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WHY ARE WOMEN MORE PRONE TO AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES?

Friday, April 5, 2024

In today’s newsletter, we learn about women and autoimmune diseases, ask what long flights can do to your body … and meet van Gogh, the gecko.

A purple, X chromosome next to a yellow Y chromosome against a black background

PHOTOGRAPH BY BIOPHOTO ASSOCIATES, SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Four in five patients with autoimmune diseases are women. Ten times more women than men get lupus. And 20 times more women develop Sjögren's syndrome, an illness that mainly causes dry eyes and dry mouth.

New studies indicate the reason for the higher incidences of autoimmune diseases in women may be linked to a faulty mechanism within the body that is supposed to shut down one of the two X-chromosomes only women have. (Pictured above from left to right, an X-chromosome and a Y-chromosome.) What do these new findings mean?

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

A woman's face, lit by soft, warm light as she looks out an airplane window

PHOTOGRAPH BY SKYNESHER, GETTY IMAGES

What long flights (above) do to your body

Are dog DNA tests worth it?

This Egyptian pharaoh was one of the Bible’s most vengeful villains (Free article)

These mosaics survived a millennia. Here’s what they tell us about ancient Rome.

The thousands of temples that once graced Myanmar’s skyline

The impact of your workouts on digestion

Can you really boost your serotonin? (Free article)

How archaeology and science restored an ancient face

With swimwear weather approaching, how much vitamin D does your body really need?

How is your location data really tracked? You’d be surprised. (Free article)

WHAT IN THE WORLD?

A close up photo of a lizard

PHOTOGRAPH BY AKSHAY KHANDEKAR

Life imitates art: “The Starry Night" gecko is named for its distinctive pattern reminiscent of van Gogh’s famous namesake painting. The new species was found when a biologist traveled to the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu, a rugged series of species-rich mountains running parallel to India’s western coast. How did it happen?

AN ARTFUL LIZARD

Today’s soundtrack: Tale of a Starry Night, Big Rice Piano

Stay safe this weekend! This newsletter has been curated and edited by Nancy San Martín, Nishita Naga, and David Beard. Know someone who might want our newsletter? Here’s the signup.

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