Gay lions and cheating chimps — what animals tell us about sexuality
Clarity comes, as so often, from one's testicles. Amid all the confusions surrounding modern sexuality — the gender fluidity, sexual fluidity, polyamory and poly-all-sorts-of-things — a truth, of sorts, can be found in gonads. Because dangling within, Nathan Lents explains in The Sexual Evolution, lies an entire evolutionary history of sexual politics.
Consider a chimpanzee's balls, if you must. Chimpanzees have massive balls. Balls an Italian mafioso would boast about. The reason is simple, and something an Italian mafioso would be less proud of. When chimpanzees have sex the males can never be sure how many other males have recently had sex with the same female. This is a species that is, shall we say, sex-positive. So how do they ensure their own genes
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The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Cancer experts warn of coffee enemas and juice diets amid rise in misinformation
Cancer patients are snubbing proven treatments in favour of quackery such as coffee enemas and raw juice diets amid an 'alarming' increase in misinformation on the web, doctors have said. Some were dying needlessly or seeing tumours spread as a result, oncologists said. They raised their concerns at the world's largest cancer conference in Chicago, the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (Asco). Dr Fumiko Chino, a cancer researcher and assistant professor at MD Anderson Cancer Centre in Houston, Texas, co-authored a paper presented in Chicago that said cancer misinformation had 'acutely worsened in the past decade'. With more people being diagnosed amid a growing and ageing global population, misleading or false information about cancer had become a significant public health concern, the study said. While most people trusted doctors, the paper found, more than half of those surveyed said experts seemed to contradict one another. One in 20 had no trust in scientists to provide cancer information. 'We're losing the battle for communication. We need to regain that battlefield,' Chino said. Dr Julie Gralow, Asco's chief medical officer, said: 'Several patients of mine wanted an all-natural treatment approach after I had explained my treatment recommendations. They go online and search for something natural and they find a clinic in Mexico which promises an all natural treatment for cancer, which includes caffeine colonics, vitamin C infusions and other things.' Instead of scolding patients for shunning surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, Gralow said she tried to win their trust by still offering support. 'In several cases, they came back after three months and didn't feel any better. And then they stayed in our clinic and eventually we could gently ease them into more evidence-based treatments,' she said. 'A few times, they didn't come back. And then I would learn within nine months they tragically had died.' Liz O'Riordan, a retired breast surgeon who was diagnosed with breast cancer, shares evidence-based information with her thousands of followers on social media. She said: 'There is a huge amount of cancer misinformation online. Every day I get messages from scared women who want to know if they need to stop eating dairy, soy, flaxseeds. Do they need to stop wearing underwired bras, using deodorants? Is it true that juicing can cure cancer? What about miracle supplement cures like mushrooms and CBD?' O'Riordan wants more doctors to engage with patients online. 'But this is hard as it takes a lot of time to script, film, edit and publish content as well as the effort needed to grow a community to get your voice heard above the noise … And when you don't have a million followers, it's impossible to get traction,' she said. 'What we're saying isn't sexy or exciting – we can't promise a cure. The drugs we give have side-effects and some people still die.' Speaking at Asco, Dr Richard Simcock, the chief medical officer of Macmillan Cancer Support, said misinformation was 'very worrying' as it had 'exponentially increased the problem' of misconceptions about cancer. 'I have recently seen two young women who have declined all proven medical treatments for cancer and are instead pursuing unproven and radical diets, promoted on social media,' he said. 'A person is perfectly entitled to decline that therapy but when they do that on the basis of information which is frankly untrue or badly interpreted, it makes me very sad. It's clear that we have work to do to build back trust in evidence-based medicine.' Prof Stephen Powis, the national medical director of NHS England, said: 'Social media can provide a supportive community for people faced with a cancer diagnosis but at the same time, we're also seeing an alarmingly high level of misinformation on some of these platforms. 'I would urge people to be sceptical of any 'miracle cures' you may see on social media around cancer and use trusted, credible sources like the NHS website or your care team to verify anything you are unsure of – because these fairytales aren't just misleading, they can be harmful.'
