A new study has found that gas-powered appliances can increase the levels
of the chemical benzene, a known cancer-causing agent found in cigarette
smoke, inside the home.
According to the Stanford-led study, which was published in Environmental
Science & Technology, “indoor concentrations of benzene formed in the
flames of gas stoves can be worse than average concentrations from
secondhand smoke,” as a news release about the study explained.
What’s happening?
While lawmakers, experts, and just about everyone else debate potential
bans on gas stoves, consumers may want to block out the noise and consider
switching to electric sooner rather than later.
Not only can energy-efficient electric appliances save homeowners a ton of
money on their monthly energy bills, these appliances can also improve the
air quality inside homes and mitigate potential health issues, especially
among young children. Plus, with new tax breaks, these high-end appliances
may be available at steeply discounted rates.
One of the main concerns with gas appliances is the release of benzene,
which has been linked to childhood asthma as well as a higher risk of some
cancers such as leukemia, the American Cancer Society warns. Benzene is a
flammable liquid at room temperature that evaporates quickly into the air
and is one of the most widely used chemicals in the U.S., found in
plastics, detergents, pesticides, gasoline, cigarette smoke, and more,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Stanford University study examined 87 homes across California and
Colorado using methane gas and propane combustion to determine average
benzene levels in kitchens and bedrooms.
https://news.yahoo.com/study-reveals-home-appliance-spews-110000657.html
Stanford president resigns over manipulated research, will retract at
least three papers
Marc Tessier-Lavigne failed to address manipulated papers, fostered
unhealthy lab dynamic, Stanford report says
Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne will resign effective Aug. 31,
according to communications released by the University Wednesday morning.
He will also retract or issue lengthy corrections to five widely cited
papers for which he was principal author after a Stanford-sponsored
investigation found “manipulation of research data.”
According to Jerry Yang, chair of the Stanford Board of Trustees, Tessier-
Lavigne will step down “in light of the report and its impact on his
ability to lead Stanford.” Former Dean of Humanities Richard Saller will
serve as interim president. In a separate statement, Tessier-Lavigne
defended his reputation but acknowledged that issues with his research,
first raised in a Daily investigation last autumn, meant that Stanford
requires a president “whose leadership is not hampered by such
discussions.”
“At various times when concerns with Dr. Tessier-Lavigne’s papers
emerged—in 2001, the early 2010s, 2015-2016, and March 2021—Dr. Tessier-
Lavigne failed to decisively and forthrightly correct mistakes in the
scientific record,” Stanford’s report said, identifying a number of
apparent manipulations in Tessier-Lavigne’s neuroscientific research.
The report concluded that the fudging of results under Tessier-Lavigne’s
purview “spanned labs at three separate institutions.” It identified a
culture where Tessier-Lavigne “tended to reward the ‘winners’ (that is,
postdocs who could generate favorable results) and marginalize or diminish
the ‘losers’ (that is, postdocs who were unable or struggled to generate
such data).”
https://stanforddaily.com/2023/07/19/stanford-president-resigns-over-
manipulated-research-will-retract-at-least-3-papers/