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Open Wide

We round up this week’s most intriguing items from around the Web.
June 15, 2001

Open Wide
Not everyone likes to visit the dentist. Some people gag at the very thought. If you’re one, take heart: according to BBC News, a recent study found that acupuncture suppressed the gag response in 100 percent of subjects.

Okay, Now Rinse

Thanks to your earful of needles, you can finally enjoy a trip to the dentist. But if those 20 years of hooky left you with a case of gum disease, Reuters has some good news: scientists have sequenced the periodontitis genome. The bad news: you still have to floss.

Analyze This
If you’re still amazed that you Palm Pilot plays cribbage, better hold onto your hat, warns the Los Angeles Times: today’s DNA chips may power tomorrow’s medical-PDAs, devices that give you a checkup, inspect your DNA, and write you a prescription. Legibly.

The Bigger They Come
Despite the scourges of airplane seats and ceiling beams, Scientific American finds an upside to being tall: you live longer, as evidenced by 3,000 excavated skeletons.

Miracle Gro
One way to regrow bone and other tissue? Train it with smart gels, reports Red Herring.

Last Week: Rated XXY

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