This year's flu season has thrown researchers a bit of a curve ball.

2020 flu season off to quirky start, also affects seals

Seal Flu?

We're solidly into the beginning of the 2019-2020 flu season and so far it's proving to be an unusual one as atypical strains of flu virus are turning up.

2020 Flu Season Off to Quirky Start, Also Affects Seals

READ MORE: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/12/this-years-flu-season-is-off-to-an-early-unusual-start-cdc-says/">Unusual type of flu virus is dominating early start to this year’s flu season</a>

More on Influenza: <a href="https://futurism.com/its-been-a-century-since-the-1918-flu-pandemic-were-still-not-rid-of-the-virus">In 1918 We Faced the Flu Pandemic. Today, We’re Still Fighting the War.</a>

Developments

Thankfully early testing suggests this year's flu vaccine seems to cover the dominant viral strain.

"I thought that it was pretty incredible that I can disappear and someone else can appear."

After bone marrow transplant, man’s semen contains only donor’s DNA

Surprising Seed

After a bone marrow transplant, a man's semen now contains only his donor's DNA in a case that could affect the future of forensic science.

Bone Marrow Transplant Changes Man's Semen To Donor's DNA | Futurism

READ MORE: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/07/us/dna-bone-marrow-transplant-crime-lab.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">When a DNA Test Says You’re a Younger Man, Who Lives 5,000 Miles Away</a> [The New York Times]

More on forensic science: <a href="https://futurism.com/two-forensic-dna-analysis-techniques-are-under-fire-for-serious-inaccuracies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Two Forensic DNA Analysis Techniques Are Under Fire for Serious Inaccuracies</a>

Genetics

His strange situation could affect the future of forensic science.

After Bone Marrow Transplant, Man’s Semen Contains Only Donor’s DNA

After Transplant Procedure, Man’s Semen Contains Only Donor’s DNA

A shady THC vaping brand seems to be a primary cause.

CDC: These are the brands linked to the vaping epidemic

Not-So-Dank Vapes

The Centers for Disease Control has released a list of vaping brands EVALI sufferers said they used prior to contracting the lung disease.

CDC: These Are the Brands Linked to the Vaping Epidemic

READ MORE: <a href="https://time.com/5745483/vaping-illness-brands/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">These Brands May Be to Blame for Vaping-Related Illnesses, According to CDC Report</a> [TIME]

More on vaping: <a href="https://futurism.com/neoscope/cdc-knows-causing-vape-lung" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The CDC Says It Really Knows What’s Causing &#8220;Vape Lung&#8221; This Time</a>

Organic Chemistry

EVALI sufferers used one brand far more than any other.

After just six months of vaping, she now has scarred lungs.

Doctors think vaping gave this woman a rare lung disease

Cobalt Lung

A woman developed a rare disease called "cobalt lung" after vaping marijuana for just six months, according to a new case study.

Doctors Think Vaping Gave This Woman a Rare Lung Disease

READ MORE: <a href="https://www.inverse.com/article/61462-marijuana-vapes-cause-cobalt-lung-disease-seen-in-metal-workers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marijuana vape users are getting incurable &#8220;cobalt lung&#8221;</a> [Inverse]

More on vaping: <a href="https://futurism.com/neoscope/vaping-incredibly-bad-heart" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Research: Vaping Is Incredibly Bad for Your Heart</a>

"This is the first known case of a metal-induced toxicity in the lung that has followed from vaping."

It takes the guesswork out of microdosing psychedelics.

This startup made a nose spray for microdosing psilocybin

Pump It Up

Oregon startup Silo Wellness created a nasal spray that delivers precise amounts of the magic mushroom compound psilocybin with each pump for microdosing.

This Startup Made a Nose Spray for Microdosing Psilocybin

READ MORE: <a href="https://newatlas.com/health-wellbeing/silo-wellness-magic-mushroom-nose-spray-psilocybin-psychedelic-microdosing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The start-up behind a magic mushroom nose spray for psychedelic microdosing</a> [New Atlas]

More on microdosing: <a href="https://futurism.com/neoscope/moms-tech-microdosing-magic-mushrooms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Moms Are Microdosing Magic Mushrooms, Just Like Tech Execs</a>

"Legalization is inevitable."

