Vaccines
COVID Vaccines Show No Signs of Harming Fertility or Sexual Function
The novel coronavirus, in contrast, can disrupt both things in unvaccinated men and women
Stories by Emily Willingham
Epidemiology
Masks Are a Must-Have to Go Back to School during the Delta Variant Surge
Face coverings are essential to protecting children, keeping schools open and slowing the highly contagious coronavirus variant, experts say
Public Health
‘Breakthrough’ Infections Do Not Mean COVID Vaccines Are Failing
Getting flu again postinoculation is more common than a return case after a COVID shot
Neuroscience
New Brain Implant Transmits Full Words from Neural Signals
No spelling out of letters is needed for a paralyzed person to use the first-of-a-kind neuroprosthesis
Biology
Why Scientists Tweak Lab Viruses to Make Them More Contagious
Some “gain of function” studies explore how a dangerous pathogen might cross species barriers to start an outbreak. They are not without controversy
Physiology
Humans Could Live up to 150 Years, New Research Suggests
A study counts blood cells and footsteps to predict a hard limit to our longevity
Evolution
Genes Linked to Self-Awareness in Modern Humans Were Less Common in Neandertals
Brain networks for memory and planning may have set us apart from Neandertals—and chimps
Behavior
A Smile at a Wedding and a Cheer at a Soccer Game Are Alike the World Over
A survey of six million videos from 144 countries suggests facial expressions are nearly universal
Evolution
When Same-Sex Mating Makes Reproductive Sense
Under the right circumstances, indiscriminate mating with both males and females can enhance animals’ evolutionary success
Behavior
In the Early Americas, Female Hunters Pursued Big Game, Study Suggests
Millennia-old burial sites show equal-opportunity hunting roles might have been commonplace
Behavior
Mountain Peaks Seem to Shape Personality Traits in the American West
Topography may contribute to the formation of regional temperament
Biology
Cells Solve an English Hedge Maze with the Same Skills They Use to Traverse the Body
A study reveals the Pac-Man-like strategies adopted by different cell types when making long journeys through an organism
Behavior
Penis Size Has Nothing to Do with Masculinity
Mocking men who tote big guns or drive fast cars as “compensating” for their presumably inadequate endowment is sexist and toxic
Neuroscience
Neural Switch Flips on Aggression in Male Mice
A separate set of cells in the same region regulate sexual behavior
Public Health
Genes May Influence COVID-19 Risk, New Studies Hint
DNA changes tied to immune reactions, a viral doorway and blood type could affect disease severity
Behavior
The Condoms of the Face: Why Some Men Refuse to Wear Masks
It’s not the first time masculine ideology has driven resistance to a public health initiative
Biotech
Snorkeling Mask Apparatus Might Help COVID-19 Patients Avoid Intubation
The jury-rigged breathing aid, invented to deal with ventilator shortages, is now being tested as a kinder, gentler alternative to a tube in the trachea
Evolution
Ability to Take on Diverse Roles May Be Key to Which Animals Survive Mass Extinction
An analysis spanning geologic history found that species able to occupy different ecological niches have a survival edge
Evolution
Missing Link Found for How Modern Humans Evolved Friendly Faces
A genetic condition helps uncover how modern human mugs came to differ from those of Neandertals
Chemistry
Key Photosynthesis Complex Viewed in Spinach
Findings fuel hopes for improved food-crop efficiency
