Other Science News

Sex is considered an essential component of life and wellness. Touch, intimacy and the resultant pleasurable physiologic responses bestow a number of benefits. So is sex-on-prescription insurance coverage in our future?  
If one can get past its superficial reputation, there's value in understanding why photographing oneself has become a global phenomenon, and what in human nature drives billions of people to do it. In fact, researchers have identified three behavioral types of selfie shooters. We know you do it, too, so which one are you?
A new MIT study projects that innovative, app-based carpooling in New York City could create unimaginable reductions and euphoric efficiencies in taxi traffic. But we need to point out that those brilliant researchers considered everything except for one tiny detail – the psyche of the demanding New York taxi passenger. 
Gun violence is not solely about gun regulation or the environment. There are many nuanced contributors, including the social networks.
The Cleveland Clinic remains mortified that one of their physicians, Dr. Daniel Neides, wrote blog post full of anti-science quackery. It has issued as strong of a rebuke as possible without firing him on the spot. Here's the full whiplashing by the Cleveland Clinic. 
The latest exercise fad, aiming to make your workout more interesting and personal, incorporates your DNA sequence as an integral part of your regimen and diet. But unfortunately, making your trainer aware of your DNA isn't going to improve your workout – anymore than it'll tell him your preference of smoothie flavor. 
In a new study of elderly Chinese, researchers sought to learn if mid-day napping was beneficial – and if so – when it was best to do, and for how long to achieve optimal results. They concluded that for adults 65 and older, post-lunch, one-hour naps improved mental performance as compared to those who napped longer, shorter or not at all.
Besides deceiving readers about science policy, there are plenty of other reasons to avoid Slate. Perhaps best is that the online site loves posting contrarian articles using a time-tested formula to attract readers: Take an obviously-stupid statement and add a headline vigorously defending it. Whether the article is accurate, compelling or well-conceived is an afterthought.
2016 was a year to forget. A rough-and-tumble election, partisan rhetoric and "fake news," and the loss of many beloved and talented people -- from Prince to Carrie Fisher -- made this calendar cycle a bit more difficult than most. Surely, 2017 must have something better in store. To ensure that it does, we all must resolve to make it so. And as a science journalist, I can do my part by adopting these four resolutions. I hope other journalists join me.
“At the moment, Careline users who fall at home have to wait for a paramedic to help them. But under the new policy, Careline staff will go to their aid and get the user sitting up and assess the situation before an ambulance is called, in a bid to cut the number of call-outs to falls paramedics receive.”
In the last week, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)  initiated a demonstration project involving the bundling of care for two new diagnostic categories. First, acute myocardial infarctions (AMI) – heart attacks including their medical and minimally invasive treatment (coronary artery angioplasty and stents) and second, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) – surgery to improve/restore circulation to the heart arteries. And I should care why?  ... the presumptive new Health and Human Services Secretary is expected to cancel the demonstration, but it is more important to look at the underlying economics CMS envisions because they are the savings part of Obamacare.
Representing a cross between brilliant engineering and maximum product efficiency, in which the smallest particles of a valuable substance are put to extraordinary use, a team of scientists has created electrical wiring from the absolute smallest pieces of diamonds. How small, you ask?  The researchers used material called "diamondoids" – microscopic dust if you will, called "cages," that contain hydrogen and just 10 carbon atoms.