Health & Medicine
- Humans
Bush meat can be a viral feast
Monkeys and apes are considered edible game in many parts of Africa. As Africans have emigrated to other parts of the world, some have retained their love of this so-called bushmeat. A new study now finds that even when smoked, meat from nonhuman primates — from chimps to monkeys — can host potentially dangerous viruses. Smuggled imports confiscated at U.S. airports provided the samples tested in this investigation.
By Janet Raloff - Health & Medicine
Study tracks booze’s buzz in the brain
In both heavy and light drinkers, alcohol causes the release of morphinelike chemicals.
- Health & Medicine
Light pot smoking easy on lungs
Infrequent marijuana users show a slight improvement in breathing capacity and middling smokers had no change, a 20-year study shows.
By Nathan Seppa - Psychology
Europeans’ heartfelt ignorance
Many people in nine countries don't know how to recognize or react to heart attacks and strokes.
By Bruce Bower - Health & Medicine
Drug gives rats booze-guzzling superpowers
Rodents that consume alcohol along with a compound derived from an ancient herbal remedy get less drunk, recover faster and appear less prone to addiction.
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- Life
Staggered lessons may work better
Training at irregular intervals improves learning in sea snails.
- Humans
Network analysis predicts drug side effects
A computer technique can foresee adverse events before medications are widely prescribed.
- Humans
Researchers, journals asked to censor data
Scientists undertake research to advance knowledge. Normally, one aspect of that advancement is to find as broad an audience for the newly acquired data as possible. But what happens if medically important data could be put to ruthless purposes? That question underlies the ruckus developing over two new bird flu papers.
By Janet Raloff - Health & Medicine
Gene therapy helps counter hemophilia B
Treatment enables cells to produce a key blood-clotting compound, allowing some patients to quit medication.
By Nathan Seppa -
- Health & Medicine
Bedbugs not averse to inbreeding
The pests have also developed ways to resist common insecticides, research shows.
By Nathan Seppa