06 Mar, 2014 | by Labroots

Meat and cheese may be as bad for you as smoking

Put the ketchup down and step away from that burger. As reported in Science Daily, a new study that tracked a large sample of adults for nearly two decades found that eating a diet rich in animal proteins during middle age makes you four times more likely to die of cancer than someone with a low-protein diet. That’s right up there with the mortality risk that comes with smoking. According to the...... Read More

05 Mar, 2014 | by Labroots

Coffee to Go

 According to an article in Scientific American, U.K. researchers performed a PLOS ONE study on the effects of caffeine prior to endurance sports. What they discovered by examining 50 male coffee drinkers was that those who drink caffeinated coffee in quantities of about four cups daily did not dehydrate them any more than drinking an equivalent amount of water. Although some people find it surprising,...... Read More

04 Mar, 2014 | by Labroots

Thinking You Have Alzheimer’s Could Be Early Indication

A science article printed in Science Daily news reports results from a study performed by University of Kentucky by Erin Abner, assistant professor, at the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging. The extremely simple study included 3,701 men aged 60 and older. It was based on a single question that they asked each participant. “Have you noticed any change in your memory since you last came in?” The results...... Read More

03 Mar, 2014 | by Labroots

Anti-Depressants Have Greater Psychological Side-Effects than Thought

According to an article in Science Daily News, thoughts of suicide, sexual difficulties and other problems that have been associated with taking anti-depressants are more common than originally thought. Research performed by the University of Liverpool included 1,829 people who were using anti-depressants. Large numbers reported psychological problems resulting from taking the prescription medications....... Read More

28 Feb, 2014 | by Labroots

Bisphenol A Exposure Linked to Adverse Effects in Developing Primates

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical found in a variety of products, such as food cans, water bottles, and even paper receipts. It is a hormone mimic that has been shown to alter signaling mechanisms in estrogen, androgen, and thyroid hormones. Studies in mice and rats have previously demonstrated that maternal exposure to even very low doses of BPA can cause significant damage to developing fetuses. Now,...... Read More

27 Feb, 2014 | by Labroots

Climate Change Impacting Insects

As climate change continues to progress and the earth’s temperature increases, insects and other cold-blooded animals are affected alongside humans. Because their body temperature is determined by the ambient temperature, vital biological processes are also affected in regards to how quickly and efficiently they take place. A group of Danish and Australian researchers performed a study looking...... Read More

26 Feb, 2014 | by Labroots

Chemical Found to Restore Light Perception in Blind Mice

A new study gives hope to those individuals who suffer from blindness caused by progressive degeneration of photoreceptors in the eyes. These rods and cones are the source of blinding diseases which include retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration. A science article in Science Daily news reports on a study performed by Dr. Richard Kramer of the University of California and colleagues....... Read More

25 Feb, 2014 | by Labroots

Dogs Shown to Have Brain Areas which Respond to Voices

Taking the command “stay!” to a new level has allowed scientists to learn new details of how dogs’ brains work. A science article reprinted in Science News, Science Daily and other current science news publications was originally reported in the scientific journal Current Biology on February 20th giving details of the study where researchers taught dogs to lie perfectly still inside a brain scanner...... Read More

20 Feb, 2014 | by Labroots

Concussions May Increase Risk of Alzheimer's Disease

The links between head trauma and degenerative brain disorders has been increasingly in the spotlight with the issues of professional athletes. A 2012 study concluded that retired National Football League players were 4 times more likely to die from diseases such as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease) and Alzheimer's. Repeated concussions were believed to play a significant...... Read More

19 Feb, 2014 | by Labroots

Plastic Shopping Bags May Have a New Use

All those plastic bags that you bring home from the grocery store may turn out to be useful. Not only do they clutter homes, but there is also an abundance of them on land and at sea. Now, scientists have found that these bags can be converted to diesel, natural gas and other petroleum products. According to an article in eScience News, the process to convert the bags results in a much larger volume...... Read More