Surprisingly, humans recognize joyful screams faster than fearful screams

Screams of joy appear to be easier for our brains to comprehend than screams of fear, a new study suggests. The results add a surprising new layer to  scientists’ long-held…

DNA from mysterious Asian mummies reveals their surprising ancestry

Mystery mummies from Central Asia have a surprising ancestry. These people, who displayed facial characteristics suggesting a European heritage, belonged to a local population with ancient Asian roots, a new…

Lidar reveals a possible blueprint for many Olmec and Maya ceremonial sites

An unexpected architectural tradition linked many Olmec and Maya societies of Mesoamerica, an ancient cultural area that ran from central Mexico to Central America. Starting as early as around 3,400…

More than 5 million children have lost a parent or caregiver to COVID-19

An estimated 5.2 million children worldwide have lost a parent or caregiver to COVID-19. The tally covers the beginning of the pandemic through October 2021, during which there were about…

A chain mail–like armor may shield C. difficile from some antibiotics

Chain mail–like armor may help keep one superbug safe from bacteria-killing medicines. Clostridioides difficile bacteria are notorious for taking over the guts of people who have taken antibiotics to treat…

Nudge theory’s popularity may block insights into improving society

Imagine removing a branch of the U.S. government, say the Supreme Court. What are the myriad ways that such an upheaval might reshape people’s lives? Policy makers and researchers probably…

An anime convention in November was not an omicron superspreader event

A large anime fan convention held in New York City last November was not an omicron superspreading event despite cases of the highly contagious variant linked to the gathering, researchers…

An anime convention in November was not an omicron superspreader event

A large anime fan convention held in New York City last November was not an omicron superspreading event despite cases of the highly contagious variant linked to the gathering, researchers…

The COVID-19 pandemic is not an on-off switch

During the winter surge of COVID-19, it felt like the coronavirus was everywhere. Colder weather pushed people inside where the virus can linger in the air, and the surge-dominating omicron…

Nudge theory’s popularity may block insights into improving society

Imagine removing a branch of the U.S. government, say the Supreme Court. What are the myriad ways that such an upheaval might reshape people’s lives? Policy makers and researchers probably…