New Atlas

Biology Audio available

New study suggests humans and Neanderthals split off earlier than we thought

Michael Irving May 16, 2019

It’s not known exactly when humans and Neanderthals split off from their last common ancestor, but the estimated window is very wide, between 300,000 and 800,000 years ago. Now a new study has found evidence that this split took place towards the earlier end of that range, or even longer ago still.

New research suggests humans and Neanderthals split off from their last common ancestor earlier than we ...

Health & Wellbeing

Video game may provide an earlier-than-ever indication of Alzheimer's

Ben Coxworth April 24, 2019

Alzheimer's disease is typically first noticed in the form of memory problems, although the condition is typically quite advanced by that stage. In order to catch it earlier, scientists have developed a video game that assesses players' spatial navigation skills.

Sea Hero Quest has already been played by over 4.3 million people worldwide

Biology Audio available

Genetic mutation allows Scottish woman to resist pain and heal faster

Michael Irving March 28, 2019

A woman in Scotland has been found to have a previously-unknown genetic mutation that makes her almost completely immune to pain. Her wounds heal faster and she seems to have less anxiety and fear. Geneticists are now studying the genes responsible to uncover new potential treatments for pain relief

A new genetic study has identified gene mutations that appear to allow a Scottish woman to ...

Biology

Tiny kicks and punches in the womb help babies understand their new bodies

Anthony Wood November 30, 2018

Researchers measuring the brainwaves of newborn babies have discovered that a baby’s kicks are likely a way for the infant to map and begin to understand its body. The study could help doctors develop better techniques for looking after premature babies.

Nineteen newborns were analyzed in the study

Health & Wellbeing

Turmeric eye drops could spice up glaucoma treatment

Ben Coxworth July 25, 2018

Although glaucoma causes blindness by destroying retinal cells, research has shown that orally-ingested curcumin – a chemical derived from the spice turmeric – can help keep that from happening. Now, scientists are stating that newly-developed curcumin eye drops could be even more effective.

Turmeric contains a chemical known as curcumin, which has been shown to reduce glaucoma-related retinal cell ...

Science

World's oldest bread is over 14,000 years old and predates farming

Michael Irving July 16, 2018

Archaeologists have discovered the oldest direct evidence of bread ever found, dating back over 14,000 years. It predates farming, leading researchers to suggest that the realization that cereals can be cultivated might have helped humans transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture.

An archaeological site in Jordan, where traces of the oldest bread were found in the 14,400-year ...

Science

DNA analysis of Cheddar Man reveals early Brits had darker skin

Nick Lavars February 8, 2018

Groundbreaking DNA research has shone new light on the early origins of Britain's early settlers, reconstructing in unprecedented detail the face of Cheddar Man, the nation's oldest near-complete skeleton, revealing that he had much darker features than was previously assumed.

Reconstruction of Cheddar Man, so named for his discovery in Somerset's Cheddar Gorge in 1903

Biology

Unique genetic mutation found in family that doesn't feel pain

Michael Irving December 14, 2017

For people suffering from chronic pain conditions, conventional painkillers often aren’t effective. Now, a new hope for relief might have been found in the strange case of an Italian family, who all have a genetic mutation that makes them feel almost no pain at all.

Scientists have isolated a genetic mutation that appears to render an Italian family unable to feel ...

Science

Super-sensitive scale weighs individual cells

Ben Coxworth October 27, 2017

How much does one living cell weigh, and how does that weight vary in real time? A newly-developed scale will let you know. Developed by researchers from ETH Zurich, the University of Basel and University College London, it's reportedly the first-ever device to be capable of such measurements.

A human cell, ready to be weighed by the device

Biology

Meet Beelzebufo, the dinosaur-eating "devil toad"

Michael Irving September 21, 2017

The beach ball-sized Beelzebufo (devil toad) lived 68 million years ago, and a new study suggests it may have dined on dinosaurs. By measuring the bite force of its living relatives, researchers were able to scale up their findings to estimate the jaw strength of the extinct big-mouthed behemoths.