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Health & Medicine
Tomatoes’ tasteless green gene
The tomatoes your great-grandparents ate probably tasted little like the ones you eat today. The fruit used to have more flavor. A lot more flavor. In fact, tomatoes “were once so flavorful that you could take one in your hand and eat it straight away just like we regularly eat apples or peaches,” according to plant scientist Alan Bennett. He belongs to a team of international scientists who now think they know one reason why the fruit has lost so much flavor. Although some unripe tomatoes have a dark green patch near the stem, farmers prefer that their unripe tomatoes are the same shade of green all over. The consistent coloring makes it easier for them to know when the fruit should be picked.
By Roberta Kwok -
Health & Medicine
Kids with ‘adult’ problems
Nationwide survey shows that children are headed toward serious health problems related to excess weight.
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Health & Medicine
Paralyzed rats walk again
Treatment helps animals recover from spinal cord injuries.
By Roberta Kwok -
Health & Medicine
Switching cough off
Researchers find possible solution to the nagging problem of how to curb a cough.
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Health & Medicine
Losing control over sugar
A common pollutant and sweetener mess with important hormones.
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Environment
‘Nonstick’ chemicals may undercut value of vaccinations
Chemicals used to make fabrics stain resistant and pans stick resistant are showing up everywhere — including in kids. One big downside: New data show they can keep vaccines from working well.
By Janet Raloff -
Microbes
Surprisingly hardy flu germs
Flu-causing viruses may live for days or even months outside the body.
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Health & Medicine
Worms, your unlikely allies
Parasites show promise in treating immune disorders.
By Nathan Seppa