Newsroom Stories

United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions this week made it easier for federal marijuana laws to be enforced in states that had legalized its use, a move that may backfire, says a legal expert at Washington University in St. Louis.

Using satellite imaging and drone reconnaissance, archaeologists from Washington University in St. Louis have discovered an ancient irrigation system that allowed a farming community in northwestern China to raise livestock and cultivate crops in one of the world’s driest desert climates.

Washington University School of Medicine’s Stephen Beverley found that viruses hidden inside the parasite Leishmania worsen disease caused by the parasite. Now, an evolutionary survey of the viruses in related parasites suggests that Leishmania’s viruses may have helped it make the jump from infecting insects to infecting vertebrates.

A 15-year global study of children genetically predisposed to developing Type 1 diabetes found that drinking formula made with cow’s milk did not increase their risk for developing the disease. School of Medicine scientists were among the international team of researchers who conducted the study.

Millions of Asian families use cookstoves and often fuel them with cheap biofuels to prepare food. But the smoke emitted from these cookstoves has a definite, detrimental environmental impact, particularly in India. New research from Washington University in St. Louis offers a clearer picture of the topic’s true scope.

It has been another year of achievement at Washington University in St. Louis. Seniors Jasmine Brown and Camille Borders both were named Rhodes Scholars, graduate Lizzy Christ was named 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year and researchers discovered tomb of a Maya ruler, explored the link between sleep and Alzheimer’s and found that babies are master social statisticians in disguise. Here, The Record shares 2017’s most-read stories in The Source.

If your resolution is to be healthier, happier and more fit in the new year, focus first on finding a real purpose in life. People with a higher sense of purpose tend to engage in healthier lifestyle choices and are more likely to feel better about their own health status, according to new research from Washington University in St. Louis.

Chronic poor sleep has been linked to cognitive decline. A new study from the School of Medicine shows that a sleepless night causes levels of the Alzheimer’s protein amyloid beta to rise faster than the brain’s waste-disposal system can remove it. Persistently high levels of the protein can set off a cascade of brain changes leading to dementia.

African-American girls with strong racial identity are more likely to be academically curious and persistent in school, according to a recent study from Washington University in St. Louis.

Feeding eggs to infants could provide them with key nutrients for better brains. A Brown School study finds infants who were introduced to eggs beginning at 6 months showed significantly higher blood concentrations of key nutrients.