Health & Wellbeing

A study has found a CIA plot to capture Osama Bin Laden led to significant drops in vaccination rates in Pakistan. The plot, a fake vaccination campaign designed to capture children’s DNA samples, was used in anti-vaccine propaganda in the following years.

A study has found it may be possible to predict a person’s risk of dying more than a decade in advance by analyzing their gut bacteria. The research points to a microbial signature associated with an increased risk of mortality across a 15-year follow up.

Researchers have discovered a new method to treat obesity by blocking a receptor in fat cells and speeding up energy expenditure. An experimental drug has been developed targeting this receptor and it has been effective at preventing obesity in mice.

Striking research estimates the global death toll from COVID-19 could be more than twice as high as official numbers show. Tracking overall 2020 mortality figures from around the world indicates nearly 7 million people may have succumbed to the disease.

A study from the University of Oxford has analyzed 30 years of data tracking the relationship between young peoples’ technology engagement and mental health, from television watching to smartphone social media use, and found little to no association.

The first nation-wide COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness study has been published, tracking nearly 5 million people fully vaccinated in Israel. The study found vaccination provides more than 95 percent protection from infection, severe illness, and death.

The European Food Safety Authority has reclassified food coloring E171 after an expert panel concluded it “can no longer be considered safe as a food additive.” The announcement comes after years of research indicated the additive may be unsafe.

Impressive new research has discovered a set of biomarkers that can predict when a pregnant woman will go into labor several weeks in advance. The breakthrough findings are hoped to be translated into a predictive blood test within the next few years.

The most detailed genomic study ever conducted of individuals over the age of 100 years has homed in on several genetic traits that may protect from age-related disease. Gene variants improving DNA repair processes were particularly prominent.

The first results from Phase 3 trials testing MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD have been announced. The promising data are the first Phase 3 results to be revealed for any psychedelic-based therapy paving the way for a landmark FDA approval in 2023.

Two new studies investigating the relationship between fasting and the microbiome are offering fresh insights into the way our gut bacteria composition can be remodeled by short-term dietary alterations, and how this can benefit cardiovascular health.

Researchers are reporting allergies that develop in a baby’s initial year of life could be predicted by analyzing their first poo after birth. The study claims one’s microbial make-up at birth can play a major role in early immune development.