Health & Wellbeing

Presently, in order to check electrolyte levels in newborn babies, blood samples are drawn from the infants twice a day. Soon, however, a "smart" pacifier could be used to non-invasively collect that same data.

A new direct-to-consumer test designed to detect a number of different respiratory viruses including COVID-19 and influenza has been authorized by the FDA. The test is the first of its kind to be approved that doesn't need a prescription from a doctor.

A team at Australia's Edith Cowan University have shown that when combined with the right diet, resistance training such as body-weight exercises or lifting dumbbells, can have similar effects to aerobic exercise when it comes to burning fat.

A newly published meta-analysis has uncovered 10 new genetic variants that contribute to age-related hearing loss. The findings indicate a part of the ear known as the stria vascularis may play a part in hearing impairment.

The FDA has approved a new kind of drug for type 2 diabetes. The once-weekly injection was found to be more effective at controlling blood sugar levels than current treatments, and a recent trial found it also may be useful as an anti-obesity therapy.

Screen time is generally considered to be a negative influence on a child’s development but a new study makes a strikingly different case, presenting evidence that playing video games may actually boost a child’s intelligence.

New research has found daily consumption of blueberries in middle-age could reduce a person’s risk of cognitive decline in their later years. The small trial identified several physiological and cognitive improvements after 12 weeks of blueberry supplements.

While we've already seen skin-worn patches that can detect individual substances in the bloodstream, a new one goes considerably further. It simultaneously measures glucose, alcohol and lactate, and could have multiple applications.

When someone has been left paralyzed by a stroke or brain injury, much of their recovery involves physically guiding the affected limb though the lost motion, so their brain can relearn it. A new exoskeleton does exactly that for the hand.

Two new studies indicate a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose can substantially boost immunity and reduce risk of infection compared to triple-dosed individuals but experts are divided on whether all age groups should be offered the extra booster.

A first-of-its-kind study has investigated the link between certain cancers and people living in close proximity to wildfires. The findings revealed higher rates of brain tumors and lung cancer in populations living within 50 km (31 miles) of a wildfire.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is one of leading causes of infant death and a team of researchers in Australia have now identified the first blood biomarker linked to brain arousal that could potentially be used to identify infants most at risk.