Wednesday, 8 February, 2012

When chemicals in the water trigger the endocrine system, male fish can start looking and acting female. What happens once chemicals from plastics, drugs and our own endocrine system are flushed down the toilet? Can we prevent them from entering our streams and harming wildlife?

Fruit flies have a signaling pathway that helps them choose protein or carbohydrate, depending on the situation. The switch, which is also implicated in aging and cancer, exists in a wide variety of animals, including you. Does a new study explain why so many cultures eat rice and beans?

The psychedelic ’60s are over, but how do hallucinogens transform consciousness? Can psychedelics treat distress? Psilocybin produces mystical experiences that seem to relieve the terror of terminal illness and soothe post-traumatic stress disorder. Ecstasy may ease obsessive-compulsive disorder. What are we learning now that the bans on psychedelic research are easing?

The science behind medical marijuana is emerging. Some tests show that it dulls pain in cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and AIDS. Why is medical marijuana so difficult to explore? What’s coming to the market?

Neglect, stress and abuse are all more common among the poor. New studies show that these factors can cause long-term changes in learning, brains and behavior, and suggest how to prevent damage in the vulnerable years. Could treating depressed mothers promote healthy interactions with their kids?

The long rise may be inflated by redefinition of autism, social acceptance of the disabled and desire for services. If this is a real epidemic, it’s even more critical to find the cause.

How is flu vaccine is made in eggs and animal cells? What is being done to protect us against a fast-changing, deadly virus?

Golfer-doctor finds that treating apnea cuts golf scores; sees new motivator for wearing nighttime masks.

Until now, getting a picture of genetic change in a tumor over time has been next to impossible. A new study reveals that cancer’s genetic tangle gets more complicated with time.

Virologists have been working late since swine flu appeared in April. With flu running amok in South America, what can we expect when the epidemic returns north this fall?