All posts tagged: rat

A well-deserved statue for a hero rat : NPR

A well-deserved statue for a hero rat : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Magawa in 2020 after being awarded the PDSA Gold Medal for bravery in searching out unexploded land mines in Cambodia. PDSA via AP hide caption toggle caption PDSA via AP Magawa in 2020 after being awarded the PDSA Gold Medal for bravery in searching out unexploded land mines in Cambodia. PDSA via AP A large statue of a small national hero was unveiled this week in Cambodia Seven-feet tall and hand-carved from stone, the statue commemorates the life, and lives saved, by a real rat. Magawa was an African giant pouched rat. He sniffed out more than 100 land mines as a ‘heroRAT’ working for Apopo, a Belgian non-profit group that’s training animals to help clear minefields left from the wars of the 1970s and 1980s. In some ways, Cambodia’s wars have never quite ended. According to the UK-based charity Halo Trust, since 1979, land mines buried during the Khmer Rouge era and the Vietnamese occupation have killed more than 18,000 people, and injured more than 45,000. Rats are trained and deployed to locate land …

Hero rat who sniffed out 100 land mines is honored with giant statue

Hero rat who sniffed out 100 land mines is honored with giant statue

Published by Sam Flores

Although Magawa weighed less than three pounds, his impact was monumental. The African giant pouched rat sniffed out more than 100 land mines during his five-year career, saving countless lives. To honor his bravery, a seven-foot statue of Magawa was unveiled on Friday in Cambodia, where he spent his time nose-down on high-stakes missions. Magawa died in 2022, but his legacy lives on. Source link

Ashwagandha shows promise as a treatment for depression in new rat study

Ashwagandha shows promise as a treatment for depression in new rat study

Published by José Betancourt

Adolescent rats exposed to chronic stress showed fewer signs of depression after receiving the herbal supplement Ashwagandha, according to new research published in Psychopharmacology. The study found that the herb not only eased behavioural symptoms but also reduced inflammation and cell damage in the brain—effects that in some cases surpassed those of the antidepressant sertraline. Depression during adolescence is becoming increasingly common, yet treatment options remain limited and often come with side effects. Scientists have long known that chronic stress can disrupt brain function by increasing inflammation, damaging nerve cells, and lowering levels of proteins that support healthy brain activity. These biological changes are thought to contribute to the emotional and cognitive symptoms seen in depression. Ashwagandha, a plant widely used in traditional Indian medicine, has gained attention for its stress-relieving properties. Previous studies in adults and animal models suggest it may help regulate the body’s stress response and protect brain cells. However, until now, no research had examined whether Ashwagandha could help younger individuals, whose developing brains may respond differently to both stress and …

The neuro disease rat lungworm has reached California

The neuro disease rat lungworm has reached California

Published by Sam Flores

A disease that can cause neurological illness and meningitis in people, rat lungworm, has been found in wild opposums, rats and a zoo animal in San Diego County, indicating its establishment in California for the first time. Researchers reported their findings in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The authors, who include veterinarians, researchers and wildlife biologists, urged physicians and other healthcare workers in the region to consider lungworm infection when patients come in with nervous system disorders. The discovery highlights “a notable expansion of the range of this parasite in North America,” they said. The CDC website says the risk to the general public of getting this infection is low, but it can be deadly. If ingested, the worms can cause severe headaches, stiff neck, the sensation of tingling or painful skin, low-grade fever, nausea, vomiting, coma and sometimes death. People who eat freshwater crab, prawns, frogs, snails and slugs are at greatest risk. However, people can also get the disease by eating un-rinsed produce …

Ten Trips, Five Findings, and One Unrelenting Rat

Ten Trips, Five Findings, and One Unrelenting Rat

Published by Sam Flores

Welcome aboard, friends! On this occasion, we aren’t going anywhere. We’re using the fiftieth anniversary of Skeptical Inquirer to reflect on the adventures we’ve had so far. Imagine what we’d learn about skepticism if we could time travel to 2076. Skeptics, and their critics, could suddenly access the next fifty years of evidence. How warm is the planet? Is creationism still a thing? Did anybody find Bigfoot? Obviously, there’s no known mechanism for traveling to the future, other than waiting, but we can use fifty years of Skeptical Inquirer to play the future observer to skepticism of the past. This type of retrospective analysis provides two advantages over temporally static study. First, it allows us to examine whether historic skepticism was supported across future decades. Where has skepticism succeeded? Where has it failed? What can we learn to make skepticism better? Second, research suggests that increasing psychological distance from a problem can improve critical thinking about that problem (see Kross and Ayduk 2017). Examining skepticism versus credulity from long ago presumably increases that psychological distance. …

