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The outbreak of a rare strain of salmonella that sickened scores of people, including several infants, across the United States and Canada, has been linked to pet bearded dragons, some most likely obtained from the same breeder in Southeast Asia, according to a study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The outbreak covered in the study occurred in 2021 and 2022, but salmonella infections associated with bearded dragons have become increasingly common in recent years, mirroring the rising popularity of the goofy, scaly lizards as household pets. (Jacobs, 1/26)

The Navy has known about multiple environmental contaminations at the base for more than 20 years. In 2008 it conducted a study that found radiation, then publicly documented for the first time in 2023 the detection of radiation involving levels of radium-226 and strontium-90. ... A spokesperson said there is no mechanism in place to notify veterans of possible exposures after a base is no longer operational. Wyand holds a photo of himself at the shipyard. That means tens of thousands of veterans who worked at the shipyard may have been exposed to cancer-causing radioactive materials and still do not know. (Chan, 1/27)

After a freight train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed a year ago in East Palestine, Ohio, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of residents and upending life in the town for months, the rail industry pledged to work to become safer, and members of Congress vowed to pass legislation to prevent similar disasters. No bill was passed. And accidents went up. Derailments rose at the top five freight railroads in 2023, according to regulatory reports for the first 10 months of the year, the most recent period for which data exists for all five companies. And there was a steep increase in the mechanical problem — an overheated wheel bearing — that regulators think caused the derailment of the 1.75-mile-long train in East Palestine. (Eavis, 1/28)

First, Stanley cups were all over social media because so many people wanted them. Now, the oversize tumblers are back in the spotlight over fears they may contain lead. Videos on social media sites such as TikTok show people breaking out a lead testing kit and trying it on their Stanley cups and other travel flasks. It’s true: There is some lead sealed within the base of some brands of travel drinking cups — including the wildly popular brand Stanley. (Holcombe and LaMotte, 1/26)

Prompt diagnosis and treatment of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome, a severe seizure disorder beginning in infancy, can prevent developmental delays. But non-Hispanic Black children are less likely than their White counterparts to get timely treatment for infantile spasms, a recent analysis suggests. The study, published in Epilepsia, looked at a group of 100 children with infantile spasms who were diagnosed at Boston Children’s Hospital between January 2019 and May 2022. (Blakemore, 1/28)

It’s perfectly normal for one side of your body to be a bit stronger and more coordinated than the other. If you’re right-handed and have ever tried to brush your teeth with your left hand, you know what I mean. Despite how symmetrical your body might look — unless you’re among the 1% of the population who are ambidextrous  — you naturally have a dominant side. Trouble begins to brew when the scales tip too far past natural sidedness and your dominant side begins shouldering an unfair load. (Santas, 1/28)

Typing may be faster than writing by hand, but it’s less stimulating for the brain, according to research published Friday in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. After recording the brain activity of 36 university students, researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology determined that handwriting might improve learning and memory. ... In particular, the study found that writing by hand required communication between the brain’s visual, sensory and motor cortices. (Bendix, 1/27)

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s doctors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center say his prostate cancer prognosis is excellent and no further treatments will be needed after seeing him for a follow-up appointment Friday. Austin, 70, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December and spent two weeks in the hospital following complications from a prostatectomy. Despite the complications, “his cancer was treated early and effectively, and his prognosis is excellent,” his doctors said Friday. (Copp and Baldor, 1/26)

Daniel R. Eagle, a retired Air Force general, is open about his prostate cancer. At least, he is now. Had he been in the military still, he said, he may have handled it differently. “I certainly would have been a lot more circumspect,” said Eagle, who spent nearly 40 years in uniform, retiring in 2010. “I think I would have had more embarrassment about it, and been more hesitant to share with other folks. Because there is absolutely a stigma.” (Lamothe, 1/28)