HEALTH AND SCIENCE HIGHLIGHTS

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August 14, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

HEALTH

Critics outraged over EPA’s proposed rule change on asbestos (CBS News)

Critics are speaking out against a proposal put forth by the Environmental Protection Agency under President Trump that could allow for new uses of asbestos, which is heavily restricted because of its links to cancer and other diseases.

Asbestos in a Crayon, Benzene in a Marker: A School Supply Study’s Toxic Results (New York Times)

A public interest group said this week that it had found toxic substances in a number of school supplies, including asbestos in a Playskool crayon and another carcinogen, benzene, in a dry-erase marker.

Scientists Have Found an Important Reason You Might Want to Reconsider Taking Probiotics (Business Insider)

Bacteria used to have a bad rap. Then along came probiotics... but while there's evidence to suggest probiotics can be beneficial to your health, new research shows they may also have serious side effects.

Monsanto ordered to pay $289m as jury rules weed killer caused man's cancer (Yahoo! News)

Monsanto suffered a major blow with a jury ruling that the company was liable for a terminally ill man’s cancer, awarding him $289m in damages.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

AP Exclusive: Google watches your movements, like it or not (Sacramento Bee)

 An Associated Press investigation found that many Google services on Android devices and iPhones store your location data even if you've used a privacy setting that says it will prevent Google from doing so.  Computer-science researchers at Princeton confirmed these findings at the AP's request.

The Arid West Moves East, With Big Implications for Agriculture (NPR)

The American West appears to be moving east. New research shows the line on the map that divides the North American continent into arid Western regions and humid Eastern regions is shifting, with profound implications for American agriculture. In western Oklahoma, farmers like Benji White and his wife, Lori, have become ranchers.

Invasion of big, voracious lizards threatens U.S. South (Reuters)

 A group of South American lizards that can grow up to four feet long (1.2 meters) has established a home in the Florida wild after being brought to the United States as pets, and the reptiles could begin a voracious march across the U.S. South, according to a new study.

Facial recognition technology: The need for public regulation and corporate responsibility (Microsoft blog, by Brad Smith, President, Microsoft)

…The more powerful the tool, the greater the benefit or damage it can cause. The last few months have brought this into stark relief when it comes to computer-assisted facial recognition – the ability of a computer to recognize people’s faces from a photo or through a camera. This technology can catalog your photos, help reunite families or potentially be misused and abused by private companies and public authorities alike.

Designing the Death of a Plastic (New York Times)

 Decades ago, synthetic polymers became popular because they were cheap and durable. Now, scientists are creating material that self-destructs or breaks down for reuse on command.


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