New research suggests free-roaming cats are likely to blame in the spread of the potentially deadly Toxoplasma gondii parasite to wildlife in densely populated urban areas. The study — the first to analyze so many wildlife species over a global scale — also highlights how healthy ecosystems can protect against these types of pathogens. The…

Analysis of records for more than 63 million Medicare enrollees from 2000 to 2016 finds long-term exposure to air pollution had a significant impact on the number of people hospitalized for cardiac and respiratory conditions. Researchers examined three components of air pollution: fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and ozone. Even levels lower than national standards…

New research shows that bottles of beer, wine and spirits contain potentially harmful levels of toxic elements, such as lead and cadmium, in their enameled decorations. Researchers at the University of Plymouth analysed both the glass and enamelled decorations on a variety of clear and coloured bottles readily available in shops and supermarkets. They showed…

Finally, researchers have found a way to brew non-alcoholic beer that tastes just like regular beer. Even more, the method is far more sustainable than the existing brewing techniques. Some people find the taste to be flat and watery and this has a natural explanation, according to Sotirios Kampranis, a Professor at the University of…

A diet rich in plant products reduces the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia in the elderly. The paper, published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, is led by Cristina Andres-Lacueva, professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences and head of the Biomarkers and Nutritional Metabolomics of Food Research Group of…

Fasting levels of the ‘hunger hormone’ ghrelin rebound after weight loss and can help reduce belly fat and improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin, according to a new study. Ghrelin is a stomach-derived hormone that stimulates appetite. Ghrelin levels rise during overnight fasting when a person is sleeping. The levels fall after an individual eats…

A new study offers evidence that the brain’s inferotemporal cortex, which is specialized to perform object recognition, has been repurposed for a key component of reading called orthographic processing — the ability to recognize written letters and words. To account for the development of this skill, some scientists have hypothesized that parts of the brain…

A new study finds that overconsumption, overpopulation and uncertainty about the future are among the top concerns of those who say climate change is affecting their reproductive decision-making. Sabrina Helm, an associate professor in the Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is lead author of a…

There is no difference between healthful foods for adults and for children aged 2 and older, except for age-appropriate adjustments in texture and portion size, according to experts in nutrition. «If you think about kids’ food, the archetype or terminology that we widely use to describe the food that we feed our children, it’s really…

From art to religion to land use, much of what is deemed valuable in the United States was shaped centuries ago by the white male perspective. Fish, it turns out, are no exception. A study explores how colonialist attitudes toward native fishes were rooted in elements of racism and sexism. It describes how those attitudes…