Brian Handwerk

Brian Handwerk is a science correspondent based in Amherst, New Hampshire.

Can you resist the temptation of a midnight snack?

Americans Are Eating Later, and That May Contribute to Weight Troubles

Our bodies didn't evolve to handle midnight pizzas

Microbial clouds give new meaning to the term "personal space."

You Produce a Microbial Cloud That Can Act Like an Invisible Fingerprint

The unique cloud follows you wherever you go—and could ID you in a crowd

Meet Homo naledi, the newest member of the human family tree.

What Makes a Fossil a Member of the Human Family Tree?

The surprising new species Homo naledi raises more questions than answers—for now

Taste science ftw.

Winning Really Does Taste Sweet, Because Emotions Change Taste Perception

A study of hockey fans sampling ice cream may offer clues to the origins of emotional eating disorders

How hard is it to replicate results in psychology studies?

Scientists Replicated 100 Psychology Studies, and Fewer Than Half Got the Same Results

The massive project shows that reproducibility problems plague even top scientific journals

Learning the value of sharing.

Want a Satisfying Sex Life? Try Being a Better Parent

Data suggest that splitting childcare duties often produces happier, more sexually satisfied couples

Sweetgrass, a possible anti-mosquito agent.

This Sweet-Smelling Herb Can Ward Away Mosquitoes

Traditionally used by some Native American peoples, sweetgrass contains chemicals known to repel pesky bugs

Discharge from the Gold King Mine colored Colorado's Animas River a distinct golden hue on August 6.

Why Tens of Thousands of Toxic Mines Litter the U.S. West

The spill in Colorado's Animas River highlights the problem of wastewater building up in abandoned mines

Broccoli is a common foe of finicky young eaters.

Young Picky Eaters May Be More Anxious and Depressed

Picky eating in kids is common but not always harmless—it may be a sign of longer-lasting psychological problems

The small, bright yellow dots are lipid cells within subcutaneous fat tissue, which can be used as natural lasers.

Living Cells Armed With Tiny Lasers May Help Fight Disease

The biological light sources may one day help researchers see deeper into the body's microscopic workings

A veteran visits the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. in 1988.

Over a Quarter-Million Vietnam War Veterans Still Have PTSD

Forty years after the war's end, twice as many vets with combat-related PTSD are getting worse as those who are improving

Brain-to-brain interfaces may soon be a therapeutic technique.

Linking Multiple Minds Could Help Damaged Brains Heal

Monkeys and rats hooked up as "brainets" may lead to innovative treatments for Parkinson's, paralysis and more

Roses mark a window filled with bullet holes after a shooting spree in Denmark.

Shootings and Mass Murders Seem to Be Contagious

Data spanning decades shows how high-profile events can cause outbreaks of similar killings that mirror the spread of disease

People Get Seasonal Depression in the Summer, Too

Millions suffer from SAD in summer as well as winter, and evidence hints that birth season plays a role in who develops the disorder

The nose knows.

Mouse Noses Can Bypass the Brain to Make Females Blind to Males

Hormones direct the nose to signal when potential mates are about—and when to erase their scent

Who's a widdle smarty pants?

The Many Ways Baby Talk Gives Infant Brains a Boost

From a higher vocabulary to mastering mouth motion, the lilting babble seems to play a key role in helping babies process language

Vampire Healing: Young Blood Can Mend Old Broken Bones

It's old blood, not old bones, that makes fracture healing difficult among the elderly

A person looks at profile photos on the messaging app Momo in Shanghai.

Your Online Dating Profile Picture Affects Whether People Trust You

Attractiveness is linked to trust, but the responses are very different between men and women

Veggie Power? Artificial Muscles Made From Blinged-Out Onions

Turning root vegetables into working muscles requires gold, electricity and imagination

An Aedes aegypti mosquito stops for a quick bite.

Genes Make Some People More Attractive to Mosquitoes

Certain body odors appear to entice the pesky bloodsuckers—and those smells may be hereditary

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