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Natural Disasters Bring Risk of Fungal Infections
Posted by LiveScience: Rachael Rettner on February 12th, 2014
LiveScience: Natural disasters can create conditions that put survivors at risk for fungal infections, which are often overlooked, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes and other natural disasters can displace harmful fungi from their natural habitat, potentially bringing them into contact with injured and vulnerable people, the report said. Individuals may inhale fungal spores, or the spores can find their way into wounds, resulting...
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Pesticide DDT Linked to Alzheimer’s Disease
Posted by LiveScience: Rachael Rettner on January 27th, 2014
LiveScience: Exposure to the pesticide DDT, which was banned in the United States in the 1970s but is still found in the environment, may increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests. People with Alzheimer's disease in the study had levels of a DDT byproduct, called DDE, in their blood that were nearly four times higher on average than the levels seen in people without Alzheimer's. Among the people with the highest levels of DDE, those who carried a gene known to increase the risk for Alzheimer's...
What 11 Billion People Mean for Food Security
Posted by LiveScience: Rachael Rettner on November 20th, 2013
LiveScience: Editor's note: By the end of this century, Earth may be home to 11 billion people, the United Nations has estimated, earlier than previously expected. As part of a week-long series, LiveScience is exploring what reaching this population milestone might mean for our planet, from our ability to feed that many people to our impact on the other species that call Earth home to our efforts to land on other planets. Check back here each day for the next installment.
Beetles, scorpions and other insects...