Ounce for ounce, spinach has more nutritional value than iceberg lettuce; in general, darker colors in leafy vegetables mean more antioxidants and therefore more health benefits.

Knowing that, plant physiologists has developed a way to make lettuce darker and redder — and therefore healthier — using ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

A common blood test for triglycerides – a well-known cardiovascular disease risk factor – may also for the first time allow doctors to predict which patients with diabetes are more likely to develop the serious, common complication of neuropathy. 

Triglycerides are a type of lipid, or fat, that the body makes from calories it doesn't need immediately. Triglycerides are stored in fat cells until they are needed to provide energy. When higher-than-normal amounts circulate in the blood, a person is at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. 

Researchers comparing the fetal development of owl monkey eyes with those of the capuchin monkey have found that only a minor difference in the timing of cell proliferation can explain the multiple anatomical differences in the two kinds of eyes.  The findings help scientists understand how a structure as complex as the eye could change gradually through evolution, yet remain functional.

A team of atmospheric chemists say they have moved closer to what is considered the "holy grail" of climate change science;  the first-ever direct detections of biological particles within ice clouds.  The team, led by Kimberly Prather and Kerri Pratt of the University of California at San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, sampled water droplet and ice crystal residues at high speeds while flying through clouds in the skies over Wyoming.

Some pregnant women do not wear seat belts due to fear that the belt itself could injure the baby in a car crash.  Urban myth or legitimate concern?

It is well established that seat belts save lives but if some pregnant women do not wear seat belts out of fear that the belt could harm the baby in a car crash, are they really helping or just placing themselves in danger?    It's difficult to fault mothers for erring on the side of caution when it comes to unborn babies but is it actually the case that the seat belt can put the baby at risk?

Exposure to particulate matter has been recognized as a contributing factor to lung cancer development for some time, but a new study indicates inhalation of certain particulates can actually cause some genes to become reprogrammed, affecting both the development and the outcome of cancers and other diseases.