News

  1. Humans

    Small lab animals exempted from law

    The new farm bill explicitly exempts rats, mice, and birds from coverage under the federal Animal Welfare Act.

    By Janet Raloff
  2. Health & Medicine

    Chemical stops allergic reaction in tests

    Researchers have developed a protein that short-circuits allergic reactions in mice and in tissue cultures of human cells.

    By Damaris Christensen
  3. Animals

    Bay leaves may make rat nests nicer

    Wood rats may be fumigating their nests with bits of California bay leaves, sprigs that killed flea larvae in lab tests.

    By Susan Milius
  4. Health & Medicine

    Shuttling medicines via blood cells

    Researchers have developed a way of encapsulating drugs in red blood cells, which can be used to deliver low doses of anti-inflammatory drugs to cystic fibrosis patients.