Rodenticides in the environment pose threats to birds of prey. eurekalert.org. March 23, 2021.Over the past decades, the increased use of chemicals in many areas led to environmental pollution – of water, soil and also wildlife. In addition to plant protection substances and human and veterinary medical drugs, rodenticides have had toxic effects on wildlife. […]
Fast-acting German insecticide lost in the aftermath of WWII Fluoridated DDT swiftly kills disease-carrying mosquitoes, which may lower its environmental impact — but its history is alarming. sciencedaily.com. October 11, 2019. Summary: A new study explores the chemistry as well as the complicated and alarming history of DFDT, a fast-acting insecticide. Mosquito picando (Sertox) A […]
Placebos: what they’re made of matters. By Jeremy Howick*. theconversation.com. October 01, 2019. Placebo controls are a gold standard against which new treatments are often measured. If a new treatment consistently proves to be better than a placebo and safe, it can be marketed, sold and prescribed. Otherwise, it can’t – or at least shouldn’t. […]
Air pollution can reach the placenta around a developing baby. By Aimee Cunningham*. sciencenews.org. September 17, 2019. A study of women in Belgium found black carbon particles, or soot, within the organ. Breathing in polluted air may send soot far beyond a pregnant woman’s lungs, all the way to the womb surrounding her developing baby. […]
Environment: Pollutants found in skin and blubber of English Channel dolphins. eurekalert.org. September 12, 2019. High levels of pollutants, such as industrial fluids and mercury, may have accumulated in the blubber and skin of one of the largest coastal populations of dolphins in Europe, a study in Scientific Reports indicates. Mercury concentrations found in 82 […]
E-cigarettes: Smoking Cessation Aid or Dangerous Addiction? By Anna Sayburn. medscape.com. September 10, 2019. Recent reports of a death in the US linked to vaping, and of almost 200 cases of lung disease, have caused alarm about the widespread use of e-cigarettes. Cigarrillo electrónico en uso (elmundo.es) Director of the US Centers for Disease Control […]
Controversial insecticides shown to threaten survival of wild birds. sciencedaily.com. September 12, 2019. Summary: New research shows how the world’s most widely used insecticides could be partly responsible for dramatic declines in farmland bird populations. In the first experiment to track effects of a neonicotinoid pesticide on birds in the wild, the team found that […]
Soft drinks, including sugar-free, linked to increased risk of early death. By Nicola Davis. theguardian.com. September 03, 2019. Drink more water, say experts as they argue study proves need for curbs on consumption. People who regularly consume soft drinks have a higher risk of an early death, researchers have found, with the trend seen for […]
Flavonoid-rich diet protects against cancer and heart disease, study finds. sciencedaily.com. August 13, 2019.Summary: Consuming flavonoid-rich items such as apples and tea protects against cancer and heart disease, particularly for smokers and heavy drinkers, according to new research. Clavel del aire florecido, rico en flavonoides (Sertox) Apples and tea (stock image).Credit: © Anna Vovk / Adobe […]
How the pill changes your body shape. By Zaria Gorvett. bbcnews. October 04, 2018 Many women believe that the pill can cause weight gain. Research hasn’t found this – but it has found that it can change body shape (and fat storage) in other surprising ways. It’s been blamed for polluting our rivers, destroying our […]
Millions of children worldwide develop asthma annually due to traffic-related pollution. sciencedaily.com. April 10, 2019. Summary: About 4 million children worldwide develop asthma each year because of inhaling nitrogen dioxide air pollution, according to a new study. The study, based on data from 2010 to 2015, estimates that 64 percent of these new cases of asthma […]
Even low alcohol consumption is bad news for strokes – study. theguardian.com. April 05, 2019. Moderate drinking of one or two glasses a day does not protect against stroke, say researchers. A low level of alcohol consumption does not protect against stroke, new research suggests, in the latest blow to the idea that a few […]
