Science X Newsletter Thursday, Dec 7

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for December 7, 2017:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Canola oil linked to worsened memory and learning ability in Alzheimer's

Scientists modify CRISPR to epigenetically treat diabetes, kidney disease, muscular dystrophy

Why we can't always stop what we've started

Abundant enzyme in marine microbes may be responsible for production of ocean methane

Black holes' magnetism surprisingly wimpy

Heart monitors on wild narwhals reveal alarming responses to stress

Applying alternating twists to cylindrical container found to cause dice to line up

Device could dramatically cut energy waste in electric vehicles, data centers, and the power grid

Herschel data links mysterious quasar winds to furious starbursts

Rules for superconductivity mirrored in 'excitonic insulator'

Add at least 57 to the number of gun-related deaths tied to the Sandy Hook mass shooting

Smartphone case offers blood glucose monitoring on the go

New species of extinct marsupial lion discovered in Australia

Venezuelan rock art mapped in unprecedented detail

When AI is made by AI, results are impressive

Astronomy & Space news

	Black holes' magnetism surprisingly wimpy Black holes are famous for their muscle: an intense gravitational pull known to gobble up entire stars and launch streams of matter into space at almost the speed of light.
	Herschel data links mysterious quasar winds to furious starbursts Astronomers have used ESA's Herschel Space Observatory to solve a decades-old mystery about the origin of powerful cool gas winds in the hot environs of quasars. The evidence linking these powerful winds to star formation in the quasar host galaxies may also help resolve the mystery of why the size of galaxies in the Universe appears to be capped.
	NASA Mars rover team's tilted winter strategy works NASA's senior Mars rover, Opportunity, has just passed the shortest-daylight weeks of the long Martian year with its solar panels in encouragingly clean condition for entering a potential dust-storm season in 2018.
	New research bridges scaling gap between astrophysics and cosmology In their respective efforts to understand the universe and all it comprises, there is a telling gap between what cosmologists and astrophysicists study and how they study it: scale. Cosmologists typically focus on the large-scale properties of the universe as a whole, such as galaxies and intergalactic medium; while astrophysicists are more interested in testing physical theories of small- to medium-sized objects, such as stars, supernovae and interstellar medium.
	SpaceX's Elon Musk to launch his own car into deep space SpaceX confirmed Wednesday its CEO Elon Musk plans to blast his cherry red electric car off toward the Red Planet when the company's Falcon Heavy rocket launches for the first time next month.
	Image: Cygnus cargo spacecraft at sunrise NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik photographed Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo spacecraft at sunrise, prior to its departure from the International Space Station at 8:11 a.m., Dec. 6, 2017. Expedition 53 Flight Engineers Mark Vande Hei and Joe Acaba of NASA gave the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm the command to release Cygnus.
	Research on clay formation could have implications for how to search for life on Mars Today Mars has only a thin atmosphere, and its surface is very dry with the possible exception of some localised and temporary water seeps. However, ancient eroded valley networks that were discovered by orbiting spacecraft in the early days of exploration prove that water flowed across the surface in the remote past.
	The space station is getting a new gadget to detect space debris Since the 1960s, NASA and other space agencies have been sending more and more stuff into orbit. Between the spent stages of rockets, spent boosters, and satellites that have since become inactive, there's been no shortage of artificial objects floating up there. Over time, this has created the significant (and growing) problem of space debris, which poses a serious threat to the International Space Station (ISS), active satellites and spacecraft.
	Cells in space Laboratories on Earth hardly make the news, unless they come up with life-saving cures. So why would anyone care about a lab in space? The medicine you take on Earth begins with cell research, and the latest experiments on the International Space Station are helping to develop new treatments for osteoporosis, eye diseases and muscle atrophy.
	Team created techniques to analyze thousands of hours of NASA tape NASA recorded thousands of hours of audio from the Apollo lunar missions, yet most of us have only been able to hear the highlights.
	Discovery about rare nitrogen molecules offers clues to makeup of other life-supporting planets A team of scientists using a state-of-the-art UCLA instrument reports the discovery of a planetary-scale "tug-of-war" of life, deep Earth and the upper atmosphere that is expressed in atmospheric nitrogen.
	Space program should focus on Mars, says editor of New Space The U.S. space exploration program should continue to focus on robotic sample recovery and human missions to Mars, says Scott Hubbard, Editor-in-Chief of New Space. He details the benefits and risks of this strategy in an editorial entitled "Keeping the Focus on Mars," published in New Space.

