Mosquito traps cut eggs by 70%, but impact on disease remains unclear
The traps clearly worked on mosquitoes, but whether they stopped any infections is a much shakier question, and so is what else they might kill.
By Sanchana Charles · Oct 21, 2026
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Health
Releasing mosquitoes on purpose cut dengue in Singapore, but the headline number is an estimate
A Singapore trial found that releasing non-biting, Wolbachia-carrying male mosquitoes cut dengue sharply, though the 2,351 cases it says were averted come with caveats.
By Sanchana Charles · Oct 22, 2026
No-till farming raised corn returns by $34 to $93 an acre over three decades
No-till raised corn returns by $34 to $93 an acre in three decades of trials. Cover crops mostly don't pay unless someone funds them or cattle graze them.
By Justin Brown · Oct 19, 2026
Large dogs lose genetic brakes on jumping genes faster, study finds
Breeders made dogs big, and a study of 894 pet dogs suggests the cost may show up in the chemical tags that hold jumping genes in check, though it cannot yet show that one causes the other.
By Sanchana Charles · Oct 18, 2026
Swapping one gene made mice better at forming habits, though not at talking
The gene once sold as the "language gene" did not bring mice any closer to talking, but it may have made them quicker to turn a deliberate routine into a habit.
By Sanchana Charles · Oct 17, 2026
Wisconsin study finds childhood fluoridated water not linked to IQ or thinking skills
Members of Wisconsin's high school class of 1957 who grew up with fluoridated drinking water scored no lower on IQ tests as teenagers than classmates who grew up without it, once family background was taken into account.
By Graeme Brown · Oct 17, 2026
Cleaning vacant lots reduced gun violence nearly 29 percent in Philadelphia's poorest neighborhoods
Cleaning up empty lots cut gun violence and fear in Philadelphia's poorest neighbourhoods, and greening them eased depression.
By Sanchana Charles · Oct 17, 2026
Loneliness linked to faster cognitive decline in older adults
Older adults who felt lonelier saw their memory and thinking abilities decline faster, over as long as a decade.
By Chris Jeremia · Oct 16, 2026
Phoenix's deadly heat didn't need extreme humidity to threaten elderly residents
For 31 days in a row in July 2023, Phoenix hit 110°F or more. The air was also very dry, and by the yardstick many climate…
By Graeme Brown · Oct 16, 2026