All Stories by Diana Parsell
- Health & Medicine
Palm-Nut Problem
The ancient custom of chewing areca nuts is getting more popular as young Asians take up the habit, but betel-nut chewing has been linked to several types of oral cancer.
- Anthropology
Remnants of the Past
Sophisticated analyses suggest that some prehistoric peoples were highly skilled weavers.
- Health & Medicine
Saturated Fat Shows Unexpected Benefit
In a study of menopausal women, those who consumed higher amounts of saturated fats over 3 years had less plaque buildup in their arteries.
- Health & Medicine
Heavy traffic may trigger heart attacks
Exposure to traffic can dramatically increase a person's risk of having a heart attack soon afterward.
- Health & Medicine
Vegetable Soup Fights Cell Damage
A study in which volunteers ate vegetable soup every day for two weeks points to benefits of vitamin C beyond its role as an antioxidant.
- Health & Medicine
Assault on Autism
A shift in scientific thinking about what causes autism is prompting a closer look at potential environmental factors.
- Health & Medicine
Nicotine’s Good Side: Substance curbs sepsis in mice
Nicotine halted the progression of severe sepsis in mice, suggesting a new avenue for treating this acute blood infection.
- Health & Medicine
Fat Fuels PCB Damage: Diet influences toxic effects leading to heart disease
Certain types of dietary fats can magnify PCB damage to artery cells in a way that sets the stage for cardiovascular disease.
- Health & Medicine
Sleep on It: Fitful slumber tied to diabetes risk
Disturbed slumber, or sleep apnea, appears to make people more susceptible to certain conditions that lead to diabetes.
- Health & Medicine
Motor Ways: Gene mutation impairs muscle coordination
Scientists have identified a gene mutation that appears to cause the motor impairment that occurs in a rare disorder called Joubert syndrome.
- Earth
Compost reduces landfill gas
Field tests suggest that covering solid waste with compost instead of conventional soil could reduce methane-gas emissions from landfills.
- Health & Medicine
Scanning Risk: Whole-body CT exams may increase cancer
Adults who routinely get whole-body CT scans without medical cause are exposing themselves to doses of radiation that may increase their risk of dying from cancer.