Technology news

	Device could dramatically cut energy waste in electric vehicles, data centers, and the power grid Power electronics, which do things like modify voltages or convert between direct and alternating current, are everywhere. They're in the power bricks we use to charge our portable devices; they're in the battery packs of electric cars; and they're in the power grid itself, where they mediate between high-voltage transmission lines and the lower voltages of household electrical sockets.
	Smartphone case offers blood glucose monitoring on the go Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a smartphone case and app that could make it easier for patients to record and track their blood glucose readings, whether they're at home or on the go.
	When AI is made by AI, results are impressive (Tech Xplore)—Researchers exploring AI systems are making news and familiarizing the public with terms like reinforcement learning and machine learning. Recent headlines are still making some heads turn in surprise. AI software is "learning" how to replicate itself and to build its own AI child.
	Solar power advances possible with new 'double-glazing' device A new 'double-glazing' solar power device – which is unlike any existing solar panel and opens up fresh opportunities to develop more advanced photovoltaics – has been invented by University of Warwick researchers.
	Scientists create stretchable battery made entirely out of fabric A research team led by faculty at Binghamton University, State University of New York has developed an entirely textile-based, bacteria-powered bio-battery that could one day be integrated into wearable electronics.
	Ransomware slows North Carolina county government to a crawl A cyberattack slowed county government to a crawl Wednesday in North Carolina's most populous metro area as deputies processed jail inmates by hand, the tax office turned away electronic payments and building code inspectors switched to paper records.
	Bitcoin miner NiceHash reports hack, theft of its 'wallet' The Slovenian-based bitcoin miner NiceHash says it is investigating a security breach and the possible theft of tens of millions of dollars' worth of bitcoins, as meanwhile the value of the virtual currency has soared to a new record high.
	Google celebrates 50 years of kids coding languages—5 ways to get your kid engaged To celebrate 50 years since kids programming languages were first introduced, Google created a special Google Doodle "Coding for Carrots" game directed at kids to get them excited and engaged about coding.
'Go home' drone seeks to stop Japan overtime binge A drone that hovers over Japanese employees and blares music to force them to go home was unveiled Thursday, as the country tries to reduce its notoriously long work hours.
	North Carolina county's ransomware recovery will take days A North Carolina county was working Thursday on the lengthy process of fixing its computer systems after refusing to pay off a hacker who used ransomware to freeze dozens of local government servers.
	Dockless bike sharing looms as the next disruptor—if key concerns are fixed Beyond the benefits of dockless bike sharing for people's mobility and health, these services are producing an ever more useful byproduct: journey data. Mapped through global positioning system (GPS) devices on the bikes or via Bluetooth using GPS data from users' smartphones, the journey data that operators collect could be a powerful tool for city planners and policymakers, possibly even a valuable commodity.
	When celebrities die, 'grief policing' abounds, social media gets toxic After the deaths of David Bowie, Prince and actor Alan Rickman in 2016, grieving fans flocked to public comment threads on social media to pay their respects in what has been likened to a virtual wake. But many arrived to also find a toxic space where so-called "grief police" mocked them for lamenting the loss of a stranger, chastised them for emotional rubber-necking, or even dissed the dead.
	Reilly Center releases its 2018 top 10 list of ethical dilemmas in science and technology The John J. Reilly Center for Science, Technology, and Values at the University of Notre Dame has released its sixth annual list of emerging ethical dilemmas and policy issues in science and technology. The annual list is designed to get people thinking about the ethics of potentially controversial technology, but the 2018 list shows that many of these issues are already here. See the list at reillytop10.com.
	Reducing discrimination in AI with new methodology I finally had a chance to watch Hidden Figures on my long journey to Sydney, where I co-organized the second annual ICML Workshop on Human Interpretability (WHI). The film poignantly illustrates how discriminating by race and gender to limit access to employment and education is suboptimal for a society that wants to achieve greatness. Some of my work published earlier this year (co-authored with L. R. Varshney) explains such discrimination by human decision makers as a consequence of bounded rationality and segregated environments; today, however, the bias, discrimination, and unfairness present in algorithmic decision making in the field of AI is arguably of even greater concern than discrimination by people.
	The future of hardware is AI AI workloads are different from the calculations most of our current computers are built to perform. AI implies prediction, inference, intuition. But the most creative machine learning algorithms are hamstrung by machines that can't harness their power. Hence, if we're to make great strides in AI, our hardware must change, too. Starting with GPUs, and then evolving to analog devices, and then fault-tolerant quantum computers.
	In the future, your sports headlines may be generated by algorithm What if there were a scientific way to come up with the most interesting sports headlines? With the development of computational journalism, this could be possible very soon.
	Six ways (and counting) that big data systems are harming society There is growing consensus that with big data comes great opportunity, but also great risk.
	Bitcoin roars to record past $15,000 Bitcoin ploughed past $15,000 to a fresh record on Thursday, triggering a warning the cryptocurrency was "like a charging train with no brakes" and prompting fresh concern about its looming launch on mainstream markets.
	Team uses 4.5G mobile phone network for drone traffic management Researchers from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has embarked on a research project which uses existing high-speed mobile phone networks to track and control drones.
	Qualcomm CEO sees 'no path to value' in Broadcom tie-up Qualcomm chief executive Steve Mollenkopf on Thursday reaffirmed his opposition to a hostile takeover bid from computer chip rival Broadcom, saying the deal offers "no real path to value."
	Bitcoin tops $17,000; hack raises concerns ahead of US trade Bitcoin surged past $17,000 Thursday as the frenzy surrounding the virtual currency escalated just days before it starts trading on major U.S. exchanges. Bitcoin has gained more than $5,000 in just the past two days.
	Q&A: How is a bitcoin mined? A look at the virtual currency A company in Slovenia that mines bitcoin says it has been hacked, for a potential loss of tens of millions of dollars.
	Video game system technology helping physical therapists, athletic trainers Motion-based lab technology can help physical therapists, clinicians and athletic trainers analyze how we move—it also is very expensive. Some motion labs can cost upward of $100,000. Now, a team of University of Missouri researchers is finding that the depth camera often associated with video game systems can provide a variety of health care providers with objective information to improve patient care.
	Cyberattack slows North Carolina county as it works on fixes Time-consuming paper transactions slowed business Thursday in North Carolina's largest metro area as a county government began the dayslong process of restoring computer systems locked down by a ransomware attack.
Click to unwrap: More retailers are letting customers send digital gifts this holiday season It's Christmas Eve, you still have gifts to buy, and as the hours tick by, your options grow thin.
New technology attends to seniors' health, quality of life Who hasn't worried about elderly family members and wished it was easier to keep up with them from afar?
	Making fuel out of thick air Scientists hoping to develop new energy resources have long pursued the goal of directly converting methane, a simple and abundant chemical found in natural gas, into a usable fuel such as methanol. Until now, scientists have required expensive-to-generate high temperatures to do this.
Stock of drone maker AeroVironment soars after strong earnings report Shares of AeroVironment Inc., a drone manufacturer based in Monrovia, Calif., soared Wednesday after the company reported strong second-quarter earnings, boosted by a growth in sales of unmanned aircraft systems.
	Satellites to battle the digital divide A Franco-Finnish consortium developed a new generation of satellite technologies to deliver fast Internet to remote communities. Six publications and two patents demonstrate the scientific quality of the research performed.
Internet betting firms settle suits over NYX acquisition Three gambling companies have agreed to end their legal battle over the proposed acquisition of NYX Gaming by Scientific Games.
1st state opts out of broadband public safety network New Hampshire on Thursday became the first state to say it will reject FirstNet, the nationwide public safety communications system that's been approved in two-thirds of the rest of the country.
Ford shifts production of electric SUV to Mexico Ford says that shifting production of an electric SUV from the U.S. to Mexico will allow the company to make more self-driving vehicles in Michigan.
	Tech is taking over our lives, and our 401(k) accounts As technology takes over more of people's daily lives, it's also taking over ever-bigger chunks of their retirement accounts.
California judge dismisses lawsuit over Google's pay to women, but it could be refiled A lawsuit by three female former Google employees claiming that the company paid women less than men has been dismissed, but may reappear in a different form.
Chance the Rapper, Google team to bring computer science to Chicago public schools Google is teaming up with Chance the Rapper to bring computer science education to Chicago's public schools.
Anheuser-Busch orders 40 Tesla Semi trucks Your beer could soon be delivered in a Tesla.

