In Case You Missed It!

Sometimes I don’t pay much attention to the Times Science section on Tuesday.  When I do I usually find some interesting tidbits:

Medical researchers are studying the dreams of those who are dying.  Not near death experiences of those who recover, but the dreams of people on the journey towards death.  The purpose is to learn what might comfort the dying and those they leave behind.  No definitive conclusions yet.

Why are some carrots split or deeply cracked and are they safe to eat?  Carrot disfigurement can result from several causes.  Common sense should determine whether to eat them.  If they can be cleaned and/or pared, no reason not to.

More than 400,000 years ago hunter-gatherers living in what is now Israel regularly ate tortoises.  How’s that for a piece of information you really didn’t need to know?

Studies show that men find women more attractive when they are in the ovulatory phase of their menstrual cycle.  “We’re still trying to pinpoint exactly what all is involved in this,” said Janek S. Lobmaier, a psychologist at the University of Bern.  OK, Janek, you better keep looking.

Wearable monitors measure heart rate, body temperature and other health indicators.  Now, for the first time, a flexible, wearable sensor can collect data about multiple chemicals in body sweat.  Terrific!

Escalating homicide rates in Mexico are affecting the country’s life expectancy.  For Mexican men aged 15 to 50, between 2005 and 2010 life expectancy fell by 0.6 percent.  OK, I can see how that could happen.

Is there a link between getting a good night’s sleep and the ability to ward off winter ailments like bronchitis, colds and pneumonia?  Yes.  More is better.

Having a mother or father who is depressed increases the risk of preterm birth.  OK, I see.  And what the baby can do about that is ???.

People with irregular heartbeats are often advised to give up caffeine.  But a new study says there is no clear evidence that more caffeine increases the risk.  On the contrary, caffeine may even be linked to decreased rates of cardiovascular problems.  Good news!