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Eyespy brings you the latest quirky medical stories from around the world

Against Nature?, an exhibition at the Natural History Museum in Oslo, does not tell biologists anything new. Homosexuality has been noted in more than 1500 species so far, and its prevalence has been known since antiquity, Aristotle being one observer of the phenomenon. The evolutionary origins of sexual orientation remain a mystery, particularly for exclusive homosexuality. But that's not the main reason the museum held this exhibition to wide acclaim and the disapproval of churches. It's just to let us know that gay men and women do not “disturb” natural order. In Norway, where 14 year olds learn about homosexuality as part of their national curriculum, this exhibition can only serve as positive reinforcement (Economist 2006 Oct 26).

First left handedness, then dogs, and now it's red meat. The list of (arguably dubious) risk factors for breast cancer in premenopausal women is rising. Researchers in the United States followed up more than 90 000 women for 12 years (Archives of Internal Medicine 2006;166:2253-9). Having one and a half servings of red meat a day almost doubled the risk of hormone receptor positive breast cancer compared with having three or fewer servings a week. Two arguments have been advanced. One relates to the chemicals that are used to process red meat and the second to the use of growth hormones in animals in the US. The responsible media, of course, cooked up sensational headlines.

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