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Common food 95% of Americans don't get enough of lowers cancer risk
Nearly 100 percent of Americans don't eat enough fiber - but it turns out the humble carbohydrate might protect against cancer. Results from a new clinical trial showed that a high fiber plant-based diet improved people's risk factors for the blood cancer multiple myeloma, including body mass index (BMI), inflammation levels, gut microbiome, and insulin regulation. At the start of the study, high-fiber foods comprised just 20 percent of people's diets, but after 12 weeks of following the plant-based diet, that number jumped to 91 percent. 'With everything that patients cannot control during and before cancer treatment, studying diet provides an opportunity for patients to make a difference in their disease risk and the potential success of their treatment,' Dr Urvi A Shah, a multiple myeloma specialist at New York City 's Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, said. 'Our study shows the power of nutrition in the preventative setting and showcases the potential to give patients a sense of agency in their diagnosis.' Fiber is a key nutrient that supports digestion, helps regulate appetite, encourages weight loss, and reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. Yet a staggering 95 percent of Americans, both children and adults don't get enough of it. The average American gets just 16 grams of fiber per day, less than half of what the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend. The pilot study included 20 people with conditions like obesity and insulin resistance that make a multiple myeloma diagnosis more likely. They followed a high-fiber diet full of fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, whole grains, and beans for three months. They also had six months of nutrition counseling, and researchers followed their progress for a year. After three months on the diet, the median participants' BMI had decreased by seven percent, and this weight loss was sustained at one year. Disease progression slowed in two patients and remained stable in the others. Dr Shah said: 'Our study had diverse racial enrollment as well as a comprehensive dietary and biomarker evaluation. 'Our comprehensive analysis of improved immune and metabolic response suggests that a high-fiber plant-based diet can also reduce risk for cardiovascular conditions, diabetes and other metabolic conditions.' Soluble fibers, including oats, beans, and fruits, help lower 'bad' LDL cholesterol, while insoluble fibers aid in the movement of food through the digestive system, preventing constipation. This overlooked nutrient, often overshadowed by protein, is crucial for preventing a host of chronic diseases from obesity and diabetes to heart disease and high blood pressure. Francesca Castro, a clinical research dietitian at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, said: 'Eating more fiber can lower risk for many other conditions and can improve overall health, beyond just reducing cancer risk.' A 2015 study reported that people who ate the most fiber had a 16 percent lower risk of death from any cause compared to those who ate the least. For every extra 10 grams of fiber consumed daily, the risk dropped by another 10 percent. Eating fiber-rich foods helps balance blood sugar levels, slowing down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream to prevent blood sugar spikes. And a 2013 investigation into fiber's affects on heart disease, scientists found that eating more fiber was linked to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke, with each seven-gram daily increase reducing risk by about nine percent. Both insoluble fiber (found in whole grains and vegetables) and fiber from cereals and vegetables were tied to better heart health, while fruit fiber also helped lower cardiovascular risk. To boost fiber in the diet, the researchers suggest setting realistic daily goals and focusing on one meal at a time. Dietitians recommend starting with small steps, starting with lentils, black beans, other legumes. And adding whole grains (quinoa, oats), fiber-packed vegetables like spinach and broccoli, and fruits like berries and apples to hit your daily target. 'Think about what foods you can add or swap to increase fiber intake,' Castro said. 'It can be very simple like adding a piece of fruit at the end of a meal or swapping out a refined grain for a whole grain.' The team from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center will present their findings at the flagship meeting of the American Society for Nutrition on Monday.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Dozen earthquakes rock US town sitting on top of a 'sleeping giant' fault
A small town in Idaho has experienced 12 earthquakes in the last 24 hours. The US Geological Survey (USGS) detected the seismic activity near Stanley, a town that played a key role in the gold rush during the late 1860s and 1870s. The first earthquake struck at 4:33pm ET on Sunday, with the most recent recorded at 2:17om today, ranging in magnitude from 2.5 to 3.4. According to Michigan Tech University, quakes between 2.5 and 5.4 are typically felt by people and may cause minor damage. No damage has been reported from this swarm. Stanley sits near the Sawtooth Fault, a 40-mile-long fault line running through central Idaho. While geologically ancient, the Sawtooth Fault was only clearly identified in 2010. It drew national attention after a magnitude 6.5 earthquake in 2020, one of the largest in Idaho in recent history, which was felt across several states. Scientists estimate the fault could produce magnitude 7.0 or greater earthquakes, strong enough to cause serious shaking and damage hundreds of miles away. Experts have called the Sawtooth Fault a 'sleeping giant' as it is dormant for long periods but capable of triggering a devastating earthquake when it awakens. This is a developing story... More updates to come The US Geological Survey (USGS) detected the seismic activity near Stanley, a town that played a key role in the gold rush during the late 1860s and 1870s. The first earthquake struck at 4:33pm ET on Sunday, with the most recent recorded at 2:17om today, ranging in magnitude from 2.5 to 3.4
