Yellowstone Rabbits Hop into Extinction

 Posted on June 16, 2023  |  2 minutes  |  277 words  |  Mittie Cheatwood

A new study found that white-tailed jack rabbits have vanished from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, where the bunnies were once abundant. No one knows what caused the rabbits to disappear, according to the study conducted by the Bronx Zoo-based Wildlife Conservation Society. It could be disease, extreme weather, predation or other factors, said Wildlife Conservation Society conservationist Joel Berger, a professor at the University of Montana. Historical records from more than 130 years ago indicate that white-tailed jack rabbits were once common in Greater Yellowstone, a 60,000 square kilometer (23,166 square mile) ecosystem that contains both Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. [Read More]

A Scientologist Cruise Ship Has Been Quarantined Because of a Measles Case

 Posted on June 15, 2023  |  2 minutes  |  326 words  |  Arica Deslauriers

Officials from the Carribean island of St. Lucia quarantined a U.S. cruise ship following a confirmed case of measles onboard. "We thought it prudent that we quarantine the ship" considering the highly infectious nature of measles, Dr. Merlene Fredericks-James, the country's chief medical officer, said in a video statement. As such, the nearly 300 passengers and crew aboard were not allowed to disembark on the island. Though Fredericks-James didn't mention the name of the ship, the St. [Read More]

Arsenic in Rice: Something to Worry About?

 Posted on June 15, 2023  |  7 minutes  |  1330 words  |  Trudie Dory

This week, news reports said that arsenic levels in juice may be unsafe, but experts say levels of arsenic in rice may be concerning as well, particularly for infants. In fact, for people in the United States and Europe, rice is the largest dietary source of inorganic arsenic, said Andrew Meharg, chair of biogeochemistry at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. Inorganic arsenic is a known carcinogen, and chronic exposure to low levels of arsenic has been linked to increased risks of bladder, lung and skin cancer, as well as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. [Read More]

Cadaver Experiment Suggests Human Hands Evolved for Fighting

 Posted on June 15, 2023  |  4 minutes  |  828 words  |  Mittie Cheatwood

Just in time for Halloween, gore-resistant scientists are swinging frozen human cadaver arms like battering rams — in the name of science, of course. The researchers say their macabre experiments support the hotly debated idea that human hands evolved not only for manual dexterity, but also for fistfights. However, some scientists vehemently argue that the new research does little to support this notion. David Carrier, a comparative biomechanist at the University of Utah, and his colleagues have controversially suggested that fist fighting might have helped to drive the evolution of not only the human hand, but also the human face and the human propensity to walk upright. [Read More]

Chaco Canyon Photos: The Center of an Ancient World

 Posted on June 15, 2023  |  2 minutes  |  248 words  |  Fernande Dalal

Pueblo BonitoAbout a millennium ago, the ancestral Pueblo Indians in the Chaco Canyon in northwestern New Mexico obtained their precious turquoise using a large trade network spanning several states, new research reveals. Shown here, the back, curved wall (north) of Pueblo Bonito, taken northwest of the site of Chaco Canyon. Casa ChiquitaCasa Chiquita, shown here, is located near the old north entrance to Chaco Canyon; the ruin is composed of a square block of rooms surrounding a central elevated round room, according to the University of Colorado. [Read More]

Dementia and Dental Care: Nurse Offers New Oral Hygiene Strategies

 Posted on June 15, 2023  |  4 minutes  |  794 words  |  Mittie Cheatwood

When someone has dementia, normal daily activities become difficult. Something as simple as brushing your teeth can become a challenge. And for those caring for people with dementia, helping them brush their teeth can be challenging, too, because dementia increases threat perception and decreases ability to understand things in context, health experts say. But it's important to care for the teeth of this aging population, especially as more of them are able to retain their natural teeth because of good preventive dental care (regular checkups) and fluoridated water, said Rita Jablonski, an assistant professor of nursing at Pennsylvania State University. [Read More]

Does Old Age Bring Happiness or Despair?

 Posted on June 15, 2023  |  5 minutes  |  964 words  |  Mittie Cheatwood

Aging brings wrinkles, sagging bodies and frustrating forgetfulness. But getting older is not all bad for many people. Mounting evidence suggests aging may be a key to happiness. There is conflicting research on the subject, however, and experts say it may all boil down to this: Attitude is everything. Older adults tend to be more optimistic and to have a positive outlook on life than their younger, stressed, counterparts, research is finding. [Read More]

Drugs Used in Newborns Need Better Study, Docs Say

 Posted on June 15, 2023  |  4 minutes  |  719 words  |  Trudie Dory

Many medications commonly given to newborns still have not been officially approved for use in this very young population, despite recent law changes encouraging the study of drugs in children, a new study finds. That means that drug labels often do not have information about the correct dose that should be used in newborns, and doctors instead must use their best guesses based on their experience and information from adults and older children, said study researcher Dr. [Read More]

Epic time-lapse shows what the Milky Way will look like 400,000 years from now

 Posted on June 15, 2023  |  3 minutes  |  436 words  |  Mittie Cheatwood

Have you ever seen 40,000 shooting stars blaze across the sky at the same time? If you'd like to, the European Space Agency (ESA) is offering you two options: Either stare at the night sky for about half a million years as our solar system drifts steadily through theMilky Way (some patience required) — or, watch a new 60-second time-lapse simulation of the same thing, courtesy of the ESA's Gaia space observatory. [Read More]

How Smart Is Advanced Artificial Intelligence? Try Preschool Level

 Posted on June 15, 2023  |  3 minutes  |  441 words  |  Mittie Cheatwood

One of the most advanced artificial intelligence systems is about as smart as preschooler, new research suggests. But your preschooler may have better common sense. An artificial intelligence (AI) system known as ConceptNet4 has an IQ equivalent to that of a 4-year-old child, according to the study. But the machine's abilities don’t evenly match those of a child: the computer system aced its vocabulary test, but lacked the prudence and sound judgment of a preschooler. [Read More]