Subject: Interesting medical/science mystery
Server time: Sat Sep 12 04:23
Date: Sun Jul 31 04:22:33 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:I kinda hate to start a thread for this, but since the topic *could* make it ripe for abuse, I didn't want any other extant threads to be axed. Its a pretty interesting mystery - moderately lengthy, but well-written and of current interest.
Link: The mystery virus used for pox inoculations
Date: Sun Jul 31 19:45:19 2022
User: JackK2016
Message:Thanks TN, that was a great article. The history of Smallpox and the discovery of Penicillin are two stories that I wish were taught in public schools.
Date: Wed Oct 19 13:11:59 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:This is quite interesting, and I almost put it in the two main "science" threads. It would have been fine in the "more, different BIG........" one. Altho this was a truly massive undertaking, I wouldn't be surprised if this triggers other similar studies. Nor would I be surprised if it becomes a future episode of "Nova".
Here's the original article, for those few who dislike/dispute CNN stories:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05349-x.epdf?sharing_token=SNsRFC3g3ZmoI1jCkZ7hlNRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0O3WiUvnPlTOQGhF9UvWfHK2cbVONSHZOfxW6slVLau5-aDqMizcTBbRliSafqhf-Miv6TIAyZv8Pk2fvZ59eaZZzhUDx_GgVJGhgiX7rlhc0HN9JjkPehFW5YtwkHHjZjYwMsyHbHIEUlwmjsl1a-prY2f7OfoJfmDK6zMmunnZA%3D%3D&tracking_referrer=www.cnn.com
The "Discussion" section is where the pertinent summary is located, as per usual.
[I tried to do the link directly from "Nature", but that doesn't allow visibility to the entire publication.]
Link: Natural selection demonstrated with plague survivors
Date: Wed Oct 19 15:08:41 2022
User: BuzzClik
Message:[No apologies needed concerning the CNN article. We get it.]
This was interesting: "The downside to the variant is that it has been linked to a greater susceptibility to autoimmune disorders, such as Crohn’s disease, where the immune system becomes overactive." Not unlike the downside of carrying the gene for resistance to malaria.
Date: Wed Oct 19 15:30:09 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:Right. And we know a lot (well, some) already about the health effects of certain Neanderthal, and possibly even Denisovan genes, going much further back in time. A very, very rich vein (mild pun reluctantly included) to mine - and perhaps one more step towards successful personalized medicine.
The science that has gone down just in my lifetime is stupefying. Sometimes I'd like to live another generation or so, just to see what else comes forth - but then I'd just want another few decades, etc......
Date: Thu Mar 5 00:30:32 2026
User: TNmountainman
Message:We still don't know why this stuff does what it does - but evidence continues to accumulate as to its efficacy. The "too-good-to-be-true" natural skepticism us science folks carry around almost like a pocket protector 🙄 keeps whispering that this stuff *is* too good to be true. But any (major) downsides (other than the cost) are taking their sweet time showing up.
https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj-2025-086886
https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s325
This *could* be a groundbreaking 'window' into how how the whole oxytocin/reward mechanism stuff works. Too early to say that, of course - but a tantalizing lead for sure.
Post follow-up