Medicine: Snuffed Sniffles

Is a cold remedy in sight?

Finding a cure for the common cold has been an elusive goal for generations. The reason: there are more than 100 different types of rhinoviruses, the culprits responsible for about half of all colds. Now scientists may have the key to warding off the sniffles. Reporting in the journal Cell last week, two separate research teams announced the discovery of a cell molecule to which rhinoviruses attach themselves. When the cold viruses bind to the molecule, known as the ICAM-1 receptor, they infect the cell.

The discovery means that synthetic copies of the molecule might one day be made into a...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!