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Drug warnings for New Year's Eve

While the emphasis right now is on urging New Year revellers to drink responsibly, many teenagers could be more likely to try drugs on New Year's Eve than any other night.

30 Dec 2008

New study examines effects of chlorine gas disaster in South Carolina

A new study examining the aftereffects of a chlorine gas disaster in a South Carolina town gives larger metropolitan areas important insight into what to expect and how to prepare emergency response systems for an accidental or terrorist release of the potentially deadly gas.

30 Dec 2008

All VX nerve agent munitions destroyed in U.S.

The U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency (CMA) marked the destruction of all VX nerve agent munitions at its destruction sites on Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2008.

30 Dec 2008

Gardening a great way for seniors to stay healthy

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week in order to maintain and improve optimal health.

30 Dec 2008

Quit smoking one week at a time

Even though millions of smokers will resolve to 'butt out' on January 1st, experts say many will be still be smoking on Valentine's Day. They have some tips to help quitters retain their resolve and strengthen their commitment to quitting which apply even to the likes of President-elect Barack Obama.

29 Dec 2008

Smokers advised to wait until after New Year to quit

Smokers determined to quit the habit have been advised to wait until after the New Year before finally butting out.

29 Dec 2008

Experts say demonising young people in order to promote safe drinking must be stopped

Researchers in Britain say advertising aimed at encouraging the safe drinking of alcohol are unsuccessful - they are calling for the "demonising" of young people in order to promote safe drinking to be stopped.

29 Dec 2008

Blindsight enables blind man to navigate obstacle course

Scientists have conducted research which demonstrates that there is such a phenomenon as "blindsight".

29 Dec 2008

Time to celebrate? Be warned! One tipple a day increases the risk of cancer

In the run up to the New Year's Eve festivities a scientist in Britain has chosen an opportune moment to warn revellers that drinking alcohol, even in relatively small amounts, can increase a tipplers risk of developing cancer.

29 Dec 2008

Victorian anti-smoking groups score another hit with new bans

New smoking bans to be introduced in the state of Victoria, Australia will be a blow to many smokers as they mean it will be illegal to smoke in cars carrying children and on public school grounds.

22 Dec 2008

Be warned - there's no such thing as a hangover cure!

With the festive season in full swing in Australia and elsewhere, in the run up to Christmas, scientists in the United States have made an attempt to ascertain if there is indeed a proven cure for a hangover.

22 Dec 2008

Foreign-born workers report lower rate of non-fatal work-related injuries than U.S.-born workers

A new study funded by U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports that foreign-born workers reported a lower rate of non-fatal work-related injuries than U.S.-born workers, based on data collected from the National Health Interview Survey from 1997 to 2005.

22 Dec 2008

Rockefeller microbiologist tests safety of spiked eggnog

With one in every 20,000 eggs contaminated with Salmonella bacteria, drinking homemade eggnog can be something of a gamble. But an experiment designed to test whether the alcohol in spiked eggnog can kill the deadly bugs suggests that, in general, few bacteria survive in a mixture containing both raw eggs and 20 percent rum and bourbon.

21 Dec 2008

Women donate to charity differently than men

To whom would you rather give money: a needy person in your neighborhood or a needy person in a foreign country?

18 Dec 2008

Does sugar make kids hyperactive? and six other myths debunked

Does sugar make kids hyperactive?

18 Dec 2008

Most frequent cause of death among firefighters is not flames, it's their hearts

Forty-four percent of U.S. firefighters who died on duty in 2007 succumbed to a heart attack, based on data from the U.S. Fire Administration. That figure is twice the number of cardiovascular deaths among on-duty police officers.

18 Dec 2008

EPA should assess health risk of phthalates and other chemicals

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency should examine whether combined exposures to chemicals known as phthalates could cause adverse health effects in humans, says a new report from the National Research Council. In addition, this analysis, called a cumulative risk assessment, should consider other chemicals that could potentially cause the same health effects as phthalates, instead of focusing on chemicals that are similar in structure, which is EPA's current practice.

18 Dec 2008