News
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Single gene turns flu deadly
Variations in a single gene may have dramatically increased the virulence of 1918 Spanish flu.
- Chemistry
Branching polymer could heal cataract wounds
Cataract surgery might get a little easier, thanks to a transparent gel that seals surgical incisions in the eye better than standard sutures do.
- Anthropology
Chimps show skill in termite fishing
Video cameras set up in a central-African forest have recorded the sophisticated ways in which local chimpanzees catch termites for eating.
By Bruce Bower - Materials Science
Reversible gel restores artwork
To help conservationists restore paintings to their original glory without damaging the original paint, chemists have developed a cleaning product that switches from a liquid to a gel.
- Health & Medicine
Nitric oxide may benefit damaged hearts
A small study in mice suggests that inhaling nitric oxide may protect against tissue damage after a heart attack.
- Health & Medicine
Teasing out tea’s heart-healthy effect
Drinking black tea makes a person's blood vessels dilate more easily, which may explain why drinking tea can protect against heart disease.
- Health & Medicine
Big meals boost heart attack risk
Unusually heavy meals boost a person's chance of developing a heart attack, at least among those people who already have risk factors for heart disease.
- Health & Medicine
It’s that time. . .for heart attacks?
A small study of young women already at high risk of having a heart attack suggests that heart attacks are most frequent when estrogen levels are low, soon after a woman's period begins.
- Health & Medicine
New role for cholesterol-lowering drugs
Drugs that lower cholesterol benefit patients who have just had a heart attack or chest pains, regardless of the patient's initial cholesterol levels.
- Health & Medicine
Does vitamin A aid learning?
A lack of Vitamin A may cause learning and memory problems, albeit potentially reversible ones.
By John Travis - Health & Medicine
Old antibiotic takes on Alzheimer’s
An antibiotic that binds copper and zinc may prevent brain deposits that cause Alzheimer's disease.
By John Travis - Health & Medicine
Pesticide tied to Parkinson’s disease
Rodents exposed to massive amounts of the pesticide rotenone develop a condition similar to Parkinson's disease.
By John Travis