The World Has A New Largest-Known Prime Number
The Mersenne prime was discovered by a computer in Ocala, Fla., on Dec. 7. Mathematicians have spent the past two weeks verifying the calculations.
Research News
Scientists Find A Brain Circuit That Could Explain Seasonal Depression
Research suggests the winter blues are triggered by specialized light-sensing cells in the retina that communicate directly with brain areas involved in mood.
Why Aren't More Users Of Opioids Or Meth Screened For Hepatitis C?
As the number of people who inject drugs and share needles has soared, the rate of infection with hep C has climbed, too. Yet many drug treatment patients aren't tested for the liver-damaging virus.
Surgeon General Warns Youth Vaping Is Now An 'Epidemic'
U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams issued a forceful advisory about vaping by U.S. teenagers, saying electronic cigarette use among young people has reached levels that require urgent action.
Medical Detectives: The Last Hope For Families Coping With Rare Diseases
When Nikki and Danny Miller's two young sons developed strange symptoms, they began searching for a diagnosis. Their odyssey ended when a team of medical sleuths solved the case.
Scientists Say Gene-Edited Babies Claim Is 'Wake-Up Call' For World
U.S. National Academy of Medicine, U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and Chinese Academy of Sciences call for international gene-editing standards. Critics blast statement as inadequate.
Fentanyl Surpasses Heroin As Drug Most Often Involved In Deadly Overdoses
When fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine, infiltrated the drug supply in the U.S. it had an immediate, dramatic effect on the overdose rate.
Arctic Report Card Documents 'Cascading Effects' Of Warming Ocean Temperatures
The U.S. government says warming ocean temperatures and melting ice have resulted in the "most unprecedented transition in history" in the Arctic, leading to extreme weather events across the globe.
Mystery Blast Sank The USS San Diego in 1918. New Report Reveals What Happened
A team of researchers had been trying to determine whether the armored cruiser was lost to sabotage, an accident or an attack.
Local Newspaper Closures Come With Hefty Price Tag For Residents
Hundreds of newspapers have closed across the country. The loss of local reporting means fewer investigations into fraud and waste. That has had an impact on the budgets of cities and towns.