Should We Test Drugs On Pregnant Women? • Women Spend Billions On Bras
Latest• Currently, U.S. researchers are unable to include an important segment of the population in their clinical trials: pregnant women. “The importance of studying subpopulations that have previously been excluded from research is undeniable,” read a recent article.
The piece, which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, argues that, by “protecting” pregnant women from drug testing, we are actually placing them at a far greater risk. • According to a recent study conducted in Taiwan, free-range eggs may be more ethical, but they also contain more pollution. Scientists found that free-range eggs contain at least five times higher levels of certain pollutants than normal eggs. 17% of the eggs tested contained such high levels of chemicals that they would have been deemed unsafe for consumption in the EU. • Orangutans have a fairly advanced sign language, according to new research. The great apes have at least 40 frequently-used body language signals that mean everything from “give it to me” to “stop doing that.” • A gay policewoman was found dead over the weekend in her house. Laura Goldie, 28, had hanged herself. She reportedly left a four-page suicide note that claims she was mistreated by her fellow trainees and officers, who she claims were homophobic. Police have said that her death is “not being treated as suspicious.” • A study of 469 smokers found that quitting actually can reduce stress levels. The study, which was based on the self-reports of a group of smokers who had been hospitalized for heart disease, suggests that cigarettes are not actually an effective “tool to manage stress.” At the start of the study 85% of the participants told researchers that they used tobacco to help them deal with stress. • “I wished I completely belonged somewhere,” said Maya Soetoro-Ng of her experiences growing up mixed-race. Soetoro-Ng also tells the L.A. Times that her older brother, Barack Obama, never really struggled with race like she did. “There has never been much ambiguity for him,” she said of POTUS. • More bad news for ethical eaters: “organic” labels can skew perception about food in ways that promote overeating. Often people assume that organic foods are healthier, and thus contain fewer calories, according to a study. • Bill Willard from Thornburg, Virginia, is the leading Sasquatch expert in the U.S. He says he is certain the creature exists, partially because he has spoken to three different people from the area who all describe a shaggy, life-sized figure somewhere in the local woods. “We believe we may be close to some kind of major discovery,” he says. “All the things they would need are here, fresh water, shelter in the woods. The high concentration of sightings tells me they’re here.” • Holy crap: Last year, American women spent $5.7 billion on more than 425 million bras. Experts estimate that almost half of this underwear lasts for only a short time before it begins to wear out. “Ninety-five percent of all women have no idea how to care for their bra properly,” said one bra-maker. • The Volkswagen Bettle is the most popular car among women, according to a survey conducted by TrueCar. The second and third spots go to the Nissan Rogue and Hyundai Tucson, respectively. • Female activists planning to sail to Gaza gathered in south Lebanon today to pray to the Virgin Mary to bless their flotilla. They hope to break Israel’s four-year blockade of Hamas-rued territory with their ship, which was christened “Mariam” and is loaded with medical supplies. • Sperm donor kids have been getting a lot of press lately, but Double X points out an interesting fact that has been lost in the shuffle: Sperm donor kids are 20 times more likely to have donated sperm or an egg themselves. Though they may be more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs, they are also more willing than most adults to help other couples conceive. • According to a 2009 World Health Organization report, pesticide ingestion is involved in 60% of Chinese suicides. Women living in rural China are at particular risk of ingesting toxic pesticides, and unlike most countries, women in China have a 25% higher suicide rate than men. •