Environmental

Recent Posts

Armadillos may transmit leprosy
Posted on 11 Sep 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

It has been long suspected, and more or less recently confirmed, that animals (particularly those that were domesticated thousands of years ago) are the source of many major human diseases, including diseases that ironically are no longer found in animals... Read More

Another reason to control erosion and nutrient runoff -- Cholera
Posted on 31 Aug 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Numerous prior posts have followed the growing understanding of what factors drive the Gulf of Mexico dead zone. It pretty much comes down to nutrient runoff into the Mississippi River and its tributaries (e.g., sewage, feedlots, agricultural fertilizers... Read More

Parkinson's may be caused by the same bacterium that causes ulcers, new animal model studies suggest
Posted on 30 May 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

The cause of Parkinson's Disease is unknown. To date, many experts have suggested that it may have a genetic origin; see http://www.webmd.com/parkinsons-disease/parkinsons-causes . Other experts point to toxins that may selectively destroy the dopaminergic... Read More

Eating yogurt without more does not produce lasting changes in the mix of bacteria in the GI tract
Posted on 13 Feb 2012 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Prior posts have noted the impact of GI bacteria on human health, from their potential to prevent a variety of diseases to perhaps being the cause of other afflictions. In what has been referred to as an elegant study, researchers undertook human and... Read More

DNA Predicts Only a Few Disorders
Posted on 13 May 2012 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Prior posts have noted that gene functioning can be modified by a number of processes, such as methylation. Recently animal tests have found that some of these modifications are passed on to off-spring even though no change is made to the gene itself... Read More

Can antibiotics interfere with the body's ability to fight viruses? Perhaps so.
Posted on 20 May 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Prior posts have noted that abuse and misuse of antibiotics in people and animals has lead to an increase in antibiotic resistant organisms, to the detriment of human health. Prior posts have also noted the importance of bacteria to human health and welfare... Read More

Decline of Western Aspen trees swells population of rodents that carry the deadly sin nombre virus
Posted on 12 Jan 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

As noted in prior posts, Aspen trees in the West have been dying. There appears to be no single cause. However, drought in the 1990's and early 2000's probably made the trees more susceptible to cankers, fungi, and other maladies. The result is... Read More

Can antibiotics interfere with the body's ability to fight viruses? Perhaps so.
Posted on 20 May 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Prior posts have noted that abuse and misuse of antibiotics in people and animals has lead to an increase in antibiotic resistant organisms, to the detriment of human health. Prior posts have also noted the importance of bacteria to human health and welfare... Read More

Parkinson's may be caused by the same bacterium that causes ulcers, new animal model studies suggest
Posted on 30 May 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

The cause of Parkinson's Disease is unknown. To date, many experts have suggested that it may have a genetic origin; see http://www.webmd.com/parkinsons-disease/parkinsons-causes . Other experts point to toxins that may selectively destroy the dopaminergic... Read More

Decimation of frog populations may result from fungus disease spread initially by the international amphibian trade
Posted on 22 May 2013 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Prior posts have noted the decline in the frog population in California, among other locales worldwide. As with colony collapse disorder of honeybees, there have been numerous theses regarding the cause. Researchers now propose that the fungus Batrachochytrium... Read More

Diet impacts gut bacteria, which in turn influences rates of asthma, allergies, inflammatory bowl disease, and other inflammatory diseases
Posted on 30 Aug 2010 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

When children become sick, when rates of disease increase in adults, both apparently without an obvious cause, there is an unfortunate tendency for some to seek to profit at the expense of the suffering by offering up phony theories and bizarre hypotheses... Read More

Humans can transmit diseases to gorillas
Posted on 30 Apr 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Prior posts have noted and described a number of human diseases that had their origin in animals. Now it appears that some diseases can be transmitted from humans to gorillas. Ecotourism has been seen as a boon for countries with "interesting"... Read More

DNA Predicts Only a Few Disorders
Posted on 13 May 2012 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Prior posts have noted that gene functioning can be modified by a number of processes, such as methylation. Recently animal tests have found that some of these modifications are passed on to off-spring even though no change is made to the gene itself... Read More

Armadillos may transmit leprosy
Posted on 11 Sep 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

It has been long suspected, and more or less recently confirmed, that animals (particularly those that were domesticated thousands of years ago) are the source of many major human diseases, including diseases that ironically are no longer found in animals... Read More

Another reason to control erosion and nutrient runoff -- Cholera
Posted on 31 Aug 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Numerous prior posts have followed the growing understanding of what factors drive the Gulf of Mexico dead zone. It pretty much comes down to nutrient runoff into the Mississippi River and its tributaries (e.g., sewage, feedlots, agricultural fertilizers... Read More