As with any other year, 2024 saw its fair share of good and bad stories. But we pride ourselves at DW Science on bringing you a constructive take on developments, whether it’s in health and medicine, psychology or archeology.
We’ve seen major leaps in , neuroscience, and in the fight against .
Here’s our nine most read stories, starting at the top:
1. ADHD: Did the condition help our ancestors survive?
Commonly called a disorder, ADHD may have helped our ancestors find food and survive. DW reporter that asked participants to pick berries and led to the conclusion that the more ADHD symptoms a person had, the more berries they collected. Read the article to find out how that helped early hunter-gatherers and today’s understanding of ADHD.
2. Nova explosion without a telescope
September’s nova explosion of T Coronae Borealis — 3,000 light years from Earth — promised to be a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event. A nova explosion is the dramatic instance of a star exploding as it interacts with another, nearby star. If you missed the event, to find out more. And if you’re short on time, watch our resident physicist Sushmitha Ramakrishnan explain the “Blaze Star” phenomenon on TikTok.
3. The hymen uncovered
Is an intact hymen a sign of virginity in women? No — that’s a myth that’s caused harm to young women all over the world. creator, Lea Albrecht, explained how hymens come in different shapes and why it’s impossible to tell whether a woman is a virgin by examining it.
4. Seismic shift: Yes, India is disappearing!
The idea that one country could edge under another may seem strange at first, but in the case of India and China, it has, in fact, been happening for the past 50 million years. in November. And it’s fascinating when you think that the two most populous countries on Earth are in a “tug of war” which neither can control.
5. How the German cockroach conquered the world
Germany claims to have given the world a number of things, from X-ray vision to the no-speed-limit-autobahn. But the humble cockroach? Alexander Freund wrote in May that and the DNA of 281 cockroaches from 17 countries on five continents to discover the truth.
6. The eye of the… spider!
Our weekly Science show, from viewers, and this one was especially popular: How did spider eyes evolve? As Cornelia Borrmann explained in this wonderful video, the development of spider eyes is controlled by the same genes as in other animals.
7. The ongoing threat of mpox
In August, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency. A new version of the mpox virus had emerged in Central Africa and was spreading among children and adults in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and neighboring countries. — there’s a vaccine for it, but it’s often unavailable where it’s needed most.
8. ‘Promise’ of a cocaine vaccine?
On the face of it, the idea of using a drug to mitigate the effects of another drug is about as weird as reading that India is edging under China (see above) — couldn’t you could just stop taking the drug you’re trying to mitigate? Easier said than done, when the drug is highly addictive, like cocaine. Aline Spantig explained why cocaine is so addictive and why researchers in Brazil were was a good way to get people off the drug.
9. New research aims to help people with dyslexia
Dyslexia has little to say about a person’s intellect or creativity — many famous intellects and creatives have had dyslexia: Albert Einstein, Ludwig van Beethoven, Agatha Christie, Whoopi Goldberg… the list goes on. That said, scientists are still trying to work out what exactly causes it. In 2024, Alexander Freund wrote that new research showed for the first time how , a brain region important for emotion, memory, and language among other things. The findings may help develop better treatment and support.
We hope you enjoyed our stories in 2024 and that you’ll join us again in 2025. Remember you can always send us a comment, or ask us to answer your questions about science, health and technology. We look forward to hearing from you!
Edited by: Fred Schwaller
The post 2024’s most read science, sex and health stories appeared first on Deutsche Welle.
