The Self-Acupressure-to-Overcome-Constipation Experiment

There is (people say) more than one way to skin a cat. So too are there multiple ways to overcome constipation. Here’s a newly documented way: “Effect of Perineal Self-Acupressure on Constipation: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” Ryan Abbott, Ian Ayres [pictured below], Ed Hui, and Ka-Kit Hui, Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2014, pp. 1-6. (Thanks […]

Dog excretion accretion as indicator of Earth’s magnetic field

This study gathered and assessed evidence of the possible effects of the Earth’s magnetic field on the tangible output of dogs: “Dogs are sensitive to small variations of the Earth’s magnetic field,” Vlastimil Hart [pictured here], Petra Nováková, Erich Pascal Malkemper, Sabine Begall, Vladimír Hanzal, Milo¿ Je¿ek, Tomá¿ Ku¿ta, Veronika N¿mcová, Jana Adámková, Kate¿ina Benediktová, […]

Beware the frumious numbat and its artifically colored deposits

An experiment with numbats: “Eliminative Behavior of Captive Numbats, Myrmecobius fasciatus (Mammalia; Marsupialia): Pattern and Identification of Fecal Deposits,” Lindsay A. Hogan, Allan T. Lisle, Stephen D. Johnston, Zoo Biology, epub February 5, 2013. The authors, at the University of Queensland, and at the Perth Zoo, report: “This study examined the spatial defecation patterns of […]

Fun with numbers: Coffee, Sex, Stroke

A new study in the journal Stroke is triggering lots of exciting news stories about sex, coffee, defecation, and other activities. Here are two fairly typical headlines: Common Activities Such As Sex, Coffee Can Cause Stroke [SmartAboutHealth.net] Sex and coffee ‘trigger stroke’ [BBC News] You might enjoy looking at the study itself, and asking yourself […]