Health & Medicine
- Health & Medicine
Neurons take a break during stage 2 sleep
Electrical markers associated with stage 2 sleep indicate downtime for neurons.
- Health & Medicine
Air pollution makes chromosomes look older
Traffic exhaust appears to shorten telomeres, a sign of cellular aging.
By Janet Raloff - Health & Medicine
How Down syndrome works against cancer
A surplus of cancer-suppressing protein encoded by a gene on an extra copy of chromosome 21 may explain in part why people with Down syndrome seldom get cancer.
By Nathan Seppa - Health & Medicine
Undiagnosed diabetes is costly
A new study quantifies the number of Americans who don't realize they have diabetes — and the costs they pay to deal with it.
By Janet Raloff - Health & Medicine
‘Super Size’ diet increases insulin resistance
Scientists study effects of a month-long fast food binge, finding that weight gain and insulin resistance may be related.
- Chemistry
BPA: On the way out? Sort of
Half-hearted bans won't really protect babies, much less the rest of us.
By Janet Raloff - Psychology
School-age lead exposures most harmful to IQ
New studies find lead exposure has greater potency in school-age children than in infants and toddlers, including effects on brain volume.
By Janet Raloff - Health & Medicine
Scorpion venom neutralized
An antivenom drug commonly used in Mexico counteracts poisonous scorpion stings, researchers in Arizona find.
By Nathan Seppa - Life
For blood stem cells, the force is strong
Blood flow boosts production of blood stem cells, two new studies show.
- Chemistry
Nonstick chemical pollutes water at notable levels
Residues of nonstick chemicals — from unknown sources — appear to be approaching concentrations associated with adverse effects in laboratory animals.
By Janet Raloff - Health & Medicine
Toothpicks match needles for acupuncture
Sham acupuncture works as well as the real thing for back pain, a study shows.
By Nathan Seppa - Life
Misread epigenetic signals play role in leukemia
A genetic mistake causes misinterpretation of epigenetic marks, leading to cancer.