The ‘equal-opportunity jerk’ defense: Rudeness can obfuscate gender bias
If you’re an “equal-opportunity jerk,” does that mean you can’t also be sexist? New research shows that many people think so — and consider men to be gender blind when they’re rude, condescending, and berating to women and men equally. To highlight the common view that men aren’t deemed sexist when they’re rude to both […]
New treatment to combat obesity and heart disease
An interdisciplinary research team at The University of Texas at San Antonio has successfully developed an innovative inhibitor that shows promise in fighting obesity and potentially preventing heart disease. Francis Yoshimoto, an assistant professor in the UTSA College of Sciences’ Department of Chemistry, is leading a team that developed an anti-obesity drug that blocks the […]
Whole-genome sequencing reveals new secrets about killer fungus
New research from the University of Exeter reports the largest ever whole-genome sequencing project for the potentially fatal yeast infection Candida glabrata from hospitals across Scotland. Candida glabrata is a type of yeast that can cause disease in humans. It most commonly affects the urinary tract, genitals, mouth, and the bloodstream. If it is not […]
Effects of noise on marine life: Study finds that turtles are among animals vulnerable to hearing loss
New research shows turtles can experience temporary hearing loss from an excess of underwater noise. This phenomenon, previously noted in other marine animals such as dolphins and fish, was not widely understood for reptiles and underscores another potential risk for aquatic turtles. This high volume of sound, referred to as underwater noise pollution, can be […]
Study questions the role of vitamin D2 in human health but its sibling, vitamin D3, could be important for fighting infections
New research has found significant differences between the two types of vitamin D, with vitamin D2 having a questionable impact on human health. However, the study found that vitamin D3 could balance people’s immune systems and help strengthen defences against viral infections such as Covid-19. In a collaborative study by the Universities of Surrey and […]
ADHD linked to hoarding behavior: As many as 1 in 5 adults with ADHD could have significant hoarding symptoms
New research has found that people with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are significantly more likely to also exhibit hoarding behaviours, which can have a serious impact on their quality of life. The study, published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research and funded by theBritish Academy and the Leverhulme Trust, found that almost one in five […]
Fight or flight? How birds are helping to reveal the mysteries of evolution: A blend of natural and sexual selection sent birds skyward
New research from the University of Massachusetts Amherst uncovers the negative link between flight-worthiness and fight-worthiness in birds. Evolutionary pressure demanded that birds could either fly or arm themselves — but not both. Furthermore, the new research suggests that developing wings and not bony spurs involved both sexual and natural selection. This insight helps us […]
Researchers feed worms a natural plant extract; watch them fatten, live 40% longer
A research team in the Louisiana State University Department of Biological Sciences led by Assistant Professor Adam Bohnert has published a landmark study linking greater metabolic health — achieved through a natural plant extract — with longer lifespans in C. elegans, commonly known as roundworms. Although worms and humans don’t appear to have much in […]
Positive parenting can reduce the risk that children develop obesity
New research from Penn State found that children with positive, early interactions with their care givers — characterized by warmth, responsiveness, and a sitmulating home environment — were at reduced risk of childhood obesity. “A lot of the discussion around childhood obesity and other health risks focuses on identifying and studying the exposure to risk,” […]
Calorie restriction trial reveals key factors in extending human health
Decades of research has shown that limits on calorie intake by flies, worms, and mice can enhance life span in laboratory conditions. But whether such calorie restriction can do the same for humans remains unclear. Now a new study led by Yale researchers confirms the health benefits of moderate calorie restrictions in humans — and […]