Health & Medicine

  1. Health & Medicine

    50 years ago, U.S. drinking water sparked health and safety concerns

    The discovery of potential cancer-causing agents in tap water led to the Safe Drinking Water Act — a law that continues protecting public health.

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  2. Health & Medicine

    22 pesticides show links to prostate cancer

    The new finding comes from an analysis of pesticide use and prostate cancer incidence in over 3,100 U.S. counties.

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  3. Health & Medicine

    Lizard spit can help detect a rare pancreatic tumor

    A protein found in Gila monster saliva flags tiny pancreatic tumors in PET scans.

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  4. Health & Medicine

    The virus behind an outbreak in Brazil can spread from mother to fetus

    Transmission of Oropouche virus to the womb has been confirmed in two stillbirths and one birth with congenital anomalies that occurred in Brazil.

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  5. Health & Medicine

    A twisted protein sheds light on chronic wasting disease in deer

    The detailed structure of a misfolded protein from a diseased deer could help explain why the disease hasn’t made the leap to humans.

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  6. Genetics

    A common drug may help treat a rare genetic disease

    Ibuprofen counters problems caused by mutations in the MAN1B1 gene, fruit fly tests show. Early results in three children are ”fairly positive.”

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  7. Health & Medicine

    ‘The Power of Prions’ explores misfolded proteins’ role in brain diseases

    Michel Brahic’s new book spotlights prions’ role in diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

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  8. Health & Medicine

    Why finding bird flu in a U.S. pig for the first time is raising new worries

    Swine can act as so-called “mixing vessels” for human and bird flus, giving avian viruses an opportunity to adapt for spreading in people.

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  9. Health & Medicine

    Limiting sugar in infancy reduces the risk of diabetes and hypertension

    Children who experienced sugar rationing during World War II were less likely to develop some chronic illnesses as adults than those with no rationing.

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  10. Health & Medicine

    Are synthetic food dyes bad for you? Here’s what the science says.

    California is banning them in schools. The FDA says they’re fine. But synthetic dyes added to food to make them more colorful have a long, troubled history.

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  11. Health & Medicine

    Drop in vaping drives tobacco product use by U.S. youth to a record low

    The fewest number of U.S. middle and high school students are currently using tobacco products since the National Youth Tobacco Survey began in 1999.

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  12. Health & Medicine

    Male mosquitoes sometimes suck, too

    Blood isn’t actually toxic to all male mosquitos. In at least one virus-carrying species, it may even help them live longer.

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