Plastic in Britain’s seals, dolphins and whales. eurekalert.org. January 31, 2019. Microplastics have been found in the guts of every marine mammal examined in a new study of animals washed up on Britain’s shores. Researchers from the University of Exeter and Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) examined 50 animals from 10 species of dolphins, seals and whales […]
How dangerous is microplastic? .eurekalert.org. January 10, 2018. Dr. Natalia Ivleva discusses her research into the analysis of microplastic. Dr. Natalia Ivleva, a group leader at the Institute for Hydrochemistry (IWC) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), has developed new analytical methods based on Raman microscopy for the identification and quantification of microplastic.CREDITUli Benz / […]
Capturing Ecology: British Ecological Society photo competition – in pictures. Compiled by Eric Hilaire. theguardian.com. December 04, 2018. The BES photography contest features images by ecologists and students and captures rare flora and fauna from around the world. The overall winning picture, by Chris Oosthuizen, shows an adult king penguin surrounded by chicks on Marion […]
Sweetened drinks pose greater diabetes risk than other sugary foods. stmichaelshospital.com. November 22, 2018. Public health strategies to cut sweetened drink consumption could be useful, say researchers. Sweetened drinks pose a greater risk of type 2 diabetes than most other foods containing fructose, a naturally occurring sugar, finds an evidence review published by The BMJ […]
Removing toxic mercury from contaminated water. eurekalert.org. November 21,2018. Water which has been contaminated with mercury and other toxic heavy metals is a major cause of environmental damage and health problems worldwide. Now, researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, present a totally new way to clean contaminated water, through an electrochemical process. The results […]
The European Parliamente wants to ban microplastixs en cosmetics. By Michiel Roscam Abbing. beatthemicrobead.org. 26/10/18. Breaking news: the European Parliament has embraced the environment commission’s report entitled Turning plastic wastelands into fields of gold, by a huge majority. ¿Inofensivo dentífrico? (SerTox) The report, compiled by the European Parliamentarian Mark Demesmaeker, supports the Plastic Strategy, Europe’s strategy to […]
Air pollution and noise increase risk for heart attacks. eurekalert.org. October 24, 2018. Where air pollution is high, the level of transportation noise is usually also elevated. Not only air pollution negatively impacts on health, but also car, train and aircraft noise increases the risk for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, as previous research has demonstrated. […]
The electronic cigarette is not free from toxic elements. By Adeline Marcos. agenciasinc.es. October 23, 2018. Tobacco is one of the main sources of toxic substances in the human body. Many people opt for the alternative, the electronic cigarette, to avoid health risks. But a new study reveals that vaping entails the inhalation of inorganic elements, especially rare […]
Mystery of the cargo ships that sink when their cargo suddenly liquefies. By Susan Gourvenec*. theconversation.com. August 29, 2018.Think of a dangerous cargo and toxic waste or explosives might come to mind. But granular cargoes such as crushed ore and mineral sands are responsible for the loss of numerous ships every year. On average, ten […]
Daily low-dose aspirin found to have no effect on healthy life span in older people. sciencedaily.com. September 16, 2018. Summary: In a clinical trial to determine the effects of daily low-dose aspirin in healthy older adults without previous cardiovascular events, aspirin did not prolong healthy, independent living free of dementia or physical disability. Aspirina de […]
How much would it cost to switch to plastic alternatives? Richard Gray crunches the numbers. bbcnews. July 06, 2018. Walking along a short section of stony beach, Claire Waluda stoops briefly to pick up something from between the rocks. It is a brightly coloured plastic bottle top – just one of hundreds of bits of […]
Experts warn of cardiovascular risk from heavy metal pollution. eurekalert.org. August 29, 2018. Even low doses of toxic chemicals in the environment pose a significant risk to cardiovascular health, according to a report in today’s edition of The BMJ, led by researchers at the University of Cambridge. The researchers have also challenged the omission of […]