Health & Medicine

  1. Health & Medicine

    COVID-19 plasma treatments may be safe, but we don’t know if they work

    Blood plasma from COVID-19 survivors can be used to treat hospitalized patients, FDA says, but researchers question how well it works.

    By Jonathan Lambert and Tina Hesman Saey
  2. Health & Medicine

    What we can learn from how a doctor’s race can affect Black newborns’ survival

    When Black physicians attended Black newborns after a hospital birth, it reduced the mortality gap between Black and white babies.

    By Aimee Cunningham
  3. Health & Medicine

    A man in Hong Kong is the first confirmed case of coronavirus reinfection

    During a 33-year-old man’s first round with the virus, he had symptoms, but not the second time — a hint his immune system protected him from disease.

    By Erin Garcia de Jesús
  4. Health & Medicine

    New treatments aim to treat COVID-19 early, before it gets serious

    Some new drugs that may stop the coronavirus from getting into cells, or from reproducing itself, may treat the illness as soon as it’s diagnosed.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  5. Health & Medicine

    Dust can spread influenza among guinea pigs, raising coronavirus questions

    In three out of 12 guinea pig pairs, an animal coated in influenza virus, but immune to infection, spread the virus to another rodent through dust.

    By Erin Garcia de Jesús
  6. Climate

    Hurricanes have names. Some climate experts say heat waves should, too

    A newly formed international alliance aims to raise awareness about extreme temperatures and protect vulnerable populations.

    By Jack J. Lee
  7. Health & Medicine

    4 reasons you shouldn’t trash your neck gaiter based on the new mask study

    Despite news coverage to the contrary, the study was meant to figure out how to evaluate masks, not actually do the comparison.

    By Jonathan Lambert
  8. Health & Medicine

    Here’s what we know about Russia’s unverified coronavirus vaccine

    Despite incomplete testing, Sputnik V may be the first COVID-19 vaccine given to the general public, rolling out initially to teachers and doctors.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  9. Health & Medicine

    How two coronavirus drugs for cats might help humans fight COVID-19

    Scientists are exploring if drugs for a disease caused by a coronavirus that infects only cats might help also people infected with the coronavirus.

    By Erin Garcia de Jesús
  10. Anthropology

    Better playground design could help kids get more exercise

    Playgrounds designed for imaginative play can make a difference in how much kids move

    By Emily Anthes
  11. Climate

    Emissions dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic. The climate impact won’t last

    New estimates suggest coronavirus shutdowns cut global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels by nearly 30 percent, on average.

    By Jonathan Lambert
  12. Health & Medicine

    Rogue immune system reactions hint at an early treatment for COVID-19

    A comprehensive look at the immune system shows multiple ways it misfires in COVID-19. Treating with interferon early might prevent trouble later.

    By Tina Hesman Saey