Studying the human-animal bond
October 30, 2009 by Editor · Leave a Comment
We already know there are very few things better than a warm ‘welcome home’ from a happy, loving dog. Or the comfort of a furry feline companion curled up next to you. The presence of a beloved pet can provide great benefit to a child’s development. But that bond doesn’t only create ‘warm and fuzzy’ feelings – it can provide much-needed support for children with autism, physical handicaps, allergies or other health problems. In order to learn more about the value of the human-animal bond’s effects, especially on children, the National Institutes of Health’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development is providing grant money for studies.
Read the full story in The New York Times.
Of sea lions and garbage
October 30, 2009 by Editor · Leave a Comment
Our lives are all about convenience. Handy plastic containers, strapped together with plastic rings, can make our lives easier in some ways…but these plastic bits can cause serious injury, or even death, when they end up in our oceans. Sea lions are getting caught up in our garbage. Our trash is making their lives tough.
Veterinarians and other specialists are working together to determine how they can help rescue sea lions trapped in floating garbage. Let’s help them by reducing the amount of garbage we contribute.
Read the full story in the Vancouver Sun.
Josephine’s new lease on life
October 24, 2009 by Editor · Leave a Comment
Nearly blind from cataracts, Josephine’s quality of life wasn’t so good. Considering she’s a gorilla, it was even tougher than you might think. Thankfully, she’s going to get her vision – and her life – back. A team of veterinarians and ophthalmologists removed her cataracts and they predict she’ll have nearly 20/20 vision and her life will be much improved. We’d like to see her read the eye chart, though.
Read the full story in the Miami Herald.
A school of…cars?
October 24, 2009 by Editor · Leave a Comment
How often do you see fish run into each other? You haven’t? Well, that’s because they don’t run into each other. Scientists are studying how fish swim in schools and avoid collisions, and they hope to use what they learn to help reduce traffic collisions. By using laser range finders and radio communicators, scientists at Nissan Motors have developed robots that can travel in a group without colliding.
Now if they could only develop autopilot for cars so we can catch up on our sleep on the way to work.
Viral monkey business
October 20, 2009 by Editor · Leave a Comment
Viruses have been around as long as we have, and even longer…and they continue to evolve. Scientists have discovered three new AIDS-like viruses in monkeys in Uganda. Their research suggests that the monkeys and the viruses evolved together, and may shed light on the evolution of the AIDS virus as well as some others.
Read the story at Physorg.com.
Udderly amazing milk
October 20, 2009 by Editor · Leave a Comment
Got milk? We already know milk is a great source of calcium, protein, vitamins and other minerals. Well, now researchers have found that cow’s milk can help prevent blood infections in preemie newborns. Preemies given a combination of lactoferrin (a protein in cow’s milk) and probiotic bacteria (bacteria that help the gut stay healthy) were much less likely to develop blood infections than babies who did not get the combination. Researchers are looking into finding ways to make lactoferrin readily available and help save preemies’ lives.
Read the story in U.S. News & World Report.
Wiener dog walking!
October 15, 2009 by Editor · Leave a Comment
He might not be ready for the Wiener Dog Drag Races anytime soon, but Henry may have escaped a future of being strapped into a doggy wheelchair to get around…and it’s all thanks to his nose. Yes, his nose. Special cells in the back of his nose were collected and injected into his damaged spinal cord. He’s still got a long way to go, but he’s making great progress and is helping scientists evaluate a promising treatment for people with spinal cord injuries.
Read Henry’s story in The Daily Mail.
Wilbur to the rescue
October 15, 2009 by Editor · Leave a Comment
It can be a bit of an ethical dilemma for a vegetarian. Avoiding meat is a personal choice for some but meat-producing animals may still be an important part of a vegetarian’s life. Recently, a vegetarian teenager in Scotland was implanted with a pig heart valve to save her life. It probably won’t affect her diet, but it serves as a reminder of how animals can benefit our lives in so many ways.
Read the full story on Fox News
More than just an insurance mascot
October 13, 2009 by Editor · Leave a Comment
You’ve seen a gecko on TV selling insurance, but did you know that geckos might help people recover from potentially paralyzing spinal cord injuries? Even after they have been severed from their bodies, gecko’s tails are able to move. By studying how this happens, researchers hope to find clues that will help physicians treat injured spinal cords.
Read the full story in the Vancouver Sun
Excuse moo!
October 13, 2009 by Editor · Leave a Comment
Methane is considered a “greenhouse gas” that contributes to global climate change, and our poor mooing friends have been made scapegoats in global politics. Purdue University researchers want to know just how much methane cows produce when they burp and fart. Although it might not be the most pleasant-smelling job out there, it could help us make changes that can help our environment.
