The cave bear became extinct around 24,000 years ago, but its fossils are so abundant that we still have the capacity to study them. In this guest blog, Kristof Veitschegger discusses his research, published this week in BMC Evolutionary Biology, that questions the common perception of cave bears as small brained and ‘stupid’
Our dogs are getting fatter, with pet obesity numbers continuing to rise annually worldwide. Shockingly, around four million dogs in the UK are overweight! It was recently reported that by 2027, Britain could contain the fattest dogs in the world, after results from a poll confirmed that dog owners are overfeeding their pets by up to 1,000 calories per day and failing to provide the necessary exercise required. BMC Veterinary Research discusses a recent publication that might help explain how some dogs are more inclined to be overweight and obese in adulthood if not properly controlled.
Could greener urban environments benefit our mental wellbeing? New research published in BMC Public Health explores this effect by examining local-area proportions of green space and the mental wellbeing of residents. Here to tell us more is author of the research Victoria Houlden.
Today BMC Oral Health launches a new section dedicated to Digital Dentistry. Section Editor Francesco Mangano tells us how digital technologies are set to revolutionise dentistry.
The unintentional drowning rate in Finland is a cause for concern – it is significantly greater than that in most Western European countries and other high-income countries. In fact, great emphasis has already been drawn to the association of drowning with alcohol consumption. A retrospective study recently published in BMC Public Health, however, is different to those presented in the past – this also establishes the association with different types of psychotropic drugs.
Given that it feels like research cannot quite keep up with the advances in media and technology, the latest paper from Russ Jago and colleagues, published in BMC Public Health, adds some much needed weight to the plea for parents to take an active stance on managing their children’s time on screens.
BMC Genetics recently attended the Chromatin and Epigenetics EMBO Conference in Heidelberg, Germany. Held every two years, it provides a “hub” for researchers to present their work and share ideas. Here are just a few highlights of this exciting four day event
The humble earthworm might not seem the most exciting of animals. However, as Aristotle and Darwin stressed, their importance to the natural world is immense. New research, published this week in BMC Evolutionary Biology, provides the most comprehensive evolutionary history yet of the origins of the 6000+ species of earthworm. Lead authors Frank Anderson and Samuel James tell us more.