Medicine & Health news

	Canola oil linked to worsened memory and learning ability in Alzheimer's Canola oil is one of the most widely consumed vegetable oils in the world, yet surprisingly little is known about its effects on health. Now, a new study published online December 7 in the journal Scientific Reports by researchers at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) associates the consumption of canola oil in the diet with worsened memory, worsened learning ability and weight gain in mice which model Alzheimer's disease. The study is the first to suggest that canola oil is more harmful than healthful for the brain.
	Why we can't always stop what we've started When we try to stop a body movement at the last second, perhaps to keep ourselves from stepping on what we just realized was ice, we can't always do it—and Johns Hopkins University neuroscientists have figured out why.
	Inhibiting TOR boosts regenerative potential of adult tissues Adult stem cells replenish dying cells and regenerate damaged tissues throughout our lifetime. We lose many of those stem cells, along with their regenerative capacity, as we age. Working in flies and mice, researchers at the Buck Institute and elsewhere discovered that TOR, a nutrient sensing pathway which is central to the aging process, drives the loss of adult stem cells. Treating mice with the TOR-inhibitor rapamycin prevented this loss and could reverse age-related loss of stem cells in mouse trachea. The research is published in Cell Stem Cell.
	Novel harvesting method rapidly produces superior stem cells for transplantation A new method of harvesting stem cells for bone marrow transplantation - developed by a team of investigators from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute - appears to accomplish two goals: making the donation process more convenient and less unpleasant for donors and providing cells that are superior to those acquired by current protocols. Results of the team's studies in animal models and humans will appear in the Jan. 11 issue of Cell and are being published online today.
	Monkey feel, monkey do: Microstimulation in premotor cortex can instruct movement Like an appliance with faulty wiring, injury and disease in the brain can result in lost connections, wreaking havoc on critical functions like perception and movement. Finding ways to get around those broken networks is an important area of research for those seeking to develop treatment interventions. Now researchers are showing in monkeys that stimulation delivered directly to the premotor cortex can elicit a feeling or experience that can instruct different movements, even when the stimulus is too small to induce any response directly. The study appears December 7 in the journal Neuron.
	Mutations in neurons accumulate as we age: The process may explain normal cognitive decline and neurodegeneration Scientists have wondered whether somatic (non-inherited) mutations play a role in aging and brain degeneration, but until recently there was no good technology to test this idea. A study published online today in Science, led by researchers from Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, used whole-genome sequencing of individual neurons and found strong evidence that brain mutations accumulate as we age. They also found that mutations accumulate at a higher rate in people with genetic premature aging disorders causing early brain degeneration.
	New compound stops progressive kidney disease in its tracks Progressive kidney diseases, whether caused by obesity, hypertension, diabetes, or rare genetic mutations, often have the same outcome: The cells responsible for filtering the blood are destroyed. Reporting today in Science, a team led by researchers from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School describes a new approach to prevent death in these essential kidney cells. Studying multiple animal models of kidney disease, the team discovered a compound that can impede loss of the filtration cells and restore kidney function. The work, inspired by an investigation into a genetic form of the condition, has the potential to affect therapeutic research for millions of people suffering from progressive kidney diseases.
	'Obesity paradox' not found when measuring new cases of cardiovascular disease Although obesity is a well-known risk factor for getting cardiovascular disease, a controversial body of research suggests that obesity may actually be associated with improved survival among people who have cardiovascular disease.
	Time matters: Does our biological clock keep cancer at bay? Our body has an internal biological or "circadian" clock, which cycles daily and is synchronized with solar time. New research done in mice suggests that it can help suppress cancer. The study, publishing 7 December in the open access journal PLOS Biology by Dr Angela Relógio from the Charité-Medical University of Berlin, Germany and colleagues, hypothesised that given the range of molecular time-dependent processes that it regulates, including metabolism, DNA repair and the cell cycle, the circadian clock has the potential to act as a tumour suppressor.
	Newly published research provides new insight into how diabetes leads to retinopathy An international team of scientists led by Professor Ingrid Fleming of Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany, and including Professor Bruce Hammock of the University of California, Davis, provides new insight into the mechanism by which diabetes leads to retinopathy and often to blindness.
	Double-blind study shows HIV vaccine not effective in viral suppression (Medical Xpress)—A large team of researchers from the U.S. and Canada has conducted a randomized double-blind study of the effectiveness of an HIV vaccine and has found it to be ineffective in suppressing the virus. In their paper published in Science Translational Medicine, the group describes the study, what they found and why they believe their work has provided the medical research community a valuable lesson on the importance of placebo-controlled studies. Michael Nelson with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research offers a FOCUS piece on the work done by the team in the same journal issue.
	Researchers launch atlas of developing human brain The human brain has been called the most complex object in the cosmos, with 86 billion intricately interconnected neurons and an equivalent number of supportive glial cells. One of science's greatest mysteries is how an organ of such staggering complexity - capable of producing both love poetry and scientific discovery - builds itself from just a handful of stem cells in the early embryo.
	How we learn: Mastering the features around you rather than learning about individual objects A Dartmouth-led study on how we learn finds that humans tend to rely on learning about the features of an object, rather than on the individual object itself.
	Researchers find genes may 'snowball' obesity There are nine genes that make you gain more weight if you already have a high body mass index, McMaster University researchers have found.
	Link found between morning sickness, smoking and healthy pregnancies A link between the 'old wives' tale that morning sickness may indicate a healthy pregnancy, and the reason smoking is so detrimental has been found, according to a review published in the Journal of Molecular Endocrinology. The article discusses the importance of the hormone endokinin for healthy pregnancies, its role in causing morning sickness, and how its normal function may be adversely affected by smoking, leading to poor outcomes in pregnancy.
In the blink of an eye: People perceive sex ratio, threat of group in less than a second In almost as quickly as it takes to blink an eye, we make assumptions about a group of people. New research from UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) shows people perceive the sex ratio of a group, and decide if the group is threatening or not, in half a second. The perceptions of the number of men in the group are accurate, according to the research.
