lifestyle

Blood and urine analyses from vapers confirmed they had absorbed chemicals from e-cigarette chemicals that researchers know are linked to cancer.

Placebo treatments can trigger measurable changes in the brain, immune system and hormone function. In studies on pain, placebos cause the brain to release endorphins, the body’s natural opioids. In Parkinson’s disease, placebo injections increase dopamine activity in the brain. The placebo effect isn’t magic. It’s biology.

A new study of two whale fossils, with preservedfragments of shark teeth, suggests the modern descendants of these animalscould once again roam the southern region of the North Sea, between the UK,Belgium and Denmark.

Pregnancy makes large-scale changes to a mother’s body. But as soon as the baby is delivered, these changes usually reverse back to baseline – often quicker than they happened during pregnancy. This sometimes means the body fails to adapt, leading to various health conditions.

In a landscape where medicines are often judged by how familiar they feel, codeine is a reminder that common does not always mean simple. Used carefully, it can help. Used carelessly, it can cause problems that last long after the pain itself has passed.

The new fossils were found in the Jurassic red beds of the Middle Atlas Mountains show that this ankylosaur was covered in spikes that were fused directly to its skeleton. They also show that the tail weapons characteristic of ankylosaurs evolved much earlier than scientists had previously believed.

By pinpointing exactly when Madagascar’s most arid region was wet, dry and everything in between over 700 years, scientists now have a powerful new baseline for evaluating what might happen with today’s climate change.

At first glance, Rajasthan’s Kishangarh appears like a vast stretch of sparkling white glacier, or Bolivia’s salt flats, if you must. However, labelled as a toxic tourist destination for dangerously high levels of silicate, nitrate and fluoride, the site continues to be open to visitors.

Bixonimania is not an isolated case. Being deceived – whether you are a person or an AI model – is concerningly common, in science and beyond.

The story behind this latest wave of anxiety doesn’t come from a definitive, landmark trial. It comes from a brief presentation at a scientific conference, based on 187 people with early‑onset lung cancer.

Evolutionary psychology points to interventions such as educating men about what counts as sexual harassment. However, evidence suggests this kind of training is not effective. And, of course, the only way to really change people’s evolved adaptive mechanisms would be to change their brains and genes – which we can’t do.

Bees help farmers grow the foods people love to eat, everything from apples to almonds. Along with other pollinators – such as flies, butterflies and moths – bees help nearly 80 per cent of flowering plants produce fruit and seeds, which in turn support birds and other wildlife.