Health & Medicine

  1. Health & Medicine

    A new coronavirus is killing pigs in China

    Genetic evidence identifies a previously unknown coronavirus that’s causing problems in pigs.

    By Helen Thompson
  2. Health & Medicine

    When deciding whether to bank your baby’s umbilical cord blood, consider these caveats

    Despite all the excitement, the cells found in cord blood may not be as useful as advertised.

    By Laura Sanders
  3. Health & Medicine

    Are we ready for the deadly heat waves of the future?

    As heat waves become more common, cities try to respond.

    By Aimee Cunningham
  4. Health & Medicine

    The science behind cancer warnings on coffee is murky at best

    The risks of acrylamide in coffee are not as clear as a California court ruling may suggest.

    By Erika Engelhaupt
  5. Health & Medicine

    Opioids kill. Here’s how an overdose shuts down your body

    Powerful opioids affect many parts of the body, but the drugs’ most deadly effects are on breathing.

    By Laura Sanders
  6. Health & Medicine

    Umbilical cord banking gets a lot of buzz. Why all the excitement?

    Here are the facts behind the promise of umbilical cord banking and cord blood transplants.

    By Laura Sanders
  7. Health & Medicine

    Kid-friendly e-cigarette ads appear to work

    Teens who hadn’t used tobacco products but were receptive to e-cigarettes ads were more likely to try vaping or smoking.

    By Aimee Cunningham
  8. Life

    ‘Nanobot’ viruses tag and round up bacteria in food and water

    Viruses called phages evolved to hunt bacteria. With magnetic nanoparticles and genetic engineering, they become nanobots that work for us.

    By Carolyn Wilke
  9. Science & Society

    Why science still can’t pinpoint a mass shooter in the making

    Arguments flare over mass public shootings that remain scientifically mysterious.

    By Bruce Bower
  10. Animals

    How oral vaccines could save Ethiopian wolves from extinction

    A mass oral vaccination program in Ethiopian wolves could pave the way for other endangered species and help humans, too.

    By Helen Thompson
  11. Health & Medicine

    Male birth control pill passes a safety test

    A prototype contraceptive for men safely reduced testosterone and other reproductive hormones during a month-long treatment.

    By Aimee Cunningham
  12. Health & Medicine

    How obesity makes it harder to taste

    Mice that gained excessive weight on a high-fat diet also lost a quarter of their taste buds.

    By Aimee Cunningham