Ants self-medicate to fight disease

We humans have been using self-medication to cure the illnesses since the dawn of our species. There is some evidence that also other animals can exhibit this type of behavior, but the evidence has been hard to come by.

Salt-tolerant herb rich in antioxidant compounds

Epidemiological studies have emphasised the importance of eating foods high in antioxidants to reduce the risk of developing cancer and cardiovascular disease, two leading causes of death worldwide. Inside the body, antioxidants ...

Making a common cosmetic and sunblock ingredient safer

Using a particular type of titanium dioxide—a common ingredient in cosmetics, food products, toothpaste and sunscreen—could reduce the potential health risks associated with the widely used compound. The report on the ...

A protein provides stress relief for cells

German researchers have shown a new mechanism via which cells defend themselves against stress. Dr. Kathrin Thedieck and Birgit Holzwarth from the Institute of Biology III and the Cluster of Excellence BIOSS Centre for Biological ...

Revealing a pollutant's Achilles' heal

Nitric oxide (NO) is a versatile free radical that plays central roles in the environment as well as living organisms. At low concentration in the human body, for example, NO protects organs against pathogens by acting as ...

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