News by Subject Social & Behavior

Prions can infect both humans and animals, causing Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans, mad cow disease in cattle, and chronic wasting disease in elk and deer. The infectious, misfolded protein particles often go undetected as they destroy brain tissue, causing memory loss, mobility issues, and ultimately death. Preclinical detection of prions has proven difficult, but new research suggests skin samples hold early signs of prion disease that precede neurologic symptoms.

Researchers have tested the sounds made by six different acoustic guitars in a study addressing the effects of the type of wood used in their construction. Some of the woods used for guitar backs are revered by guitar players for their acoustic qualities, and are claimed to be tonally superior to other woods. Unfortunately many of these woods are expensive, rare, and from unsustainable sources.

Following the 2008 discovery of Malapa in the Cradle of Humankind, South Africa by Lee Berger of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, where two of the most complete skeletons of early human ancestors were found, a new hominin species, 'Australopithecus sediba (Au. sediba),' was named. 'PaleoAnthropology' has published a special issue with full descriptions of the hominin fossil material, body size and proportions, and walking mechanics, including 3D animations of 'Au. sediba' walking.

People's love for their local areas could be harnessed to tackle global environmental problems, researchers say.

People with higher incomes and more education tend to have greater access to urban green spaces than their less privileged neighbors, a new University of British Columbia study of parks and greenery in 10 major North American cities has found.