Health

The latest news in medicine and wellness: From findings on heart disease, to facts about fitness, to breakthroughs on COVID-19.

Latest in Health

Rock paper scissors game where one player chooses paper and the other chooses rock.
Health

How rock-paper-scissors champs use psychology to win

By Greg Costikyan/MIT Press Reader

A short-haired teenage boy wearing a black shirt and grinning with his head stuck in a metal fence.
DIY

Read this if you or someone nearby is stuck in a fence

By John Kennedy

A preterm baby in an incubator in a neonatal intensive care unit. RSV sends about 58,000 children under five to the hospital every year in the United States.
Diseases

FDA approves long-acting medication to protect babies from RSV

By Laura Baisas

Histology image of the liver in a case of cirrhosis of the liver from alcoholism.
COVID-19

COVID lockdown drinking habits led to a rise in deaths from alcoholic liver disease

By Phillip Reese/KFF Health News

Best pregnancy tests
Gear

The best pregnancy tests? Science has some advice.

By Rebecca Sohn

Med school students during a white coat ceremony at the University of Minnesota in 2022, before the Supreme Court decision on affirmative action in admissions
Health

The Supreme Court ruling to end affirmative action will make US doctors less diverse

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

EPA plan to eliminate lead in buildings could help half a million young children
Climate Change

EPA plan to eliminate lead in buildings could help half a million young children

By Kate Yoder/Grist

Student at desk doing math homework during COVID-19 lockdown.
Health

US schools aren’t ready for another pandemic

By Katherine Reynolds Lewis/Undark

Multiple boxes of Diet Coke on a store shelf.
Food Safety

WHO categorizes aspartame as a possible carcinogen—but don’t panic

By Laura Baisas

Rows of birth control pills with the days of the week on the label.
Health

FDA approves first over-the-counter birth control pill in the US

By Laura Baisas

a person showing a sunburn on their shoulder and back, probably looking for a sunburn treatment.
DIY

A sunburn treatment that actually works

By Sandra Gutierrez G., Claire Maldarelli

Hydrow has some great deals on rowers and gear this Prime Day.
Fitness & Exercise

Don’t miss the boat on these last-minute deals on Hydrow rowers and gear this Prime day.

By Jen McCaffery

Save hundreds on smart fitness equipment from Echelon this Amazon Prime Day.
Fitness & Exercise

Save up to $400 with these last-minute deals on Echelon smart bikes, rowing machines, & more

By Jen McCaffery

Save hundreds on Blueair air purifiers this Amazon Prime Day.
Appliances

Last chance to save on these more than $300 on Blueair purifiers this Prime Day

By Jen McCaffery

23andMe Health + Ancestry Service: Personal Genetic DNA Test
Diseases

Learn about your background (and health) with 23andMe’s 50% off Prime Day deal

By Brandt Ranj

Influenza Ward No. 4 showing Partitions thru the Ward, U.S. Army Camp Hospital Number 45, Aix-les-Bains, France, 1914-1918
Biology

How the 1918 pandemic changed what we knew about viruses

By Richard Conniff/MIT Press Reader

Sprinkle-filled birthday cake with lit multi-colored candles. Biological age is different from the chronological age measured by birthdays.
Diseases

Why you might feel older than you actually are

By Hannah Seo

A selection of Garmin fitness watches on a white background
Fitness & Exercise

Save up to $300 on Garmin watches with these Prime Day deals

By Abby Ferguson

three stages of woman standing and lifting barbell
DIY

I lift heavy weights to soothe my fibromyalgia pain—here’s what the science says

By Urmi Bhattacheryya

Kidney beans black beans, corn, and tomatoes can all increase your daily fiber intake
Diabetes

Up your daily fiber intake for a happy microbiome

By Claire Maldarelli

Screenshot of inching magnetic soft robot
Health

This magnetic robot could worm its way into human blood vessels

By Andrew Paul

A doctor points to multiple MRI's of the brain. A newly approved drug targets beta-amyloid, a brain protein that has long been believed by scientists to be one of the underlying causes of Alzheimer’s disease.
Diseases

Alzheimer’s-slowing drug Leqembi gains full FDA approval

By Laura Baisas

A family plays a board game.
Health

Kids pick up math skills while playing certain board games

By Laura Baisas

Abortion rights demonstrators march behind a sign that reads "Abortion on demand and without apology," near the State Capitol in Austin, Texas on June 25, 2022. Abortion rights defenders fanned out across America on June 25 for a second day of protest against the Supreme Court's thunderbolt ruling, as state after conservative state moved swiftly to ban the procedure.
Health

Texas saw a jump in its birth rate after banning most abortions, according to new study

By Laura Baisas

Person making online purchase.
Diseases

Facebook could be tracking your online Plan B or HIV test purchases

By Simon Fondrie-Teitler/The Markup, Darius Tahir / KFF Health News

Six scoops of different ice creams on a white background. Which to choose?
Health

Here’s the scoop on how to choose a healthy ice cream

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

Prescription bottles
COVID-19

Rural patients could suffer if the DEA restricts telehealth prescribing

By Arielle Zionts/KHN

A white cooler sitting in the sun on a concrete sidewalk by a large body of water.
DIY

The scientifically best way to pack a cooler

By John Kennedy

Fast fashion might be making us sick
Climate Change

Fast fashion might be making us sick

By Danielle Renwick / Nexus Media News

A hand wearing a smart glove playing keyboard next to computer readings of movements
AI