	Mining electronic medical records could help depression patients find the right treatment Personalized medicine has been one of the most promising medical developments in recent years. To personalize treatment for patients, some doctors have turned to predictive models to help determine which patients will benefit from different treatments.
	Population of Americans with Alzheimer's will more than double by 2060, study shows About 15 million Americans will have either Alzheimer's dementia or mild cognitive impairment by 2060, up from approximately 6.08 million this year, according to a new study by researchers at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
First line combination therapy improves progression-free survival in advanced lung cancer A new combination therapy for the first line treatment of advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) improves progression-free survival (PFS), according to results of the phase III IMpower150 trial presented at the ESMO Immuno Oncology Congress 2017.
	New Lyme disease tests could offer quicker, more accurate detection New tests to detect early Lyme disease - which is increasing beyond the summer months -could replace existing tests that often do not clearly identify the infection before health problems occur.
	Gene therapy shows promise against blood-clotting disease Gene therapy has freed 10 men from nearly all symptoms of hemophilia for a year so far, in a study that fuels hopes that a one-time treatment can give long-lasting help and perhaps even cure the blood disease.
	FDA's program to speed up drug approval shaved nearly a year off the process Speeding the pace at which potentially lifesaving drugs are brought to market was a rallying cry for Donald Trump as a candidate, and is a stated priority of his Food and Drug Administration commissioner, Dr. Scott Gottlieb. But a new study finds that programs already in place were routinely shortening the drug development process by close to a year, and sometimes much more.
	Small risk of breast cancer seen with hormone contraceptives Modern birth control pills that are lower in estrogen have fewer side effects than past oral contraceptives. But a large Danish study suggests that, like older pills, they still modestly raise the risk of breast cancer, especially with long-term use.
	Is there a musical method for interpreting speech? Cochlear implants have been a common method of correcting sensorineural hearing loss for individuals with damage to their brain, inner ear, or auditory nerves. The implanted devices use an electrode array that is inserted into the cochlea and assists in stimulating auditory nerve fibers. However, the speech patterns heard with the use of a cochlear implant are often spectrally degraded and can be difficult to understand. Vocoded speech, or distorted speech that imitates voice transduction by a cochlear implant, is used throughout acoustic and auditory research to explore speech comprehension under various conditions.
	Researchers use breakthrough technology to understand eclipse eye damage In a first-of-its-kind study, Mount Sinai researchers are using adaptive optics (AO) to analyze retinal eye damage from the August solar eclipse on a cellular level. The research could help doctors develop a deeper understanding of this rare condition, called solar retinopathy, which has no currently accepted treatment.
Mechanism identified behind enzyme involved in liver and other human cancers To understand what has gone wrong when cancer occurs and to create new possibilities for treatment, it is important to understand the molecular mechanisms behind what is happening at the cellular level. New research, which is now published in the journal Molecular Cell, explains how the motor of an enzyme in DNA damage repair is switched on and off and how these processes might go awry in cancer.
	Physiochemical 'fingerprint' of parasitic 'American murderer' uncovered The physical and chemical 'fingerprint' profile of a parasitic worm, dubbed the 'American murderer,' which infects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, has been uncovered for the first time by researchers at the University of Nottingham - a discovery that could allow for more effective and earlier treatment.
	Are 3-D mammograms really better? US puts scans to the test A better mammogram? Increasingly women are asked if they want a 3-D mammogram instead of the regular X-ray—and now U.S. health officials are starting a huge study to tell if the newer, sometimes pricier choice really improves screening for breast cancer.
Study provides insights on immune cells involved in kidney disease Researchers have uncovered new information on cells involved in the body's immune response following kidney injury. The findings, which appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), may lead to new strategies to help protect individuals' kidney health.
Many donor kidneys that are discarded may be suitable for transplantation When researchers examined information on pairs of kidneys from the same donor in which 1 kidney was used but the other was discarded, the kidneys that were used tended to perform well even though they were similar in quality to their partner kidneys that were not used. The findings, which come from a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN), provide further evidence that many of the donated kidneys that are discarded are in fact suitable for use.
Revised trainee guidelines permit full spectrum of 'conscientious objection' Trainee doctors and nurses can opt out of providing certain aspects of sexual and reproductive healthcare, but only if they can ensure that patients' needs are still being met, whatever their own personal beliefs, say new guidelines on 'conscientious objection' from the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH).
	Genes associated with progression of melanoma identified When researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil treated human melanoma cell lines with a synthetic compound similar to curcumin, one of the pigments that give turmeric (Curcuma longa) its orange color, they identified genes with altered expression in potentially invasive tumors and malignant cells resistant to chemotherapy.
Coping with obsessive compulsive disorder during the holidays While the holidays are a joyful time, they also can be stressful, especially for those who live with obsessive compulsive disorder. One Baylor College of Medicine expert discusses how to cope with OCD during the holidays.
	Genetics study suggests that education reduces risk of Alzheimer's disease The theory that education protects against Alzheimer's disease has been given further weight by new research from the University of Cambridge, funded by the European Union. The study is published today in the BMJ.
	New app to prevent self-harm and suicide launched A new app to help people who are considering self-harm or having suicidal thoughts is now available to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play. The distrACT app which has been designed by doctors with young adults and University of Bristol researchers to provide easy, quick and discreet access to general health information and advice about self-harm.
Research reveals conflict between nursing values and healthcare reality New research from Victoria University of Wellington explores the conflict between the values of nurses and the values that drive healthcare delivery.
U.S. medical profession unprepared for nuclear attack, says study Escalating tensions between Washington and Pyongyang over North Korea's nuclear program have fueled concerns about the possibility of nuclear warfare, and a study from the University of Georgia has found that American medical professionals are woefully unprepared to handle the needs of patients after a nuclear attack.
