illness
The shocking, forgotten history of cretinism
Now an insult, 'cretin' was the medical term for a debilitating disease endemic in the Alps until the early 20th century.
Researchers discover dozens of existing drugs with anti-cancer properties
Numerous drugs designed to treat diabetes, arthritis, and other conditions may actually have secret anti-cancer properties as well.
Could heart disease actually be contagious?
A new hypothesis suggests that you can "catch" noncommunicable diseases from other people via the microbiome.
This flu season is especially bad. Researchers may have developed a universal vaccine.
Georgia State University researchers have created a novel nanoparticle vaccine.
Study may explain how infections reduce autism symptoms
An immune molecule sometimes produced during infection can influence the social behavior of mice.
Feeling sick is an emotion meant to help you get better faster
Is feeling wretched actually helpful?
Legalized marijuana linked to lower opioid abuse; death rates
A new study analyzed more than 1.5 billion opioid prescriptions over eight years.
Jeannie Gaffigan: Finding comedy in a brain tumor
Here's how a pear-sized tumor on Jeannie Gaffigan's brain stem became an unexpected comedy gold mine.
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6 min
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Common hair products linked to cancer risk, says breaking new study
Embracing signs of age might be the road to a longer life after all.
The ketogenic diet may help fight against the flu
Researchers found that the popular diet could confer some benefits to your immune system.
‘An evil I’ve never seen before’: Doctors scramble to understand vaping-related lung disease
Thousands of people are experiencing severe pulmonary issues from vaping, and some are dying.
Detecting breast cancer 5 years before clinical signs
The possibility of an easy, non-invasive detection method arises.
Scientists find a marker for schizophrenia in human hair
Not only will this help diagnose schizophrenia earlier, but it also points to a possible cause of schizophrenia.
Flu season is here. Researchers may have discovered a cure.
Ferrets are not humans, but this new drug is showing promise.
New capsule can orally deliver drugs that usually have to be injected
Could this be the beginning of the end of insulin injections?
Sexually transmitted disease rates are booming
A harrowing new report by the CDC should serve as a wake-up call.
AI bests humans in medical diagnosis
Artificial intelligence has proven equal and even better than humans in making some diagnoses.
Medicine mix-up leads to children developing ‘werewolf syndrome’
A group of at least 20 kids in Spain gets a rare illness with historical roots.
New blood test accurately predicts when people will die — within 5–10 years
The large-scale study got it right for 83 percent of participants. Would you take the blood test?
New vaccine (for cats) nixes allergic reactions for humans
You want one. Now you may be able to survive one.
The best hospitals have more superbugs. Do patients have a right to know?
The premier hospitals tend to have the most superbugs — they also have the best experts.
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When your gut makes its own alcohol it’s called ‘auto-brewery syndrome’
It might sound like fun, but this rare condition can make life very difficult.
10 new things we’ve learned about cancer
Cancer's sweet tooth. Turning cancer cells into fat. Unveiling genetic secrets. Scientists are learning about cancer every day.
Read a Harvard geneticist’s plan for redesigning humans
Professor George Church creates a gene "wishlist" that can lead to superhuman abilities.
A new spray may help treat the deadly white-nose syndrome
Bats are being subjected to a deadly plague that may be threatening their existence. However, a new bacterial spray may help fight the fungus responsible.
Study: Social robots can benefit hospitalized children
A robotic teddy bear could improve physical and emotional outcomes in pediatric patients.
The looming superbug crisis: Politics, profit, and Big Pharma
Here's how we stop a health crisis before it wreaks havoc on us.
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15 min
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An organism found in dirt may lead to an anxiety vaccine, say scientists
Can dirt help us fight off stress? Groundbreaking new research shows how.
What makes prions the ‘zombie protein’?
How can a misfolded protein be behind some of the strangest and deadliest diseases out there?
Using AI to predict breast cancer and personalize care
New technology could predict cancer up to 5 years in advance.