This AI-powered glove could help stroke patients play the piano again

By Andrew Paul

CPAP machine, mask and hose
Health

How CPAP machines help people with sleep apnea—including the president

By Andrew Paul

A Cryo-EM map of a Fanzor protein indicated by gray, yellow, light blue, and pink in complex with ωRNA indicated in purple and its target DNA in red. Non-target DNA strand in blue.
Biology

These organisms have a natural gene-editing system that could be more useful than CRISPR

By Laura Baisas

Marine microplastics chemicals may make microbes more resistant
Climate Change

Marine microplastics chemicals may make microbes more resistant

By Michael Allen / Hakai Magazine

Four of the best hiking watches sliced together
Fitness & Exercise

The best hiking watches, tested and reviewed

By Abby Ferguson

A mosquito sitting on a bright green leaf.
Animals

Rare homegrown malaria cases in the US force health advisory, but don’t panic yet

By Laura Baisas

Pouring a cup of hot coffee into a mug.
Health

The ‘experience’ of a cup of coffee may be just as stimulating as its caffeine

By Laura Baisas

A sweating young man with a yellow towel.
Biology

How does your body stay balanced inside? Thank homeostasis.

By Eva Botkin-Kowacki

Two dancers wearing Jizai Arms wearable robotic appendagees
Health

These wearable cyborg arms were modeled after Japanese horror fiction and puppets

By Andrew Paul

Treating cancer in older patients poses different complications and risks
Cancer

Treating cancer in older patients poses different complications and risks

By Jyoti Madhusoodanan / Undark

Lymphocyte, 3D illustration. Closeup view of T-cell.
Cancer

Scientists reworked an experimental cancer therapy to treat autoimmune disease

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

The Hydrow Wave lets you experience the joy of rowing from your living room.
Fitness & Exercise

Hydrow Wave rower review: Different strokes for different folks

By Jen McCaffery

brown protein powder in a silver spoon
Health

The best protein powders of 2024

By Jackson Cooper

The Best Electric Mountain Bikes
Fitness & Exercise

The best electric mountain bikes in 2024

By Nick Hilden

Person working out in living room with dumbbells.
DIY

How to start lifting weights—even if you’ve never picked up a dumbbell in your life

By Amanda Svachula

This pangolin-inspired robot can curl up into a healing ball
Animals

This pangolin-inspired robot can curl up into a healing ball

By Andrew Paul

Scores of critical lab tests fall into a regulatory void. The FDA is trying to close it.
Health

Scores of critical lab tests fall into a regulatory void. The FDA is trying to close it.

By Anna Clark/ProPublica

Karyotype of human chromosomes including sex chromosomes XY and XX
Cancer

Men lose Y chromosomes with age, and it might increase their risk of bladder cancer

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

Close up of GOOD Meat lab-grown chicken on table
Agriculture

Lab-grown chicken is now USDA approved—if you can afford it

By Andrew Paul

Two small huts near clear, turquoise tropical waters in Tobacco Caye, Belize. he Central American country is the third nation this year to be certified malaria-free.
Animals

After a 70-year battle, the WHO declares Belize malaria-free

By Laura Baisas

These auditory illusions make people hear phrases as melodies
Health

These auditory illusions make people hear phrases as melodies

By Ben Macaulay

back of head, ponytail
Health

Families flee states amid restrictions on gender-affirming health care

By Bram Sable-Smith, Daniel Chang, Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez and Sandy West/KFF Health News

An old scale used for calculating body weight.
Health

New medical policy finally address the limitations and flaws of BMI

By Laura Baisas

Suicide hotlines promise anonymity. Dozens of their websites send sensitive data to Facebook.
Health

Suicide hotlines promise anonymity. Dozens of their websites send sensitive data to Facebook.

By Colin Lecher and Jon Keegan/The Markup

An eating disorder chatbot that gave harmful advice was taken offline. Now it’s coming back.
AI

An eating disorder chatbot that gave harmful advice was taken offline. Now it’s coming back.

By Kate Wells/KFF Health News

Toilet on palm tree-filled beach
DIY

Why your poop gets weird on vacation—and what to do about it

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

A mint-colored insulated LARQ smart water bottle on a small wooden table in front of a brick background
Environment

LARQ PureVis bottle review: Clean you can taste

By Amanda Reed

A woman running on a desert trail to burn the most calories.
DIY

These heart-pumping exercises burn the most calories

By Ben Guarino

The sustainable secret to raising tastier crabs
Agriculture

The sustainable secret to raising tastier crabs

By Sofia Quaglia/Hakai Magazine

How pilots end up in a ‘death spiral’
Aviation

How pilots end up in a ‘death spiral’

By Julia Craven

Orca whale pod off Iberian coast from the subpopulation of orcas attacking sailboats in Europe
Animals

Orcas are attacking boats. But is it revenge or trauma?

By Zayna Syed

More infants seem to be allergic to cow’s milk—but nobody really knows why
Health

More infants seem to be allergic to cow’s milk—but nobody really knows why

By Christina Szalinski/Undark

MRI Brain Scan
Diseases

Psychedelics and anesthetics cause unexpected chemical reactions in the brain

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

Lucy, our ancient human ancestor, was super buff
Archaeology

Lucy, our ancient human ancestor, was super buff

By Sara Kiley Watson

A concerned-looking person sitting on a couch with the back of another person in the foreground, perhaps a therapist talking with someone who has high rejection sensitivity.
DIY

How to manage anxiety in response to rejection

By Pooja Shah

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