For The Union-Tribune COVID and animals The COVID-19 pandemic changed human behaviors — at least for a while. It also affected animal behavior. Using data from more than 5,000 camera traps during the pandemic, researchers found that in urban landscapes where animals are habituated to humans, all species seemed to get out into nature more often. For example, sightings of raccoons and deer increased, even with more people about. In more rural areas, however, animals more wary of humans became more skittish and reduced their activity significantly — a sort of asocial distancing.   Viral dementia The causes of dementia are many, and most are not well-understood. One that is getting more attention these days is viral infections, the idea that pathogens can trigger a cascade of events that results in progressive neurodegeneration. Indeed, some recent evidence found that the vaccine for shingles, caused by varicella-zoster virus, helps protect people’s brains from dementia. Part of this shift is due to COVID-19 and concerns about long-term cognitive decline. “I’ve always been a vaccine believer, but the COVID vaccine reinforced to me that there may be long-term benefits to vaccination beyond simply stopping short-term effects,” Paul Harrison, a psychiatry professor at Oxford University, told STAT. (Adobe Stock) Get me that. Stat! Drifting smoke from wildfires in 2019 through 2021 reached almost every lake in North America for at least one day per year, according to UC Davis report. More significantly, 89 percent of the lakes experienced smoke exposure for more than 30 days. The research is part of an effort to examine how smoke affects lake environments, such has how much solar radiation penetrates the water or alters its composition. “We just don’t know yet how smoke affects food webs, lake ecology, or what the future of these systems will be if there’s an increase in lake-smoke days,” said study author Mary Jade Farruggia. “I think quantifying the scope of the problem is really the first step. We’re pointing out that this is something we need to manage for across the globe, and not just areas affected by wildfire.”   Doc talk Singultus — a hiccup or an attack of hiccups. Multiple attacks are singultases. (Alex Coan / Adobe Stock) Mania of the week Macromania — a delusion that things are actually larger than their natural size (Adobe Stock) Food for thought Botanically speaking, bananas are a berry. Blackberries and strawberries are members of the rose family, as are cherries, apricots, plums, pears, apples, quinces and peaches. Blueberries and cranberries are part of the heath family.   Observation “Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired.” — French author Jules Renard (1864-1910) (Ann Stryzhekin / Adobe Stock) Medical history This week in 1750, Benjamin Franklin was severely shocked while electrocuting a turkey. Two days later, he wrote to his brother that an experiment in electricity had gone wrong when, distracted by talk from observers around him, he inadvertently contacted the “electrical fire,” leaving a small swelling where he was shocked. “I am ashamed to have been guilty of so notorious a blunder,” he wrote his brother. The electrocuted turkey wasn’t too happy either. (Adobe Stock) Perishable publications Many, if not most, published research papers have titles that defy comprehension. They use specialized jargon, complex words and opaque phrases like “nonlinear dynamics.” Sometimes they don’t, and yet they’re still hard to figure out. Here’s an actual title of actual published research study: “On the Effectiveness of Aluminium Foil Helmets: An Empirical Study.” Published in 2008, the study investigators sought to determine which styles of helmet made with aluminum (or aluminium, both are correct) foil are most effective at fending off invasive radio signals. They found that some radio frequences were attenuated, but others were amplified, most notably frequencies reserved for government use. Very suspicious.   Med school Q: What is the serpent called entwining the staff that symbolizes medicine? a) Asclepius b) Serpentis c) Snaky McSnakeface d) it has no name A: The snake is associated with Asclepius, the Greek god of healing, who purportedly learned some of his craft from snakes. According to mythology, the human Asclepius watched a snake use herbs to revive another snake that he had killed. In another tale, a snake whispered healing secrets into Asclepius’s ear after he saved the snake’s life. LaFee is vice president of communications for the Sanford Burnham Prebys research institute.