Restless Legs Aren't All in Your Head

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• Scare Easily? You May Be a Conservative

  Sep 19, 08 1:27 PM CDT
  People who startle more easily at loud noises or frightening images may be more prone to taking conservative political stances, reports the Washington Post. A new study suggests that there may be a biological basis for people's stands on contentious issues, with those who react less strongly to perceived threats seemingly predisposed to have liberal ideologies.
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• Genome Project Is a Bust: Expert

  Sep 16, 08 11:40 AM CDT
  The idea behind mapping the human genome (and spending $3 billion to do so) was to uncover common gene variants that cause disease. But a Duke University geneticist says that natural selection has worked better than we thought, that there are no common variants but rather a multitude of rare ones, the New York Times reports. More »

• Exercise Trumps Obesity Gene

  Sep 9, 08 8:40 AM CDT
  Regular exercise and an active lifestyle can defeat the so-called obesity gene, which predisposes millions of people to be overweight, reports WebMD. Researchers found that people with variations of the gene were more likely to be overweight, but that the gene had no effect on those who included three to four hours of moderately intense physical activity—such as brisk walking, gardening, or house cleaning—in their daily routine.
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• Romans Left Conquered Peoples More Prone to HIV

  Sep 4, 08 6:06 PM CDT
  The Roman conquest of Europe may explain why populations living in the former empire are more vulnerable to HIV, French researchers say. A genetic variant that protects against the AIDS-causing virus is less prevalent in former Roman colonies such as England, France, Greece, and Spain, though some argue that a larger event like the bubonic plague caused the variation, the BBC reports.
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• Let Athletes Use Genetic Doping

  Aug 2, 08 2:48 PM CDT
  Genetic therapy's potential to boost athletic performance has sports bodies worried, but fairness should not be an issue, the Economist opines. The luck of the genetic draw already gives some athletes an edge over their competitors, and the only question should be whether gene treatment is safe for the athletes. Such doping may not be advanced enough to surface in the Beijing Games, but the issue will arise soon enough.
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