A widely used COVID-19 drug may be driving the appearance of new SARS-CoV-2 variants, sparking concerns it could prolong and even reinvigorate the pandemic. The drug, molnupiravir, produced by Merck & Co., is designed to kill the virus by inducing mutations in the viral genome. A survey of viral genomes reported in a new preprint, however, suggests some people treated with the drug...
On the muddy shores of a lake in east-central Germany, Neanderthals gathered some 125,000 years ago to butcher massive elephants. With sharp stone tools, they harvested up to 4 tons of flesh from each animal, according to a new study that is casting these ancient human relatives in a new light. The degree of organization required to carry out the butchery—and the sheer quantity of food...
For the ancient Egyptians, mummification was a spiritual process imbued with deep meaning. Ancient texts show it took 70 days, with carefully defined rituals and invocations, to prepare the deceased for an eternal afterlife. It also required specialized skills, long lists of ingredients, and a professional class of embalmers steeped in religious and chemical knowledge. But what...
Last month’s announcement of the discovery of 92 titanosaur nests —along with 256 eggs the size of volleyballs—in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh was another reminder of the country’s vast geological and paleontological riches. But a draft bill slated to be sent to the Indian Parliament soon has researchers worried about future access to such treasures,...
Debate a friend about vaccines, politics, or even who’ll win the Super Bowl this year, and it rarely ends well. Each of you is so entrenched in your positions—and so sure of your convictions—that the most likely outcome is an argument. But what if both of you reflected on your values before you started bickering—how much you treasure loyalty or equality, for example?...