It's now going door-to-door administering vaccines.

Nation's entire gov shuts down to focus on measles outbreak

Door-to-Door Vaccines

A measles outbreak in Samoa has left 60 people dead, the vast majority of them children under the age of four, prompting a nationwide vaccination campaign.

Nation’s Entire Gov Shuts Down to Focus on Measles Outbreak

READ MORE: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/12/unvaccinated-samoans-must-identify-themselves-with-red-flags-officials-say/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unvaccinated Samoans should identify themselves with red flags, officials say</a> [Ars Technica]

More on measles: <a href="https://futurism.com/neoscope/scientists-argue-anti-vaxxers-drunk-drivers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scientists: Anti-Vaxxers Are the Moral Equivalent of Drunk Drivers</a>

Thousands are ill and dozens of children have already died.

"It’s a completely noninvasive way of controlling and testing the role of different types of brain activity."

MIT says new technique lets you hack your own brain waves

Brain Control 101

MIT researchers have found that they could teach test subjects how to manipulate their own alpha brain waves, thereby improving attention at a given task.

MIT Says New Technique Lets You Hack Your Own Brain Waves

READ MORE: <a href="http://news.mit.edu/2019/controlling-attention-brain-waves-1204">Controlling attention with brain waves</a> [MIT News]

More on brain waves: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/ai-draws-decodes-brainwaves">This AI Decodes Your Brainwaves and Draws What You’re Looking at</a>

Neuroscience/Brain Science

By suppressing alpha waves in their brain, subjects were able to improve their focus.

Experts horrified by leaked CRISPR baby study

Shady Study

After reading the manuscript for He Jiankui's CRISPR baby experiment, experts told MIT Tech Review they found countless ethical problems with it.

Experts Horrified by Leaked CRISPR Baby Study

READ MORE: <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/s/614764/chinas-crispr-babies-read-exclusive-excerpts-he-jiankui-paper/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">China’s CRISPR babies: Read exclusive excerpts from the unseen original research</a> [MIT Technology Review]

More on the CRISPR babies: <a href="https://futurism.com/researcher-gene-edited-babies-answers-critics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Researcher Who Gene-Edited Babies Answers Critics: &#8220;I Feel Proud&#8221;</a>

The paper accompanying the controversial experiment went unpublished — until now. 

New analysis: Marijuana seems to be linked to testicular cancer

Puff Balls

A comprehensive new analysis of 50 years' worth of medical data has linked heavy, frequent marijuana use with an increased risk of testicular cancer.

New Analysis: Marijuana Seems to Be Linked to Testicular Cancer

READ MORE: <a href="https://www.inverse.com/article/61412-heavy-weed-smoking-increases-risk-of-testicular-cancer">Smoking weed every day puts men at risk of a deadly disease</a> [Inverse]

More on weed: <a href="https://futurism.com/ways-cannabis-legalization-future-better">Seven Ways Cannabis Legalization Will Make the Future Better</a>

Cancer

Bad news, stoners.

They wanted to know what people looked at when assessing the beauty of breasts.

Surgeons use eye-tracking tech to find the "perfect boob"

Best Breasts

Researchers used eye-tracking tech on people looking at breasts in the hopes the data would lead to better breast surgery outcomes.

Surgeons Use Eye-Tracking Tech to Find the “Perfect Boob”

READ MORE: <a href="https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/j5ywk8/researchers-try-to-craft-the-perfect-boob-using-eye-tracking-technology" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Researchers Try to Craft the Perfect Boob Using Eye-Tracking Technology</a> [Motherboard]

More on plastic surgery: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/selfies-pushing-teens-plastic-surgery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Doctors Say Selfies Are Pushing More Teens to Get Plastic Surgery</a>

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