Could Scientists 'Hack' the Zika Virus to Kill Brain Cancer?

 Posted on January 1, 2023  |  5 minutes  |  916 words  |  Fernande Dalal

The mosquito-spread Zika virus known for its links to brain damage in babies born to infected mothers has the potential to target and destroy brain cancer, scientists have found. New research has revealed that the Zika virus breaks into brain cells by using a special molecular key, and scientists think the virus could be tweaked so that it infects only brain cancer cells, leaving  healthy cells unharmed. The aggressive brain cancer glioblastoma often defies standard cancer treatment because the disease transforms normal brain cells into stem cells. [Read More]

Death by Meteorite? India Tragedy May Be 1st in Recorded History

 Posted on January 1, 2023  |  4 minutes  |  736 words  |  Trudie Dory

Update on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 9:12 a.m.: NASA officials said in a statement that online photos of the event are more consistent with a land-based explosion than a space rock, as reported by the New York Times.  For the first time in recorded history, a meteorite is reported to have killed a person. The incident happened Saturday (Feb. 6) when an object, thought to be a meteorite, hit a college campus in Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India, the Wall Street Journal reported. [Read More]

Erectile Dysfunction in Military Males Is Triple the Norm

 Posted on January 1, 2023  |  3 minutes  |  463 words  |  Patria Henriques

Men age 40 and younger who are enlisted in the U.S. military are three times more likely to have erectile dysfunction (ED) than civilian men of similar age, but few military men report receiving treatment, according to a new study. The study, one of the first assessments of sexual-functioning problems among male military personnel, included 367 enlisted men, ages 21 to 40. Participants completed an online sexual-functioning survey during an eight-week period in October and November in 2013. [Read More]

Feed the Birds? Not Popcorn and Crumbled Bread (Op-Ed)

 Posted on January 1, 2023  |  4 minutes  |  720 words  |  Fernande Dalal

Deborah Robbins Millman is the director of Cape Wildlife Center, one of New England's largest wildlife rehabilitation centers and a leader in rehabilitating endangered and threatened New England species. She contributed this article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.  For many, feeding birds at ponds and parks is a cherished childhood memory; one they lovingly recreate for their children and grandchildren. Yet tragically, thousands of birds die annually due to a condition overwhelmingly caused by people who don't know this beloved activity can be deadly. [Read More]

Future Astronauts Must Perform Surgery in Space — and It Will Be Gross

 Posted on January 1, 2023  |  4 minutes  |  722 words  |  Mittie Cheatwood

There's already enough to worry about when planning a one-way trip to Mars. Did you pack enough sunblock to deflect the deadly cosmic radiation? Will there be enough water there? What if your assigned procreation partner doesn't like you? Now, scientists writing in the British Journal of Surgery have provided one more thing to fear: floating blobs of infectious bodily fluids. According to the authors of a new paper published last week (June 19), runaway blood, urine and fecal matter are just some of myriad possible complications of space surgery that likely await future astronauts. [Read More]

Guys Who Are Too Caring May Hurt Sex Partners with Uncommon Condition

 Posted on January 1, 2023  |  3 minutes  |  527 words  |  Mittie Cheatwood

A disorder that causes women to have vaginal pain during sex can put a damper on intimacy, not to mention putting guys in an awkward spot of how to help. New research suggests men who show more support and sympathy toward their partners may actually be increasing both her pain and her sexual satisfaction. The seemingly contradictory findings may point toward new ways that men can approach supporting their partners suffering from a condition called provoked vestibulodynia (PVD), researchers from the University of Montreal say. [Read More]

Hepatitis A Outbreak: How Does a Virus Get into Strawberries?

 Posted on January 1, 2023  |  3 minutes  |  513 words  |  Arica Deslauriers

Nearly 90 people in seven states have become sick in an outbreak of hepatitis A linked to frozen strawberries imported from Egypt, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But how does the hepatitis A virus get into strawberries? Berries of all types are actually a common conduit for viruses, said Benjamin Chapman, a food-safety specialist and an associate professor at North Carolina State University. Over the past decade, there have been several virus outbreaks linked to imported berries, he said. [Read More]

Here's How Norovirus Takes Hold in Your Gut — and Doesn't Let Go

 Posted on January 1, 2023  |  3 minutes  |  510 words  |  Trudie Dory

Norovirus is notorious: The virus, which causes sudden vomiting and diarrhea, can spread rapidly through cruise ships and at public events. But how, exactly, does the germ take hold in the body? A new study may have the answer, and the results are somewhat surprising. The study, which examined norovirus infection in mice, found that the virus infects specific gut cells called tuft cells, which have hair-like projections on their surfaces. [Read More]

How Birds Lost Their Penises

 Posted on January 1, 2023  |  4 minutes  |  709 words  |  Patria Henriques

How did the chicken lose its penis? By killing off the growing appendage in the egg. That's the finding of a new study, which reveals how most birds evolved to lose their external genitalia. Turns out, a particular protein released during the development of chickens, quail and most other birds nips penis development in the bud, according to the new research, published today (June 6) in the journal Current Biology. [Read More]

How Lasers Can Damage Eyes Over Long Distances

 Posted on January 1, 2023  |  2 minutes  |  406 words  |  Patria Henriques

The eye damage that a JetBlue pilot suffered after two green laser beams were reportedly shined into a New York-bound airplane flying at 5,000 feet this week happens because the lens of the eye focuses light onto the retina, and the heat energy is enough to burn the eye, expert say. When light enters the eye, it is focused by the lens on the retina at the back of the eye, explained Dr. [Read More]