Anti-doping education: Teaching athletes about morality in sport can help reduce doping

Elite athletes can be persuaded not to take banned substances—either by appealing to their sense of morality or educating them about the risks of using performance-enhancing drugs, according to a new study.

Nine years on, the psychological effects of the Syrian war on school children in Damascus

Almost a decade of civil and military unrest has left Syrian children mentally scarred, angry and traumatized, according to new research.

Replacing red meat with plant foods may reduce the risk of heart disease

Replacing red meat with high quality plant foods such as beans, nuts, or soy may be associated with a modestly reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), suggests a study published by The BMJ today.

Birth defects linked to greater risk of cancer in later life

People born with major birth defects face a higher risk of cancer throughout life, although the relative risk is greatest in childhood and then declines, finds a study published by The BMJ today.

Wildlife advocates sue US agency to protect Canada lynx

Wildlife advocates sued the federal government Tuesday in a bid to force officials to do more to conserve Canada lynx, a snow-loving cat that has struggled to survive in parts of the U.S. West.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-wildlife-advocates-sue-agency-canada.html

Keeping California a powerhouse of almond production

A favorite healthy snack, almonds are a staple on grocery store shelves worldwide. More than 80% of these almonds are grown in California. As permanent crops, almond trees have unique needs and challenges for farmers.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-california-powerhouse-almond-production.html

After 100 years, Cornell University plant pathologists revisit fire blight hypothesis

Historically credited as being the first bacterium ever characterized as a plant pathogen, fire blight is a bacterial disease that leads to significant losses of pear and apple. The role of insects in the spread of this disease has been long studied. In a new study, plant pathologists based at Cornell University and Cornell AgriTech take a hypothesis that has been more or less ignored for 100 years and provided support for its validity.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-years-cornell-university-pathologists-revisit.html

China's 'space dream': A Long March to the Moon and beyond

China's landing this week of a probe on the Moon—the first attempt by any nation to retrieve lunar samples in four decades—underlined just how far the country has come in achieving its space dream.

'Don't leave trash in the desert': Utah monolith removal explained

The mystery of how a metal monolith appeared in the Utah desert remains, but the riddle of its removal seems to have been solved—and sadly, has nothing to do with aliens.

Lab developing device to help Earth dodge asteroids

In a corner of the campus at Riga Technical University, a team of scientists is working on technology that could one day stop asteroids from smashing into Earth.

New Zealand symbolically declares climate emergency

Joining more than 30 countries, New Zealand on Wednesday took the symbolic step of declaring a climate emergency.

Salesforce buying work-chat service Slack for $27.7 billion

Business software pioneer Salesforce.com is buying work-chatting service Slack for $27.7 billion in a deal aimed at giving the two companies a better shot at competing against longtime industry powerhouse Microsoft.

Wildlife advocates sue US agency to protect Canada lynx

Wildlife advocates sued the federal government Tuesday in a bid to force officials to do more to conserve Canada lynx, a snow-loving cat that has struggled to survive in parts of the U.S. West.

Vitamin D regulates calcium in intestine differently than previously thought

A Rutgers study has discovered that vitamin D regulates calcium in a section of the intestine that previously was thought not to have played a key role. The findings have important implications on how bowel disease, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, may disrupt calcium regulation.

More evidence that cellular 'death by iron' could be promising avenue of cancer treatment

If there is a silver lining in cancer's chaotic biology, it's that the same traits that give cancer cells a growth advantage often present opportunities for sabotaging them.

Glucosamine may reduce overall death rates as effectively as regular exercise: study

Glucosamine supplements may reduce overall mortality about as well as regular exercise does, according to a new epidemiological study from West Virginia University.

Kids' TV teaching children wrong lessons about pain: new study

Children engrossed in popular kids' TV programs such as Peppa Pig, or films like Toy Story or Frozen, are exposed to up to nine incidents of pain for every hour of TV watched, according to new research from psychologists.

Keeping California a powerhouse of almond production

A favorite healthy snack, almonds are a staple on grocery store shelves worldwide. More than 80% of these almonds are grown in California. As permanent crops, almond trees have unique needs and challenges for farmers.

Tanning beds and sunbathing may be associated with an increased risk of endometriosis

Tanning beds and sunbathing not only increase a woman's chances of developing malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, but may also be linked to a greater risk of developing endometriosis, according to new research.

After 100 years, Cornell University plant pathologists revisit fire blight hypothesis

Historically credited as being the first bacterium ever characterized as a plant pathogen, fire blight is a bacterial disease that leads to significant losses of pear and apple. The role of insects in the spread of this disease has been long studied. In a new study, plant pathologists based at Cornell University and Cornell AgriTech take a hypothesis that has been more or less ignored for 100 years and provided support for its validity.

Native American ancestry associated with more mutations in EGFR gene among Latin Americans

Among patients with lung cancer from Latin America, genomic and ancestry analyses revealed that Native American ancestry was associated with increased mutations in the EGFR gene, independent of smoking status, according to results from a study published in Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Building resiliency in children as the COVID-19 pandemic continues through the holidays

Seasons of change can be difficult to navigate emotionally, not only for adults, but also for children. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly impacted children's mental health, and as families start planning for the holidays that may look very different this year, it's important to build resilience in kids to prepare them for what's ahead during these winter months.