All Stories by Christen Brownlee
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Inherit the Warmer Wind
The genetic makeup of organisms ranging from fruit flies to birds appears to be changing in response to global warming.
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Toxin Buster: New technique makes cottonseeds edible
Scientists have engineered cotton plants that produce seeds missing a toxic compound that had previously made them inedible.
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Low body heat lengthens mouse lives
Mice genetically engineered to have slightly lower-than-normal body temperatures lived significantly longer than mice with normal body temperatures.
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Jet lag might hasten death in elderly
Mimicking jet lag in old mice brought on an early death in the animals.
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Derailing a Disease: Stem cells slow dogs’ muscular dystrophy
Injecting a special type of stem cell into dogs with the canine equivalent of Duchenne muscular dystrophy significantly slowed the disease's progression.
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Hot, Hot, Hot: Peppers and spiders reach same pain receptor
The burn of hot peppers and the searing pain of a spider bite could have a common cause.
- Health & Medicine
L’Chaim: Wine compound lengthens mouse lives
A constituent of red wine appears to increase the life spans and boost the well-being of mice that haven't followed the healthiest of lifestyles.
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Mom’s caffeine harms pups’ brain cells
Rats born to mothers who drank caffeinated beverages throughout their pregnancies had abnormal brain-cell function.
- Health & Medicine
Insulin can protect diabetic brains
Staying on top of diabetes treatments may prevent some of the brain atrophy and cognitive deficits that typically accompany the disease.
- Health & Medicine
Pain follows cycle
Estrogen fluctuations during a woman's menstrual cycle may change her perception of pain.
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Nicotine during rat youth primes brain for harder drugs
The addictive ingredient in those cigarettes in the schoolyard could prep the brain for reliance on illicit drugs.
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Trimming Down Cancer: Fat could hinder body’s fight against disease
Fatty tissue may secrete substances that make it harder for the body to battle cancer.
