Leading researchers call for a ban on widely used insecticides

[:pb] Use of organophosphates has lessened, but risks to early brain development still too high By Davis Health – University of California Summary: Public health experts have found there is sufficient evidence that prenatal exposure to widely used insecticides known as organophosphates puts children at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. Tractor spraying a wheat field. […]
Amazon forests failing to keep up with climate change

[:pb] Summary: New research has assessed the impact of global warming on thousands of tree species across the Amazon to discover the winners and losers from 30 years of climate change. The analysis found the effects of climate change are altering the rainforest’s composition of tree species but not quickly enough to keep up with […]
Transforming carbon dioxide into industrial fuels

[:pb] Summary: One day in the not-too-distant future, the gases coming from power plants and heavy industry, rather than spewing into the atmosphere, could be captured and chemically transformed from greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide into industrial fuels or chemicals thanks to a new system that can use renewable electricity to reduce carbon dioxide into […]
Bioreactor device helps frogs regenerate their legs

[:pb] Summary: Scientists havedesigned a device that can induce partial hindlimb regeneration in adult aquatic African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) by ‘kick-starting’ tissue repair at the amputation site. Their findings introduce a new model for testing ‘electroceuticals,’ or cell-stimulating therapies. Full Story: This image shows Xenopus laevis swimming in a tank pre-amputation. Credit: Celia Herrera-Rincon/Tufts […]
“Stress Hormone” Cortisol Linked to Early Toll on Thinking Ability

[:pb] Brain changes, visible on scans, are also associated with Alzheimer’s precursor By Karen Weintraub Credit: Francesco Sambati Getty Images The stresses of everyday life may start taking a toll on the brain in relatively early middle age, new research shows. The study of more than 2,000 people, most of them in their 40s, […]
In the largest clinical trial yet, taking a supplement or a placebo made little difference

By Marcia Frellick A large clinical trial investigated whether taking a daily vitamin D supplement could help prevent heart problems and cancer. Mark Lennihan/AP Photo CHICAGO — Taking a vitamin D supplement does not reduce the risk of having a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke or for getting an invasive cancer, according to highly […]