Other Science News

LED lighting
The American Medical Association is seeing the switch to brighter, longer-lasting LED street lamps as troubling, even raising some health concerns that it's calling potentially "harmful." But to us, those concerns seem baffling and overblown, because when its policy statement is examined it's hard to discern what the concern is all about.
Supermarket Selections
When it comes to food -- shopping for, eating and disposing of it -- it's surprising how lack of awareness frequently factors into each area. Apparently this was a recurring theme given the tepid news coverage following last weekend's World Food Day, coupled with a recent consumer survey regarding food consumption and waste.
The death of a young, vibrant, single mother is beyond tragic. When that death could have been avoided, it is infuriating. When it is at the hand of a chiropractor, it is time for things to change. 
It's known that predatory open access (pOA) journals have low standards. But the story of the paper submission of Dr. Alexandre Martin's son, Tristan, underscores just how unethical they are. If published, Tristan would have plagiarized his work without ever having been aware of it. Did we mention that Tristan is seven years old? 
Sanitary Wipes
A New York City Council hearing by the Committee on Environmental Protection, originally slated for today, won't he going off as scheduled. But this will serve the public interest, since at the very least any delay will give legislators additional time to rethink their well-meaning, but ultimately misguided, proposal that could ban so-called "flushable" wipes.
This year not a single Nobel Prize winner was female. In fact, overall, women account for winning just 5 percent of the prestigious award. The reasons for this stark difference are multifactorial, but there's one that stands out: after obtaining a PhD, the path to the very top of the scientific profession may be easier for men than it is for women.
The scientific review process should be rigorous, fair and unbiased. However, a new study in JAMA indicates that none of those may be true, finding that those who author a paper influences how stringently the data are judged. 
We know how the flu is spread. We know the importance of getting a flu shot. But what we may not know is the difference between the strains, and how they are named. While a bit "inside biology" for some, here's what these names mean and how they come about -- a look into the virology behind the influenza virus. 
Can We Make it to Mars?
According to SpaceX, more than 200,000 people from around the world want  to be the first to travel to Mars. But the rocket maker cautions that (1) this isn't a Moon quickie; the trip will take roughly six months; and (2) the company has no plans to bring its astronauts back to Earth ... ever. That danger aside, reportedly there are 100 finalists vying for a shot at blasting off for the Red Planet.  
Now that pharmacies are regularly distributing vaccines, their push to get people in for shots is not entirely in the interest of public health. Rather, often they are betting on the customer picking up something else while in the store. But has this commerce complication made the push for the flu vaccine too early? 
There's no time like the present to do our part, so our team decided to pitch in on the #22KILL push-ups challenge to honor those who serve. 22KILL is a global movement bridging the gap between veterans and civilians to build a community of support. It wasn't all that pretty, but we did it!   To find out more, visit www.22kill.com  
Future grandmaster?
Chess, the eminently cerebral game, is even thought provoking in ways unrelated to the movement of pieces on the board. Can you become a talented or great player simply by practicing relentlessly? Or must one already possess superior, innate intelligence in order to succeed?