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May 8, 2019 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.
HEALTH
- Religious freedom' rule could cause 'significant damage' to LGBTQ health care, advocates say (NBC)
- Uber and Lyft drivers strike for pay transparency — after algorithms made it harder to understand (Washington Post)
- U.S. reports 60 new measles cases in worst outbreak since 1994 (Reuters)
- 77% of Americans say kids should get measles shot even if parents object: Reuters Poll
- Suicide attempts using poison have surged among young people, particularly girls (Washington Post)
SCIENCE AND TECH
- Scientists warn a million species at risk of extinction (Reuters)
- Alexa has been eavesdropping on you this whole time (Washington Post)
- Traces of Cocaine, Pesticides Detected In U.K. Shrimp (NPR)
- Gas that makes a mountain breathe fire is turning up around the world (New York Times)
For excerpts and full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.
HEALTH
'Religious freedom' rule could cause 'significant damage' to LGBTQ health care, advocates say (NBC)
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a final rule earlier this week expanding health care workers’ ability to refuse services on religious grounds. A number of LGBTQ advocates and health care experts have warned the measure could have a negative impact on the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.
Uber and Lyft drivers strike for pay transparency — after algorithms made it harder to understand (Washington Post)
Uber and Lyft drivers nationwide began strikes and demonstrations in multiple cities Wednesday to lobby for better pay and transparency.
U.S. reports 60 new measles cases in worst outbreak since 1994 (Reuters)
The most widespread U.S. measles outbreak in a quarter-century has infected 60 new patients in the last week, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 764, federal health officials said on Monday.
77% of Americans say kids should get measles shot even if parents object: Reuters Poll
Three out of four Americans believe children should be vaccinated against measles even if their parents object, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found, showing little sympathy for the anti-vaccination movement that U.S. officials blame for the ongoing outbreak.
Suicide attempts using poison have surged among young people, particularly girls (Washington Post)
More young people than ever are trying to kill themselves using poison. The rate of attempted suicide by poison has more than doubled among people under 19 in the past decade in the United States and more than tripled for girls and young women 10 to 24.
SCIENCE AND TECH
Scientists warn a million species at risk of extinction (Reuters)
One million animal and plant species are at imminent risk of extinction due to humankind's relentless pursuit of economic growth, scientists said on Monday in a landmark report on the devastating impact of modern civilization on the natural world.
Alexa has been eavesdropping on you this whole time (Washington Post)
Would you let a stranger eavesdrop in your home and keep the recordings? For most people, the answer is, “Are you crazy?” Yet that’s essentially what Amazon has been doing to millions of us with its assistant Alexa in microphone-equipped Echo speakers. … Many smart-speaker owners don’t realize it, but Amazon keeps a copy of everything Alexa records after it hears its name. Apple’s Siri, and until recently Google’s Assistant, by default also keep recordings to help train their artificial intelligences.
Traces Of Cocaine, Pesticides Detected In U.K. Shrimp (NPR)
Scientists collected freshwater shrimp at 15 locations in Suffolk. Shrimp from all of the sites were found to have detectable amounts of cocaine, and many had other drugs or pesticides.
Gas that makes a mountain breathe fire is turning up around the world (New York Times)
A group of scientists have found unusual types of methane escaping from the deep earth in hundreds of locations.
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