	Teen girls 'bombarded and confused' by sexting requests: study Adolescent women feel intense pressure to send sexual images to men, but they lack the tools to cope with their concerns and the potential consequences, according to new Northwestern University research published Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017 in the journal of Sexuality Research and Social Policy.
	Revolutionary technology allows brain surgery without breaking the skin Elias Pharaon is 85 years old and can sign his name for the first time in five years thanks to a new way to do brain surgery. Performed by a team of University of Calgary physicians and researchers with the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a new technology that allows surgeons to access the brain without cutting the skin or drilling into the skull.
	Researchers report breakthrough in the war on sugar Distinguishing naturally occurring sugars in a person's diet from those added as sweetener has been challenging – until now, thanks to a new method developed by the University of Otago.
	Responding to Brazil's microcephaly crisis Josely taps on the wooden door and is welcomed into the simple concrete house perched on the rim of a ravine of one of the sprawling favelas in Salvador, Brazil.
	Violence experienced by expecting mothers detectable in the DNA of their grandchildren In 1944 and 1945, during the Second World War, the Netherlands experienced a winter famine. Studies have revealed that the children of mothers who were pregnant during this period tended to be overweight and have lifestyle diseases. By contrast, the children of mothers who had been pregnant during the siege of Leningrad in the Second World War displayed none of these tendencies. One of the differences was that, after 1945, Holland developed into an affluent society with an abundance of food, while the Soviet Union did not. These Dutch children had been programmed to survive in a world of famine and few resources but were actually living in abundance.
	Orange light as a potential mental health treatment Can orange light therapy help people who have serious mental disorders?
	Children have strokes, too—new guidelines will help diagnosis The country's first guidelines to improve doctors' ability to diagnose and manage stroke in children have been released today. Stroke is among the top ten causes of death in childhood and more than half of childhood stroke survivors have long-term disabilities. These may include seizures, physical disability, speech or learning difficulties.
	Out of character—how acting puts a mental strain on performers Performers are twice as likely as the general population to experience depression, according to the 2015 Australian Actors' Wellbeing Study. Many suffer from performance anxiety and report high levels of stress arising from work-related pressures such as low income and job insecurity.
	From 'demented' to 'person with dementia': how and why the language of disability changed In the second half of the 20th century, we came to accept that in certain cases we should avoid deliberately hurtful language. While many deride political correctness for going too far, its initial aim to establish non-hateful language was, and still is, admirable.
	Study reveals gap in life expectancy for people with mental illness New research from The Australian National University (ANU) has found that men who are diagnosed with a mental health condition in their lifetime can expect to live 10.2 years less than those who aren't, and women 7.3 years.
	People with anhedonia do experience pleasure, just not as often Put bluntly, a hedonist is a bon vivant, or at the very least somebody whose highest priority is to enjoy life. If you suffer from anhedonia – the opposite of this – then you are in an unenviable position. During her PhD research, Vera Heininga studied anhedonic young people with the help of smartphones: her conclusion is that these people are definitely capable of 'experiencing positive emotions." However, they are not very good at keeping these emotions stable. Heininga defended her doctoral thesis on Monday 4 December at the University of Groningen. Her research was funded from the NWO Talent Scheme.
	The evolutionary advantage of the teenage brain The mood swings, the fiery emotions, the delusions of immortality, all the things that make a teenager a teenager might just seem like a phase we all have to put up with. However, research increasingly shows that the behaviors of teenagers aren't just there to annoy parents, they serve a real evolutionary purpose.
Acupuncture reduced joint pain caused by aromatase inhibitor treatment in a randomized, Phase III clinical trial Acupuncture significantly reduced joint pain for postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer receiving treatment with an aromatase inhibitor compared with both sham acupuncture and no treatment, according to data from the randomized, phase III SWOG S1200 clinical trial presented at the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held Dec. 5–9.
Temporary ovarian suppression with hormone analog may preserve fertility during breast cancer chemotherapy Meta-analysis of individual patient data from five randomized clinical trials provided a high level of evidence that treatment with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRHa) could safely and effectively protect ovarian function and potentially preserve fertility in premenopausal women receiving chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer, according to a study presented at the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held Dec. 5–9.
Two years of extended anastrozole therapy proved as effective as five years in clinical trial Postmenopausal women with hormone-receptor positive (HR-positive) breast cancer who took the aromatase inhibitor anastrozole for two years after an initial five years of adjuvant endocrine therapy received an equal benefit to those who took the drug for five additional years. The trial results suggest that a shorter duration of treatment may provide sufficient benefits while protecting women from harmful side effects, according to data from the ABCSG-16 phase III trial presented at the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held Dec. 5–9.
	It's time to recognise how harmful high-rise living can be for residents The fire at Grenfell Tower has catapulted high-rise social housing into the public consciousness, in a way not seen since the 1960s. Back then, high-rise tower blocks represented a new vision of social progress. They were greeted with hope and optimism by housing officials, architects and town planners across the UK. But now, the mood has turned to one of bitterness, anger and fear. Over the years, most of these so-called "villages in the sky" have become concrete containers for society's poorest and neediest people.
	Vaccines aren't enough – working on a way to stop the polio virus for good There were just 74 cases of polio reported worldwide in 2015. Thanks to a global vaccination drive, this crippling disease, which once affected hundreds of thousands of people a year, is now on the verge of extinction. The World Health Organisation estimates its eradication programme has saved around 5m people from a lifetime of paralysis.
	Genetic testing is being used in sport – but what are the consequences? What makes an athlete great? The age old question continues to tease the sporting world. As science makes significant strides in the understanding of our genetic information, the search for the genetic components which separate winners and losers has followed. And now genetic testing is becoming increasingly popular and accessible to consumers who may be curious about their genetic information for health or ancestral reasons.
	People with Huntington's want more openness around assisted dying Research has shown that better communication around assisted dying is needed between clinician and patients diagnosed with Huntington's Disease.
