Daily Human Digest
Every day, the staff of the Genetic Literacy Project scours the Web for stories on a range of human genetics issues, including gene editing, regulations and bioethics, gene therapy, epigenetics, personal genomics, evolution, ancestry and artificial intelligence. We publish excerpts of those stories and encourage our readers to visit the original publications for the complete stories.
Did Neanderthals create art? Engraved bone raises questions about human ancestor creativity
Examples of artistic expression in the archaeological record that reshape what we know about the cognitive abilities of Neanderthals ...
Video: Why does love make us feel so good? Examining its effect on our brains
Hop in the car to meet your lover for dinner and a flood of dopamine—the same hormone underlying cravings for ...
‘Deleting Darwinism’: Influential Indian nationalist calls for rejection of evolution, turns towards Hindu creationism
Magazine Organiser carried article arguing in favour of the ‘logic of deleting Darwinism’ and ‘Intelligent Design' ...
Four out of five people with autoimmune diseases are women. We finally know why
It's estimated that four of every five people who have an autoimmune disease are women. For some disorders the ratio ...
Video: Teaching AI to learn language like a human child to advance understanding of human development
Researchers have been skeptical that recent AI advances can tell us much about human learning and development ...
Does cannabis cause brain damage?
Just as vodka packs more of a punch than beer, a high-potency toke of cannabis — the name for the ...
Scientific paper raising health concerns about abortion pill mifepristone safety has been retracted, author links found to anti-abortion lobbying group
Supreme Court will hear the case against the abortion pill on 3/26: A two-drug regimen with misoprostol for abortions in ...
Looking back at ancient Greek and Roman aging experiences to understand origins of Alzheimer’s
Medical texts from 2,500 years ago suggesting today’s widespread dementia stems from modern environments and lifestyles ...
Death and dying: In our lawsuit-laden society, here’s why we need a more precise definition
UDDA, the U.S. legal standard for death, has deficiencies, particularly with the description of death by neurologic criteria ...
Are frozen embryos children? Alabama high court thinks so
The Alabama Supreme Court ruled February 16 that frozen embryos are people and someone can be held liable for destroying ...
‘Heart on a chip’ helps scientists assess cancer therapy cardiac risks
Chemotherapy can be toxic to heart cells. To help protect the hearts of cancer patients, Cedars-Sinai investigators have created a ...
Science of suggestion: Why are some people more susceptible to hypnosis than others?
Hypnotherapy is used to provide therapeutic remedies but many still consider it more of a cheap magician’s trick than clinical ...
Battling skin diseases: Biotech-based skincare products aim to shut down genes responsible for unwanted inflammation and itchiness
A new biotech company that aims to harness the immune system to treat a range of skin diseases will launch ...
Is technology-driven ‘exponential change’ overwhelming humanity’s genetically-inherited ability to adapt?
Human civilization has always survived periods of change. Will our rapidly evolving technological era be an exception to the rule? ...
Precision medicine timeline: ‘Floodgates might be opening for a generalized cure of most genetic diseases in less than one generation’
The ultimate goal of medicine: Instead of drugs acting on multiple parts of the body precision therapies target only one ...
High-fat, low-carb keto diets reportedly help patients manage their mental illnesses
Around a dozen clinical trials are in the works, testing the low carb, high fat ketogenic diet's effect on mental ...
What do high-altitude Andean communities and deep-sea fish have in common? Genetic mutations that aid survival in low-oxygen environments
Researchers discovered an example of convergent evolution in the Peruvian and Tibetan highlander communities ...
A blood test test can detect cancers well before symptoms show up. Don’t expect private insurers or the government to cover costs anytime soon
Many companies are developing blood tests that can detect cancer signals before symptoms occur, and Grail’s is the most advanced ...
Are our genes the template for life? The reality is a lot more complicated
Biology is often presented to the public is oversimplified and out of date. Scientists must set the record straight, argues ...
Viagra and its erectile-dysfunction-treating siblings might provide side benefit — lowering risk of dementia
Men who take drugs for erectile dysfunction, such as Viagra, may reduce their risk of Alzheimer's disease, a study suggests ...
New malaria vaccines may not be the panacea drugs people are hoping for. Here’s why
New vaccine to eradicate malaria: The vaccine may well help reduce deaths, but we should not exaggerate its efficacy ...
Pinning down our ‘great leap forward’: When did ancient humans start to act behaviorally modern?
How are we different from ancient humans? Since our species first appeared, we’ve been on a wild ride from the ...
Understanding how calorie restriction improves health and increases human lifespan
Recent research reveals a significant discovery about dietary restriction and its impact on brain health and aging ...
Viewpoint: Acupuncture pseudoscience — Debunking Washington Post’s tiresome promotion of ‘legalized quackery’
Acupuncturists claim to treat many conditions, but they especially like to claim that they can treat chronic pain, for a ...
100,000 Americans are waiting for transplants. Could pig-grown organs close this gap?
The need for more transplant organs is immense and some scientists think animal organs might be a good way to ...
How did human ancestors go from walking on all fours to standing on two legs? Ancient eardrum fossils illuminate the likely evolutionary path
How did humans learn to walk? The inner ear of a 6-million-year-old fossil ape reveals clues about the evolution of ...
Who should take an obesity drug? A new genetic test class to identify patients most likely to benefit
Homing in on obesity's genetic underpinnings through precision medicine may represent a more cost-effective way of tackling weight loss ...
