Service dogs can reduce the severity of PTSD for veterans – new research

These dogs are trained to try to interrupt panic attacks and provide deep calming pressure to the people they’re matched with.

Kerri Rodriguez, Assistant Professor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona • conversation
June 26, 2024 ~6 min

Oral nicotine pouches deliver lower levels of toxic substances than smoking – but that doesn’t mean they’re safe

While manufacturers say they are marketing oral nicotine pouches as a safer alternative for people who already smoke, nonsmokers and young people are being drawn to them, a large-scale study found.

Nargiz Travis, Project Director, Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University • conversation
June 17, 2024 ~6 min


Calls to US poison centers spiked after ‘magic mushrooms’ were decriminalized

Researchers found a sharp rise in calls to US poison centers about magic mushrooms coincided with their decriminalization in several US cities and states.

Rita Farah, Researcher of Epidemiology, University of Virginia • conversation
June 14, 2024 ~4 min

Coral reef recovery could get a boost from an unlikely source: Sea cucumbers, the janitors of the seafloor

Sea cucumbers have been overharvested for centuries. At the same time, coral reefs have declined as well. Research suggests that saving the former may help restore the latter.

Mark Hay, Professor of Environmental Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology • conversation
June 11, 2024 ~4 min

Your favorite drink can cause breast cancer – but most women in the US aren’t aware of alcohol’s health risks

Drinking alcohol is normalized in American society. But the ubiquity of alcohol consumption hides its serious health risks, including cancer.

Ritu Aneja, Professor of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences, Associate Dean of Research and Innovation in the School of Health Professions, University of Alabama at Birmingham • conversation
June 5, 2024 ~5 min

Engineering cells to broadcast their behavior can help scientists study their inner workings

Researchers can create ‘single-cell radios’ using bacterial proteins to transmit the invisible activities within cells.

Scott Coyle, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison • conversation
May 31, 2024 ~5 min

Sourdough under the microscope reveals microbes cultivated over generations

You can thank yeast and bacteria for the distinctive taste and smell of the oldest leavened bread in history.

Daniel Veghte, Senior Research Associate Engineer, The Ohio State University • conversation
April 30, 2024 ~5 min

What is ‘techno-optimism’? 2 technology scholars explain the ideology that says technology is the answer to every problem

Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen is one of this concept’s biggest enthusiasts.

Jean Hardy, Assistant Professor of Media & Information, Michigan State University • conversation
April 24, 2024 ~6 min


The tragedy of sudden unexpected infant deaths – and how bedsharing, maternal smoking and stomach sleeping all contribute

Rates of sudden unexpected infant deaths have not gone down significantly over the last 20 years, and in some racial groups the numbers are rising.

Fern R. Hauck, MD, MS, Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia • conversation
April 18, 2024 ~6 min

Deepfake detection improves when using algorithms that are more aware of demographic diversity

New research found a way to both improve the accuracy of deepfake detection algorithms while also enhancing fairness.

Yan Ju, Ph.D. Candidate in Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo • conversation
April 16, 2024 ~3 min

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