Site icon Peter A. Hovis

Could this replace opioids for chronic pain?

RJ Hamster

THE LAST OF US FUNGUS IS REAL VIEW ONLINE
A NEW WAY TO
TARGET PAIN
Friday, January 20, 2023
In today’s newsletter, we explore an emerging alternative to opioids, discover whether fungi can control humans, meet siblings who transformed astronomy and impressed a king … and celebrate a charismatic flightless bird.
PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBERT CLARK

For the tens of millions of adults who suffer from chronic pain, early research suggests that there may be an alternative to effective but often frighteningly addictive opioids.

That search for safer and longer lasting relief is focusing on monoclonal antibodies, the same type of proteins developed during the pandemic.

Read the full story here.

Please consider getting our full digital report and magazine by subscribing here.
PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN D. LILES, THE NEW YORK TIMES/REDUX

The biology of pain: Scientists like Vitaly Napadow, at top, are unraveling the mystery of pain. He discovered that a patient’s relationship with their doctor can affect how much pain they feel. At bottom, hydrocodone, a prescription opioid painkiller. Read more.
STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING
PHOTOGRAPH BY MALCOLM P. CHAPMAN, GETTY IMAGES
A growing search for traces of the ancient Chola dynasty(Above, a temple built by a Chola king in A.D. 1010)
These musician siblings became rock stars—in astronomy
California may experience an increasingly rare ‘superbloom’
Preservation or pillage? How the Parthenon lost its marbles
How traditional mud homes keep remarkably cool
This ancient Himalayan kingdom has been isolated from the world—until now
Cancer vaccines are showing promise. Here’s how they work.
How sugar and fat affect your brain
The true origins of Rome
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
PHOTOGRAPH BY ALEX HYDE, NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY
The fungus is real: In the new television show The Last of Us, a warming planet births a fungus that turns humans into parasite-controlled zombies. This concept isn’t entirely sci-fi, Nat Geo’s Sarah Gibbens explains. Parasitic fungus already exists (like the fungi emerging from a moth, above) but it might take millions of years for it to make the leap to humans. In the meantime, there are a few hundred fungi that are already dangerous to people.
GRAB THE DUCT TAPE
PHOTO OF THE DAY
PHOTOGRAPH BY RUBÉN SALGADO ESCUDERO, @RUBENSALGADOESCUDERO
The goal: to pass the ball using only your feet and legs. Oh, and don’t let it drop. The game chinlone, also called caneball, is the national sport of Myanmar and has been played for more than 1,500 years. Nat Geo Explorer Rubén Salgado Escudero photographed these farmers playing after a day in the field in Pa Dan Kho Village in Myanmar.
WHO INVENTED SOCCER?
WHAT TYPE OF BIRD?
PHOTOGRAPH BY STEFAN CHRISTMANN
Do you know this bird? Huddling is a key survival skill for these penguins that live in colonies around the coast of Antarctica. For chicks though, it takes time to get the hang of the heat-sharing shuffle. Instead of waiting their turn to reach the warm center, impatient chicks often jump right in. What type of penguin are they?

To mark Penguin Awareness Day today, some recent stories:
–What shifting penguin populations reveal about the Antarctic Peninsula
–The fight to protect Africa’s only penguins
–These penguins are marching towards extinction
WHAT KIND OF PENGUIN?
Today’s soundtrack: Take On Me, Ashley Johnson from The Last of Us Part II

This newsletter has been curated and edited by Jen Tse, Sydney Combs, and David Beard. Have feedback? Email

david.beard@natgeo.com. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
SHOPDONATESUBSCRIBETRAVEL

Clicking on the Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and National Geographic Channel links will take you away from our National Geographic Partners site where different terms of use and privacy policy apply.

This email was sent to: peter.hovis@gmail.com. Please do not reply to this email as this address is not monitored.

This email contains an advertisement from:
National Geographic | 1145 17th Street, N.W. | Washington, D.C. 20036

Stop all types of future commercial email from National Geographic regarding its products, services, or experiences.

Manage all email preferences with the Walt Disney Family of Companies.

© 2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC, All rights reserved.
Exit mobile version
Skip to toolbar