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BOB HIRSHON (host):
Can fish oil fight climate change? I’m Bob Hirshon and this is Science Update.
Omega 3 fatty acids help stave off heart disease. Now scientists report that they may also help save the planet. Researchers at University College Dublin report that feeding cows a diet with two percent omega 3 reduced the cows’ methane emissions by twenty percent. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and cow flatulence is a major source of atmospheric methane.
In other omega 3 research, scientists know that migratory birds tank up on seafood rich in omega 3 oils before flying halfway around the world. Now they’ve found the oils can turn even sedentary birds into athletes. Feeding quail omega 3 oils boosts their muscles aerobic capacity by more than fifty percent—without exercise. I’m Bob Hirshon for AAAS, the Science Society.