	The effectiveness of strategies to improve people's access to treatment for tuberculosis In a new Cochrane Review, researchers from Tanzania working with colleagues in LSTM have evaluated the effectiveness of strategies to improve people's access to treatment for tuberculosis (TB).
	Research finds babies that feed themselves have no increased risk of choking New research from Swansea University shows that letting babies feed themselves solid foods from as young as six months does not increase the risk of them choking compared to spoon-feeding them.
	Brain scans may reveal most effective anti-drug messages What if you could look into the brains of potential drug abusers and see what messages would be most likely to persuade them to "just say no?"
	Airline food study provides travelers with the best in-flight food choices There will more than 51 million passengers traveling during this holiday season  (Dec. 15th -Jan 4th) according to trade group Airlines for America . Knowing what are the "best" and "worst" choices is a valuable tool for any traveler, so Dr. Charles Platkin, the director of the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center and editor of DietDetective.com., once again studied the best "Calorie Bargains" and "Calorie Rip-offs" at 35,000 feet.
	Research suggests new pathways for hyperaldosteronism A new study led by researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP), in collaboration with researchers at Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, part of the National Institutes of Health, identifies a mechanism that explains the development of hyperaldosteronism. The findings, published in JCI Insight, offer a path for drug discovery to treat the condition, which causes the majority of secondary hypertension.
Study finds recreational drug users not what we think A James Cook University researcher has been investigating why Australians are among the top users of illegal drugs in the world – and has uncovered some revealing new facts about the motivations of recreational drug users.
Study finds evidence that a protein, MCP-1, may determine bone loss responses to parathyroid hormone In a new study published in November in Scientific Reports, New York University College of Dentistry (NYU Dentistry) researchers investigating the catabolic effect of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in hyperparathyroidism (HPT) showed, for the first time, that monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is required for catabolic responses to PTH. HTP is a condition in which an abnormally high concentration of PTH in the blood accelerates bone loss.
Community practices not following guidelines for MRI breast cancer screening Guidelines are not being followed to ensure that breast cancer screening of high risk women, such as those with a strong family history of breast cancer, includes an additional MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan. According to Deirdre A. Hill of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in the US, this signals a missed opportunity to use technology that can help detect breast cancer early in high-risk groups. She led a study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Biological factors don't fully explain racial disparities for breast cancer type Higher risk of recurrence for black women with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer compared with white women cannot be completely explained by underlying biological factors, University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers reported at the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium on Thursday, Dec. 7.
	Researchers make important bacterial discovery in oral pre-cancer condition Scientists at the School of Dental Science in Trinity have made an important discovery involving bacteria and a pre-cancerous growth called oral leuoplakia which can precede oral cancer.
	Number of genetic markers linked to lifespan triples A new large-scale international study expands the number of genetic markers now known to be associated with exceptional longevity.
New study 'reimagines infertility' New research from Lancaster University has identified the 'invisible infertile', a group of marginalized people missing from survey data sources because they do not fit neatly into popular notions of who is at risk of infertility.
	Hope for autism: Optogenetics shines light on social interactions Ilana Witten didn't set out to study spatial learning. She thought she was investigating how mice socialize—but she discovered that in mouse brains, the social and the spatial are inextricably linked.
Inadequate regulation for vaginal mesh products has exposed women to unnecessary harms, warn experts Inadequate regulatory processes for vaginal mesh products used to treat stress incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse have exposed women to unnecessary harms, warn experts in The BMJ today.
Quick evaluation can predict whether drugs, talk therapy work better for anxiety patients Clinicians and patients often struggle to find the right treatment for anxiety, sometimes cycling through various therapies for months before the patient begins to feel their symptoms improve.
	Electrical stimulation in brain bypasses senses, instructs movement The brain's complex network of neurons enables us to interpret and effortlessly navigate and interact with the world around us. But when these links are damaged due to injury or stroke, critical tasks like perception and movement can be disrupted. New research is helping scientists figure out how to harness the brain's plasticity to rewire these lost connections, an advance that could accelerate the development of neuro-prosthetics.
	Psychologist examines methods of classifying mental disorders Mental illnesses, such as major depression, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, affect nearly 1 in 5 adults in the United States, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Many aspects of these illnesses remain something of a mystery, despite the progress made in understanding them by researchers studying these disorders in the last half century.
	As hearing fades with age, dementia risk may rise (HealthDay)—Age can often bring a loss of hearing, and for some, mental decline in the form of dementia. But are the two linked?
	Acupuncture may ease pain tied to breast cancer care (HealthDay)—Some common breast cancer medications can trigger joint pain, but new research suggests acupuncture may ease that side effect.
	VDT PACE effective in relapsed, refractory multiple myeloma (HealthDay)—For heavily pre-treated patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM), bortezomib, dexamethasone, thalidomide, cisplatin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide and etoposide (VDT PACE) regimen and its modifications (VDT PACE-like regimens [VPLRs]) are effective, according to a study published online Oct. 25 in the American Journal of Hematology.
	Platelet-rich plasma injection may be effective for alopecia (HealthDay)—Subcutaneous injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) may be effective for treating alopecia, according to an experimental study published Nov. 11 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.
	Impaired white matter integrity for depression in Parkinson's (HealthDay)—Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with depression have impaired white matter integrity, especially in the long contact fibers in the left hemisphere, according to a study published online Nov. 10 in CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics.
	Moving more may match focused exercise in prediabetes (HealthDay)—The accumulation of total physical activity (PA) over the day may be as important as achieving the intensity of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) for improved cardiometabolic health of adults with prediabetes, according to a study published online Nov. 20 in Diabetes Care.
