Tracking touch-the-ground running. Raleigh News and Observer, November 7, 2011. Some argue that running barefoot – or close to it – improves form and reduces injury. Could they be right?
Category Archives: medicine
Microbe-managing your life
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Microbe-managing your life. Raleigh News and Observer, September 19, 2011. Can gut parasites be good for you? It may sound far-fetched. But for those with off-kilter immune systems, scientists are finding hope in some unlikely allies.
Eat your fruit; it’s good for you
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Eat your fruit; it’s good for you. Raleigh News and Observer, May 16, 2011. Plant scientist Mary Ann Lila hopes to pinpoint the natural compounds in blueberries and other fruits that explain their medicinal powers.
To age is primate
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To age is primate. Duke Today, March 10, 2011. For a long time scientists thought that humans aged more slowly than other animals, especially given our relatively long life spans and access to modern medicine. But now, the first-ever comparison of human aging patterns with those in chimps and other primates suggests the pace of human aging may not be so unique after all. Picked up by Discovery News, US News & World Report, ABC News, MSNBC, Science Magazine, USA Today, CBS News, and NPR’s Science Friday.
The worms within
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The worms within. Scientific American Guest Blog, December 17, 2010. Some of the worms and germs we’ve been warding off may actually keep us well. One solution, some scientists say, is to welcome them back.
Thriving in thin air
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Scientists uncover the genetic secrets that allow Tibetans to thrive in thin air. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, June 7, 2010. A new study pinpoints the genetic changes that enable Tibetans to thrive at altitudes where others get sick. Picked up by Discovery News, Irish Times, and the New York Times.
Scientists flag possible risks from soy formula
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Scientists flag possible risks from soy formula. Charlotte Observer, April 26, 2010. Soy formula has been used for decades as an alternative to milk formula for children who are lactose intolerant or whose families wish to maintain a vegan diet. In recent years, however, studies in laboratory animals have raised concerns about the safety of soy.
Are humans still evolving? Absolutely.
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Are humans still evolving? Absolutely, says a new analysis of a long-term study of human health. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, October 19, 2009. Although advances in medical care have improved standards of living over time, humans aren’t entirely sheltered from the forces of natural selection, a new study shows. Picked up by the Boston Globe, TIME, Science Magazine, NPR’s Science Friday, New Scientist, and Telegraph.