Humans

Archaeology

An old perfume bottle reveals what some ancient Romans smelled like

Chemical analyses reveal that an unopened flask of perfume from 2,000 years ago contained patchouli, a common ingredient in modern perfumes.

Anthropology

These ancient flutes may have been used to lure falcons

Seven bird-bone flutes unearthed from a site in northern Israel are about 12,000 years old and may have been used as bird calls.

Health & Medicine

Taurine slows aging in mice. Will it ever work for people?

The amino acid taurine — found in meats, produced by the body and common in energy drinks — may have a role in health and aging, a new study suggests.

Neuroscience

Brain cavities that swell in space may need at least 3 years to recover

MRI scans of astronauts show that duration in space and time between flights affect how much the brain’s fluid-filled cavities expand during missions.

Animals

When and why did masturbation evolve in primates? A new study provides clues

In a first-of-its-kind comparative study, researchers show that primates were masturbating 40 million years ago and that the behavior may help males keep their sperm fresh.

Anthropology

Homo naledi may have dug cave graves and carved marks into cave walls

Proposed discoveries of humanlike activities by these ancient, small-brained hominids have elicited skepticism from some researchers.

Health & Medicine

With tools from Silicon Valley, Quinton Smith builds lab-made organs

Tissues made with 3-D printing and other techniques could offer insights into diseases such as fatty liver disease and preeclampsia.

Humans

Oldest traces of a dysentery-causing parasite were found in ancient toilets

Scientists have found traces of giardia in two toilets used by wealthy residents of Jerusalem in the 7th and 6th century B.C.

Chemistry

19th century painters may have primed their canvases with beer-brewing leftovers

Several paintings from the Danish Golden Age contain remnants of brewer’s yeast, barley and other grains commonly used to brew beer.

Neuroscience

A brain implant helped a man with paralysis walk more naturally

A successful test of a system that restores communication between the brain and spine could ultimately help many people with paralysis.

Tech

Deblina Sarkar is building microscopic machines to enter our brains

The ultratiny devices can communicate wirelessly from inside living cells and may one day help cure brain diseases.

Humans

Race car drivers tend to blink at the same places in each lap

Blinking is thought to occur randomly, but a new study tracking blinks in racing drivers shows it can be predictable — and strategic.