Daily Human Digest
Every day, the staff of the Genetic Literacy Project scours the Web for stories on a range of human genetics issues, including gene editing, regulations and bioethics, gene therapy, epigenetics, personal genomics, evolution, ancestry and artificial intelligence. We publish excerpts of those stories and encourage our readers to visit the original publications for the complete stories.
Smart bandage: This high-tech bandaid can monitor wound healing in real time
Millions of people dealing with diseases and suppressed immune systems are often forced to deal with chronic wounds—often minor injuries ...
3+ million lives saved: COVID vaccines prevented mass death in the US
A study released December 13 by the Commonwealth Fund shows that in those two years, the Covid vaccines have averted over ...
COVID survivors show lingering brain abnormalities up to 6 months after infection
A specialized type of MRI showed lingering brain abnormalities in patients up to 6 months after they recovered from COVID-19 ...
Do you know a second alphabet? Additional written languages give bilingual people’s brains a boost
New research suggests that the brain of a bilingual person who knows two alphabets is different from that of a ...
Plaque on our teeth reveals secrets of our ancient ancestors
Plaque fossilises while we are still alive. Now, dental calculus is giving up the secrets of our ancient ancestors, from ...
AI can predict 10-year risk of heart attack or stroke with an X-ray scan
Early research suggests a promising use of artificial intelligence to predict the 10-year risk of death from a heart attack ...
Simon & Schuster faces criticism for publishing book claiming ‘discredited’ ivermectin stops COVID
Pierre Kory, MD, one of the most vocal proponents of ivermectin for COVID-19, has the support of Simon & Schuster, ...
A species of rat without the Y chromosome may foreshadow what might evolve in humans
The male Y chromosome has disappeared from a species of rat, leading scientists to investigate how humans might also lose ...
What is evolutionary medicine?
Basic scientists are good at proposing overarching theories, knocking down paradigms and erecting new ones. These are necessary and provide ...
Poor cholesterol? A gene-edited solution could lower ‘bad’ LDL and reduce heart disease risk
While a poor diet, stress, lack of exercise, and other lifestyle factors can lead to cholesterol problems, genetic factors also ...
We’re more vulnerable to colds and flu in the winter. Here’s the biological reason why
[G]erms are present year-round — just think back to your last summer cold. So why do people get more colds, ...
Childhood obesity associated with brain abnormalities, study shows
Children with overweight or obesity appeared to have abnormalities in the brain that could affect executive functioning, an analysis of ...
Dispelling misconceptions about evolutionary psychology
Research in evolutionary psychology attracts considerable attention, from both enthusiasts and critics. Evolutionary researchers devote substantial effort to correcting misperceptions ...
Newborn screening conference examines privacy concerns
As technology continues to advance rapidly, the newborn screening community is having a robust conversation to address privacy concerns while ...
Viewpoint: AI is getting smarter every day. Here’s why that might not be a good thing
AI gets smarter, more capable, and more world-transforming every day. Here’s why that might not be a good thing ...
‘Continual stress of racism wears down the bodies of minority populations’: Why women of color experience diabetes and heart disease at early ages
Growing up as a multiracial person in the United States, Alexis Reeves was no stranger to the impact of racial ...
Cannabis smokers more at risk of emphysema than cigarette smokers, study shows
In a new study, researchers found that airway inflammation and emphysema are more common in people who smoke cannabis compared ...
Universal mRNA-based vaccine targeting 20 types of flu is a real possibility
Scientists say they have made a breakthrough designing a vaccine against all 20 known types of flu ...
7 to 10 years: That’s how long it’s expected to take to develop cutting-edge male contraceptives
A growing range of pills, patches and implants became available to women. And yet, a stretchy sheath that covers the ...
72% reduction: High-intensity exercise can dramatically reduce your cancer risk
A recent study found that high intensity aerobic exercise increased glucose consumption by internal organs. The researchers believe this association ...
‘They were trolling her obituary’: Ant-vaxxers attack families of people who got COVID shots then died unexpectedly
"Seven days, 18 hours, 39 minutes ago my beloved... died suddenly of cardiac arrest". When Victoria Brownworth logged onto Twitter ...
Video: Where did the wolf go? Here’s why dogs are so friendly towards humans
What do you actually know about where dogs come from? You're probably aware they evolved from wolves — but how, ...
Monoclonal antibody treatments no longer work against new COVID variants. Why not?
Monoclonal antibodies were once the star of COVID-19 outpatient treatments. Since they first became available in 2020 – even before the first ...
Here’s what time of day you should exercise to most effectively prevent heart disease and stroke
Although exercise is always generally good for health, a large new prospective study finds that one particular time of day may offer ...
‘Quirks of our reptilian brains’: Why looming deadlines can cause paralyzing anxiety
Do you ever get so overwhelmed with schoolwork that all you can do is curl up on the couch and ...
Why has female sexual health research been so neglected?
In a recent News Hour segment on PBS television, doctors and researchers pointed out that female sexual topics were largely ...
Did you spend the afternoon on the couch? Here’s how much exercise you need daily to make up for it
We know that spending lots of time sitting down isn't good for us, but just how much exercise is needed ...
