Research News

Science

Is Beer More Effective At Relieving Pain Than Generic Tylenol?

6:18am May 02, 2017

Some researchers suggest that if you need pain relief, a few beers may be more effective than generic Tylenol. The study in The Journal of Pain does points out the long-term consequences of drinking.

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Here's a kale salad and sweet potato that did get their portraits taken in the name of medical research.

Being A Guinea Pig For Science Can Be A Long, Slow Slog

5:00am April 30, 2017

by Brandie Jefferson

Brandie Jefferson volunteered for a clinical trial to see if intermittent fasting can help treat multiple sclerosis. Five months in, she realizes that this study won't answer that question.

A Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police officer wears a camera during a news conference in 2014.

Scientists Hunt Hard Evidence On How Cop Cameras Affect Behavior

7:09pm April 27, 2017

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Police departments in about 95 percent of cities nationally have put wearable cameras on officers, or soon plan to. But do these body cameras make neighborhoods safer? Scientists want to find out.

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The avocados on the right are Hass, America's favorite variety of the green fruit. At left are GEM avocados, the great-granddaughter of the Hass. GEM avocados grow well in California's Central Valley and, in taste tests, they scored better than the Hass i

California Is On Its Way To Having An Avocado Crop Year-Round

3:15pm April 27, 2017

by Ezra David Romero

Americans ate 2 billion pounds of avocados last year; many came from Mexico. That's because avocados grow year-round in Mexico's climate, but not California's. Researchers are working to change that.

Science

Instead Of Showing Off Wealth, Some Show Off Busy Schedules

8:11am April 27, 2017

by Shankar Vedantam

Instead of buying expensive things, people now use busyness to show their high status. New research finds that many celebrities use social media to boast about their lack of time, not their wealth.

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Scientists placed two clusters of cultured forebrain cells side by side (each cluster the size of a head of a pin). Within days, the "minibrains" had fused and particular neurons (in green) migrated from the left side to the right side, as subsets of cell

'Minibrains' In A Dish Shed A Little Light On Autism And Epilepsy

3:11pm April 26, 2017

by Jon Hamilton

Experiments with small clusters of networked brain cells are helping scientists see how real brains develop normally, and what goes awry when cells have trouble making connections.

Doctors have known for a long time that alcohol consumption can cause heart problems. Researchers in Germany used the Oktoberfest beer festival to link binge drinking to abnormal heart rhythms.

Binge Drinkers Beware: Study Finds Link Between Alcohol And Heart Arrhythmias

5:19am April 26, 2017

by Rebecca Hersher

Researchers tested more than 3,000 people at Munich's Oktoberfest beer festival. They found getting drunk was associated with abnormal heart rhythms.

The larvae of Galleria mellonella, commonly known as a wax worm, is able to biodegrade plastic bags.

Science

A Worm May Hold The Key To Biodegrading Plastic

5:10pm April 25, 2017

by Merrit Kennedy

More than a trillion plastic bags are used annually. They're made of a notoriously resilient kind of plastic called polyethylene – but scientists have found that wax worms are able to break them down.

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A new study suggests wrangling your kids to bed at the same time each night could help set them up for a healthier future.

Eat, Sleep, Repeat: How Kids' Daily Routines Can Help Prevent Obesity

1:15pm April 25, 2017

by Allison Aubrey

A new study finds that preschool-age children who didn't have a set sleep routine were more likely to be overweight by the time they hit the preteen years.

Rate Of Suicide Among Female Veterans Climbs, VA Says

9:11am April 25, 2017

by Quil Lawrence

Veterans have a significantly higher rate of suicide than civilians. The numbers for female veterans, however, are two to five times higher than their civilian counterparts.

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