experiences when it's inside the egg.

Science

Turtle Embryos May Play A Role In Whether They Become Male Or Female

1:02pm August 01, 2019

by Merrit Kennedy

In many turtle species, sex is determined by temperature in the egg. That makes turtles particularly vulnerable to climate change. But scientists say the animals may have a way to shield themselves.

Actual scientific research on beards is, regrettably, scant. However, researchers now know how beards are perceived by one important group of people: children.

Kids See Bearded Men As Strong — But Unattractive, Study Finds

9:26pm July 30, 2019

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

New research shows that young children have a negative reaction to beards, but that changes as they get older. Children with bearded fathers did feel more warmly toward facial hair.

Airway-irritating acetals seem to form in some types of vape juice even without heat, researchers find — likely a reaction between the alcohol and aldehydes in the liquid.

Irritating Compounds Can Show Up In 'Vape Juice'

4:42pm July 30, 2019

by Susie Neilson

Among the possibly harmful compounds are "acetals," which form when some ingredients combine on the shelf, researchers say, and can inflame airways when inhaled.