Orphan. It’s such a lonely word. And when coupled with the word “disease,” it’s downright scary. The truth is I had never heard of the …
Category: Medical Research
Do siestas make you smarter?
I don't know about you, but I've been mourning the loss of afternoon naptime ever since preschool graduation. That is why I was excited to …
Study raises health concerns about non-stick chemical PFOA
A chemical known as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has been linked to an increase in thyroid disease, according to findings recently published in Environmental Health Perspectives. …
Why study evolution?
I worried after my post yesterday that I didn't do enough to explain why we should care about the evolution of the threespine stickleback. As …
Tickled by stickle(backs)
One downside of our office's mandatory winter break is the fact that it's just not possible to give all the cool research coming out around …
The benefits of bubbly
For those of you who recently raised a glass of bubbly in honor of 2009, we wanted to share the following research from the University …
Tarantula venom peptide shows promise as a drug
A team of scientists at the University at Buffalo is working to develop a tarantula venom-based therapy for a range of conditions including muscular dystrophy …
First U.S. heart transplant among the top 50 breakthroughs in science
In honor of its 50th anniversary, the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing is compiling a list of the top 50 discoveries in science, …
Book of beautiful specimens illustrates evolution
Before Darwin was a writer, he was a natural historian and collector aboard a ship launched from England to chart the coast of South America. …
Tick saliva found to protect mice against Lyme disease
A protein found in the saliva of ticks may spur the development of a new Lyme disease vaccine. Details of the study led by scientists …
New network to connect studies with volunteers
A new networking service called ResearchMatch has launched with the express goal of connecting volunteers with research studies. Stanford's School of Medicine is one of …
Can behavioral changes in virtual spaces affect material world habits?
Here's an intriguing idea: Exorcising unhealthy habits in a virtual world could translate into results in the physical world. A recent anti-smoking study tested this …
More clues about narcolepsy
The Oct. 24 issue of ScienceNews focuses on sleep and discusses researchers' recent findings on insomnia, narcolepsy and other disorders. Stanford researcher Adi Aran, MD, …
Consistency, please
The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) announced today a new policy for disclosure of study authors' financial ties or potential conflicts of interest. …
Cheetahs may provide insights into human muscle function
The fastest animal on earth may one day influence the design of more effective artificial legs or aid in the development of treatments cerebral palsy. …
Not such a bad mutation
The New York Times is reporting that UCSF scientists have identified a tie between a genetic mutation and the need for less sleep. The research …