Dog’s Kisses Might Come with Salmonella
We try to avoid Salmonella from raw chicken and unwashed vegetables, but avoiding your pet? In an article published by Zoonoses and Public Health online, Salmonella infection in healthy dogs is cited in many clinical studies. To track the ease of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella jumping from dogs to humans, researchers used FDA data and genomic tools. They matched 87 dog cases with human infections from 2017 to 2023 and found 77 likely pet-to-human transmissions across 17 U.S. states. Maybe rethink those kisses from your four-legged family member.
Flying Humans? Think Sci-Fi Beast, Not Angel
Today, we're diving into a hypothetical scenario: What if humans could fly? Live Science asked experts, and the reality is wilder than you’d think. Ty Hedrick, a biology professor at UNC-Chapel Hill, estimated a 155-pound, 5-foot-tall person would need a 20-foot wingspan. But according to Michael Habib from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, we'd likely have bat-like wings for soaring, not feathery ones. Our anatomy would need major upgrades—bigger chests, stronger backs, and completely different shoulder blades. Takeoff? Probably a “quadrupedal launch,” meaning a push off the ground using both arms and legs, like bats. Flying sounds cool, but in reality, we’d look more like creatures from a sci-fi nightmare than graceful angels.
Parental Favoritism: Study Says Real
Parents like to say they don’t have favorites and they love all their children equally. While the latter may be true, favoritism may exist. A study published in the Psychological Bulletin by the American Psychological Association, conducted by researchers from Brigham Young University’s School of Family Life and Western University’s Department of Social, Personality, and Developmental Psychology, analyzed data from over 19,000 people across 30 peer-reviewed sources and 14 additional databases. The findings revealed parents tend to grant older siblings more autonomy as they age, while younger siblings often receive more favoritism. Additionally, daughters were slightly more favored than sons. However, children who were generally more agreeable and responsible—regardless of gender or birth order—were also shown to be viewed more favorably. So yeah, you may or may not be the favorite.
Bike to Work, Call in Sick Less
For your patients who are returning to the office, suggesting they commute via a bike may aid in them taking fewer sick days. A study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports examined the benefits of cycling as a commuting option and its connection to reducing the risk of sick leave. Researchers analyzed employer-recorded sickness absence data, measuring total sick days and the duration of absences. They found individuals with a “high dose of active commuting” (approximately 37 miles per week) had an 8% to 12% lower risk of taking sick leave and an 18% lower risk of being out for more than 10 days. Sure, 37 miles a week might seem like a long ride, but how far would you go for better health?
Green Tea for a Sharper Mind?
We've already discussed tea and why loose-leaf might be the better option, but if you opt for green tea, your brain may thank you even more in the long run. A study published in npj Science of Food examined the effects of green tea and coffee consumption on cerebral white matter lesions, hippocampal volume, and total brain volume in nearly 8,800 Japanese adults without dementia. Using brain MRI scans, researchers found that individuals who consumed more green tea had fewer cerebral white matter lesions—markers linked to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Drinking approximately 2.5 cups (600 mL) daily was associated with a 3% reduction in lesion volume, while about six cups (1500 mL) was linked to a 6% reduction. Coffee, however, did not show the same effects. Making the switch seems like a no-brainer.
The intersection of medicine and the unexpected reminds us how wild, weird, and wonderful science can be. The world of health care continues to surprise and astonish.
