Stories by Amber Dance

From meditation to smiling, researchers take a second look at studies claiming to reveal what makes us happy

Researchers say they have discovered unique and exciting DNA strands in the mud; others are not sure of their novelty

Antibiotics abound, but virus-fighting drugs are harder to come by. Fortunately, scientists are getting better at making and finding them

An experimental gene treatment aboard the International Space Station demonstrates how rodents—and humans—might stay buff beyond Earth

It comes in many types that each require specialized treatment, and scientists are learning to diagnose different varieties

Everything from bacon consumption to kidney function can skew cannabidiol dosing

After decades of assuming that pain processing is equivalent in all sexes, scientists are finding that different biological pathways can produce an “ouch!”

Many animals once thought to have poor sight in low light use tricks in their nervous systems to see brilliantly in the dark

For self-driving cars, Toyota tries cameras inspired by creatures with great night vision

Several factors, from geography to group identity, helped this traditional body art endure—even as similar practices were lost in other cultures

How and when our ancestors mastered flames remains a hotly debated question. Researchers are hunting for answers buried in ancient ash and baked soils

Research into aging requires patience, but a small cadre of scientists is angling to speed up answers by developing the flamboyant, short-lived turquoise killifish as a new mode

With innovative tools, connectome scientists are tracing the superhighways and footpaths of the brain

The sale is a protest of plans in President Obama's 2013 budget request to cut 21 percent from NASA's planetary science budget, and 38 percent from its Mars projects

Electroencephalography used to require a person to sit still while a computer tracked the brain's electrical impulses. A newer technology untethers this research

For the past five decades, artificial heart-valve designs have evolved to successfully replace natural valves, which often begin to leak or harden over time