	Discrimination harms your health—and your partner's Discrimination not only harms the health and well-being of the victim, but the victim's romantic partner as well, indicates new research led by a Michigan State University scholar.
Money-saving health plans do little to curb spending on unnecessary medical services An increasingly popular form of health insurance touted for its money-saving potential has not reduced spending on unnecessary medical services, a new study shows.
Study highlights the need for research into prevention of inflammatory bowel disease Countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America have seen a rise in incidence of inflammatory bowel disease as they have become increasingly industrialised and westernised, a new study has found.
	Mindful yoga can reduce risky behaviors in troubled youth, says research For some young people, dealing with life stressors like exposure to violence and family disruption often means turning to negative, risky behaviors—yet little is known about what can intervene to stop this cycle.
A common virus may help inform treatment planning for stem cell transplant patients Most healthy people barely notice infection with the human cytomegalovirus (hCMV), a form of the herpes virus that has evolved with humans over thousands of years and usually lays dormant in the body after initial infection. Now, in a study recently published in the journal PLOS ONE, a team of scientists from VCU Massey Cancer Center have shown a genetic relationship between the reactivation of hCMV and the onset of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a potentially deadly condition in which the immune system attacks healthy tissue following a bone marrow or stem cell transplant.
	International collaboration could reduce smoking prevalence, researchers find According to the World Health Organization, approximately 80 percent of the world's more than 1 billion smokers live in low-and middle-income countries, where the burden of tobacco-related illness and death is the heaviest. Despite the high smoking rates in these countries, little research has been completed comparing smoking rates across countries with different economies. In a new study comparing smoking rates and regulations between the U.S. and Turkey, Mansoo Yu, associate professor of social work at the University of Missouri, found the rate of current smoking is higher in Turkey at 27 percent compared to the U.S. at 18 percent. Additionally, he found the cessation rate is higher in the U.S. at 25 percent compared to 22 percent in Turkey. The researchers hope the findings from this comparison can help health officials and policymakers find ways to reduce global tobacco use.
	Screen time before bed linked with less sleep, higher BMIs in kids It may be tempting to let your kids stay up late playing games on their smartphones, but using digital devices before bed may contribute to sleep and nutrition problems in children, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.
Ohio to name winners of up to $12M in opioid science grants Ohio is set to name recipients of up to $12 million in competitive grants aimed at supporting scientific breakthroughs to solve the national opioid crisis.
Philippines plans to sue Sanofi over dengue vaccine: minister (Update) The Philippines intends to sue Sanofi after authorities suspended the pharmaceutical giant's anti-dengue vaccine in response to the company warning the drug could lead to severe infections in some cases, the health secretary said Thursday.
	Virtual reality at the service of psychology Our environment is composed according to certain rules and characteristics that are so obvious that people are scarcely aware of them. Professor Melissa Le-Hoa Vo, psychologist at Goethe University Frankfurt, is studying this "scene knowledge" and other topics of visual cognition in a virtual reality laboratory. In the current issue of the Forschung Frankfurt research journal, journalist Jessica Klapp reports on her virtual trip to Italy and explains why people don't look for the milk under the bed or for our pillow in the bathtub.
	Addressing the burden of glaucoma in Ghana In each of the past 22 years, Don Budenz, MD, MPH, has gone to Ghana – first right after his fellowship training and now as Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at UNC and founder of Christian Eye Ministry, an NGO dedicated to preventing and curing blindness in the developing world.
New study shows HIV-infected women not using statins as recommended A new study has shown that HIV-infected women do not use statins as recommended by the most recent guidelines. Control of blood lipid levels to prevent heart disease is especially important in HIV-positive women, and they may also benefit from the potential anti-inflammatory effects of statins, as described in an article published in AIDS Patient Care and STDs.
Aging with an intellectual disability—new longitudinal report Increased rates of important health screenings and access to GPs amongst people with an intellectual disability have been highlighted in a new report launched this week. These health gains, however, are potentially being offset by poorly managed chronic health problems and emerging social isolation issues amongst the same population. The report was conducted by The Intellectual Disability Supplement to The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (IDS-TILDA) by academics from Trinity College Dublin.
Patient bedside important for medical student learning A new web-based tool aimed at improving experiential learning for medical students has demonstrated that learning occurs in patient rooms and in other areas within the hospital, including workstations. Developed by clinicians at Boston Medical Center (BMC) and BU School of Medicine, "Learning Moment" allows students to electronically log their learning experiences and share them with their peers. This tool provides an organized way for students to reflect on their learning experiences, which is a critical component of lifelong learning that is sometimes lacking in clinical learning environments.
	A Medicaid challenge: Poor health, but a drive to improve It's one of Medicaid's challenges.
	Ted Koppel's fight to make COPD headline news (HealthDay)—The doctor who diagnosed Grace Anne Koppel with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) didn't pull any punches.
	Creating your family health tree (HealthDay)—A family health history can be key to your wellness.
	ASHP launches pharmacy technician forum (HealthDay)—A pharmacy technician forum, which aims to provide a voice for practicing technicians and improve engagement in the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), has been created by the ASHP Board of Directors and launched at the mid-year clinical meeting and exhibition of the ASHP, held from Dec. 3 to 7 in Orlando, Fla.
One in two Africans don't know HIV status: expert Thirty-five years after the start of the AIDS epidemic, one person in two in sub-Saharan Africa "does not know their HIV status," according to a French expert.
Ohio awards $10M to boost opioid, addiction breakthroughs Ohio will pay to support development of pain management alternatives, mobile apps to improve addiction treatment and other advanced technologies through $10 million in competitive grants.
Understanding and preventing gangrene Dear Mayo Clinic: I have heard that a stubbed toe can lead to gangrene in some individuals. Is that true? What are the signs of gangrene, and how can it be avoided?
Mayo Clinic, The Link launch one-of-a-kind gift registry to help victims of sex trafficking As game day approaches, Mayo Clinic and The Link have teamed up to announce the launch of RiseUpGifts.org as part of an effort to raise awareness about sex trafficking and inspire people to make a difference by helping victims who have been trafficked.

