We assume men become boxers, firefighters, soldiers, etc. because of their superior strength. But it may also be because males are better at tolerating pain than females. It turns out there are major differences in how the sexes perceive pain.

A protein called GIRK2 plays a major role in pain sensation and drug sensitivity in males but is not as important in females. Removing GIRK2 makes men and women equal in their ability to withstand pain.

Researchers uncovered the sex difference by accident, while researching the effects of specific pain medications on mice. They compared normal mice with mice whose GIRK2 gene was “knocked out.” Without painkillers, males without GIRK2 were less able to withstand pain, but had the same pain tolerance as female mice. read more

The dreaded killer disease Ebola passes easily from person to person, but no one knows where it starts. Ebola was discovered in 1976 and infects humans and monkeys. It’s caused hundreds of deaths in central Africa, and is fatal 50 to 90% of the time. Now scientists think it may be spread by birds.

The Ebola virus is similar to viruses that attack birds, meaning it could have jumped from birds to humans, the way AIDS did from monkeys to humans. If birds spread the disease, there would be no way to stop it from being carried long distances.
read more

Got any urgent last-minute gifting to do? The Unknowncountry.com store offers e-mail gift certificates! It’s easy to send one, too. Just click here, then click on “Gift Certificates” in the shopping cart on the right-hand side of the page. Gift certificates are good for any item in our store. The Unknowncountry.com store is unique in the world for its superb collection of the very best in books on “edge” subjects. You will find only the most credible and most extraordinary titles, and books like Whitley Strieber’s Path and Key that are not available elsewhere.

NOTE: This news story, previously published on our old site, will have any links removed.read more

Our new poll asks if you think implants are placed in people by aliens or by the government?or if they?re something natural, a fantasy or a hoax. Be sure to vote. We?ll discuss the results on Dreamland December 28, with the man who?s removed more implants than anyone else, Dr. Roger Leir.

NOTE: This news story, previously published on our old site, will have any links removed.read more