SFA investigating after video emerges of rat at Lucky Plaza food court

SFA investigating after video emerges of rat at Lucky Plaza food court

Published by Sam Flores

SFA told CNA that while it imposes and enforces regulatory measures, food operators must also adhere to good food hygiene and preparation practices. “Food operators should also ensure their premises are clean and well-maintained,” SFA said.  “As part of the enquiry and gathering of evidence, SFA may engage the feedback provider for more details and will not hesitate to take enforcement action if sufficient evidence has been obtained,” it added. CNA has contacted the Lucky Plaza management office and Asian Food Mall, which is located in the basement of the mall, for more information. Source link

Birmingham’s divisive ‘rat tax’ charge set to rise once again

Birmingham’s divisive ‘rat tax’ charge set to rise once again

Published by Sam Flores

Birmingham City Council’s controversial pest control charge for rats is set to rise again under new proposals. After declaring itself effectively bankrupt in 2023, the Labour-run council introduced charges for ‘rat in garden and rat in house treatments’ – a service which was previously free. The charge, dubbed a ‘rat tax’ by critics, was hugely divisive and prompted councillor Sam Forsyth to dramatically quit the Labour Party last year. READ MORE: Full list of price rises for Birmingham residents as council services set for hike The charge rose from £24 to £26.40 in 2025 despite calls to axe it amid fears over the impact of the ongoing bins strike. The council’s rat treatments are temporarily free of charge in a bid to “prioritise public health” due to the ongoing industrial action by bin workers. But the authority is now planning to increase the charge once again, so residents would face forking out £27.60 – a rise of 4.55 per cent – when payments resume. The hike is part of a fresh wave of price rises …

Chicago’s Rat Hole? Science concludes it’s likely not from a rat

Chicago’s Rat Hole? Science concludes it’s likely not from a rat

Published by skeptic

app: Short for application, or a computer program designed for a specific task. attention: The phenomenon of focusing mental resources on a specific object or event. biology: The study of living things. The scientists who study them are known as biologists. concrete: (in construction) A simple, two-part building material. One part is made of sand or ground-up bits of rock. The other is made of cement, which hardens and helps bind the grains of material together. crater: A large, bowl-shaped cavity in the ground or on the surface of a planet or the moon. They are typically caused by an explosion or the impact of a meteorite or other celestial body. Such an impact is sometimes referred to as a cratering event. evolution: (v. to evolve) A process by which species undergo changes over time, usually through genetic variation and natural selection. These changes usually result in a new type of organism better suited for its environment than the earlier type. The newer type is not necessarily more “advanced,” just better adapted to the particular …

Cannabidiol prevents Alzheimer’s-like cognitive decline in new rat study

Cannabidiol prevents Alzheimer’s-like cognitive decline in new rat study

Published by José Betancourt

A compound found in cannabis may help protect the brain from early memory and social problems linked to Alzheimer’s disease. A new animal study published in Neuropsychopharmacology found that cannabidiol prevented cognitive decline in rats by reducing brain inflammation and activating key brain receptors. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder best known for causing memory loss, but it also affects thinking, decision-making, and social engagement. Scientists increasingly recognize that inflammation in the brain plays a major role in driving these symptoms, especially in the early stages of the disease. Cannabidiol is a chemical compound extracted from the cannabis plant that does not cause a “high.” In recent years, it has gained attention for its potential anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. While cannabidiol is already used in some medical treatments, its possible role in preventing or slowing Alzheimer’s disease remains under investigation. Roni Shira Toledano and Irit Akirav from the University of Haifa, Israel, wanted to explore whether cannabidiol could stop Alzheimer-like symptoms from developing in the first place, rather than trying to reverse damage after …