Biology news

	Scientists modify CRISPR to epigenetically treat diabetes, kidney disease, muscular dystrophy Salk scientists have created a new version of the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology that allows them to activate genes without creating breaks in the DNA, potentially circumventing a major hurdle to using gene editing technologies to treat human diseases.
	Heart monitors on wild narwhals reveal alarming responses to stress Narwhals released after entanglement in nets and outfitted with heart monitors performed a series of deep dives, swimming hard to escape, while their heart rates dropped to unexpectedly low levels of three to four beats per minute. This combination of hard exercise and low heart rate while not breathing under water is costly and could make it difficult for the deep-diving whales to get enough oxygen to the brain and other critical organs, according to a new study.
	Crafty crows know what it takes to make a good tool Biologists at the University of St Andrews have discovered how New Caledonian crows make one of their most sophisticated tool designs - sticks with a neatly-shaped hooked tip.
	One wet winter can shake up San Francisco Bay's invasive species For many Californians, last year's wet winter triggered a case of whiplash. After five years of drought, rain from October 2016 to February 2017 broke more than a century of records. In San Francisco Bay, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center biologists discovered a hidden side effect: All that freshwater rain can turn the tables on some of the bay's invasive species.
	Humans, unlike monkeys, turn competitive situation into cooperative one Rhesus macaques and capuchin monkeys can find a stable solution when playing a competitive game in which one opponent always does better than the other, but only humans can find a solution that benefits both competitors equally, turning a competitive situation into a cooperative one, according to a Georgia State University study.
	How malaria tricks the immune system Global efforts to eradicate malaria are crucially dependent on scientists' ability to outsmart the malaria parasite. And Plasmodium falciparum is notoriously clever: It is quick to develop resistance against medications and has such a complex life cycle that blocking it effectively with a vaccine has thus far proved elusive. In a new study reported in Nature Communications, researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science, together with collaborators in Ireland and Australia, have shown that Plasmodium falciparum is even more devious than previously thought: Not only does it hide from the body's immune defenses, it employs an active strategy to deceive the immune system.
	Algae could feed and fuel planet with aid of new high-tech tool Vast quantities of medicines and renewable fuels could be produced by algae using a new gene-editing technique, a study suggests.
	Common fungus helps dengue virus thrive in mosquitoes A species of fungus that lives in the gut of some Aedes aegypti mosquitoes increases the ability of dengue virus to survive in the insects, according to a study from researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The fungus exerts this effect by reducing the production and activity of digestive enzymes in the mosquitoes.
	Research papers shed light on decade-long stem cell mystery A series of studies led by Monash University researcher Associate Professor Jose Polo have this week shed light on vital, yet previously unclear, aspects of cell reprogramming.
	Researchers discover the unexpected atomic structure of cold and menthol sensor TRPM8 A team of researchers from The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) and Duke University has made the first determination of the atomic structure of Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 8 (TRPM8), a molecular sensor in nerve ends that detects cold temperatures as well as menthol and other chemicals that induce cold sensations.
	Scientists call on US to allow research on pot meds for pets Dr. Byron Maas surveys a supply of marijuana products for dogs that lines a shelf in his veterinary clinic. They're selling well.
	New algorithm recognizes distinct dolphin clicks in underwater recordings Scientists have developed a new algorithm that can identify distinct dolphin click patterns among millions of clicks in recordings of wild dolphins. This approach, presented in PLOS Computational Biology by Kaitlin Frasier of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, California, and colleagues, could potentially help distinguish between dolphin species in the wild.
Team reveals high prevalence of bacteria that carry gene mcr-1 in ecosystem A research collaborative recently found that bacteria that carry the colistin resistance gene mcr-1 commonly exist in food and environmental samples collected from Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland. The mcr-1 gene is a new plasmid-encoded colistin resistance mechanism discovered by scientists in China in 2015. Colistin has been a last-resort antibiotic used to treat severe infections caused by carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) strains. The prevalence of mcr-1 in the ecosystem challenges the role of colistin as the last-resort antibiotic to treat infections caused by CRE.
	New screening technique will allow crop breeders to develop drought resistant varieties faster Scientists from the Canadian Light Source (CLS) have teamed up with researchers from the University of Saskatchewan to develop a new technique to examine drought tolerance in wheat.
	Researchers uncover novel pathway to suppress virus-induced cancers Researchers at the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have identified a novel molecular pathway by which a tumour suppressor, TIP60, inhibits the growth of cancer cells. The study led by Dr Sudhakar Jha, Principal Investigator at CSI Singapore and Deepa Rajagopalan, PhD student at NUS, paves the way for the development of new therapeutic strategies that could impede the spread of virus-induced cancers.
	How drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge could impact wildlife The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is America's largest and wildest piece of publicly owned land. Polar bears, caribou, and wolves roam its 19.6 million acres; golden eagles build their nests on its cliffs, migratory birds rest in its waters, and "the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man."
	New discovery, more bees mark Michigan's first, full bee census The first complete bee census, led by Michigan State University scientists, confirmed a new species and revealed that the actual number of bee species in Michigan exceeded earlier estimates.
'Cyberbiosecurity' and protecting the life sciences Biology and biotechnology have entered a digital age, but security policies around such activities have not kept pace.
	Life of an albatross: Tackling individuality in studies of populations When ecologists study populations of animals, they commonly round off the individuality of individuals, treating animals of the same species, sex, and age like identical units. This has practical utility for studies focused on how populations change in size and composition and how they respond to their environment.
	Carnivores know that eating other carnivore carcasses transmits diseases An international team of researchers led by the University of Granada (UGR) has explained for the first time the scientific basis of the old Spanish saying 'perro no come perro' (dog eats no dog): for a carnivorous animal, eating carrion of another carnivore, especially if it is of the same species, increases the probability of contracting pathogens that could endanger its life.
Fat squirrel steals pricey goods left out for delivery folks An obese squirrel was caught on video stealing gourmet chocolate and lip balm that a family leaves outside as a holiday treat for delivery people.

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