Cholera still kills thousands each year – in places without clean water, it’s far from history

Many Americans have heard about cholera only from “The Oregon Trail,” the retro computer game in which players try to get their 1830s pioneers to the Oregon Territory. If your…

What I found when I scanned the brains of kids creating tunes on the piano

Research shows that improvisation and creativity are good for the brain. In an episode of the Greater Good Science Center’s “Science of Happiness” podcast, host Shuka Kalantari talked to Karen…

Hidden underground sanctuary reveals 179 ancient ritual objects

Archaeologists from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have documented 179 pre-Hispanic artefacts inside a previously unknown cave in the municipality of Cintalapa, Chiapas. The discovery was made…

Consistent Daily Routines Reduce Physical Pain and Depression

Summary: A study reveals that maintaining a consistent daily routine can significantly reduce physical pain and ease symptoms of depression, offering a accessible strategy for improving overall quality of life,…

5,000-year-old temple and ritual altars unearthed at Tadım Castle

Archaeologists excavating Tadım Castle and Mound in eastern Türkiye have uncovered a 5,000-year-old temple complex complete with ritual altars and sacred hearths, offering new evidence of religious practices during the…

Cyclosporiasis sickens some people worse – why your diarrhea could be more explosive than others

As you may have seen in news headlines or social media memes, there’s explosive diarrhea going around. Understanding how the immune system responds to the parasite that causes the unfortunate…

US Suicide Rates Undercounted Due to Overdose Misclassification

Summary: A commentary asserts that the United States is significantly undercounting suicide deaths, largely due to systemic misclassification of fatal drug overdoses as accidental or undetermined in intent. The commentary…

How vaccine skeptics use storytelling effectively to create powerful but medically inaccurate messaging

As long as there have been vaccines, there have been people who doubted their science and safety. Back in 19th-century England, people rioted against a mandatory smallpox vaccine, claiming that…

What makes muscles contract? A physiologist explains how muscles move

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to [email protected]. What makes the cells of…

Archaeologists map buried sacred precinct of the Aztec capital

Archaeologists from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have completed the first comprehensive altimetric survey of the area once occupied by the sacred precinct of the Aztec capital,…