
Vatican Calls Off Stem-Cell Conference
A Monsignor and Officer for Studies at the Pontifical Academy for Life called the cancellation a "sad event." Attendees are set to receive an official explanation

Vatican Calls Off Stem-Cell Conference
A Monsignor and Officer for Studies at the Pontifical Academy for Life called the cancellation a "sad event." Attendees are set to receive an official explanation

Buzz Kill: Self-Dissolving Tinnitus Treatment Gives New Hope
The Pentagon searches for technology to treat tinnitus, characterized by a persistent ringing in the ears and suffered by one in 10 U.S. adults and 40 percent of all veterans


April 2012 Briefing Memo

Biologist Resurrects Prehistoric Proteins
Joe Thornton brings to life proteins that have been extinct for hundreds of millions of years, rebutting intelligent design with his findings

Mouse 'Avatars' Could Aid in Pancreatic Cancer Therapy
Personalized mouse models may lead to tailored and more effective drug treatments for patients

Snowflake Growth Successfully Modeled from Physical Laws
Mathematicians have re-created the intricate patterns of ice formation, a breakthrough that could lead to new models of red blood cells, soap bubbles and other surfaces that evolve over time

New Gels Heal Themselves--and Maybe You
Self-healing hydrogels may find uses in industry, including better plastics, as well as in medicine, such as the treatment of stomach perforations and ulcers. Sophie Bushwick reports

Treatment Allows Drug-Free Transplant Patients to Elude Graft-versus-Host Disease
Bone-marrow transfers prior to organ transplants could end the need for lifelong immunosuppression

How Depressed Is That Mouse?
Robin Henig explains how scientists determine if a laboratory rodent is classified as depressed in the search for new, improved antidepressants

Search for Faster, Better Antidepressants Makes Progress
Existing antidepressants leave a lot to be desired. They can take weeks to start working, and they fail many people. Researchers are scouting for better options

How Hospital Gardens Help Patients Heal
Hospital gardens turn out to have medical benefits

Mood Drug Can Both Cause and Relieve Anxiety
Hormone's opposite effects underscore the complexities of mood disorders