Health & Wellbeing
On these pages you'll find everything from devices designed to give you a better night's sleep to the latest work being done to tackle the obesity epidemic. Live long and prosper!
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Biological differences make men more susceptible to cancer than women
August 08, 2022For decades, doctors have noticed men seem more likely to develop cancers compared to women, and while it was often waved away as due to lifestyle, a new study suggests biological factors may be the biggest player in the different cancer risk. -
Intermittent fasting trial sees weight loss benefits, but questions remain
August 08, 2022A study testing time-restricted eating has delivered positive results, indicating greater weight loss compared to calorie counting but researchers are still unsure whether the benefits are due to anything more than participants simply eating less. -
Unsafe levels of toxic “forever chemicals” in rainwater across the globe
August 07, 2022A striking new article argues the global spread of certain hazardous chemicals is so pervasive that unsafe levels of PFAS chemicals can be found in rainwater all over the world, including remote areas such as Antarctica and the Tibetan Plateau. -
Diabetes and cancer death risk predicted by blood protein biomarker
August 07, 2022A new study has found people with elevated blood levels of a protein called prostasin face a significantly higher risk of developing diabetes or dying from cancer. It’s unclear at this point whether the protein plays a causal role in either disease. -
Double-action mechanism found that makes ketamine less addictive
August 05, 2022Like many highly addictive drugs, ketamine causes a rush of dopamine in the brain. But new research in mice from the University of Geneva shows ketamine also blocks the brain process that leads to neuroplasticity, habit formation and compulsion. -
Meat-testing film changes color to warn of high nitrite levels
August 04, 2022Sodium nitrite is often added to cured meats, in order to prevent spoilage and provide flavor. It can also cause health problems in large amounts, however, which is why a color-changing film has been created to indicate nitrite levels. -
Polio detected in wastewater from New York county with only 60% vax rate
August 02, 2022Following recent reports of the first polio case in the US in almost a decade, the CDC reported the virus has been detected in wastewater samples as far back as June in Rockland County, a region north of New York City known for low vaccination rates. -
Heart disease from red meat linked to certain gut bacteria metabolites
August 02, 2022A new study has homed in on how animal proteins can raise heart disease risk, by illustrating the way metabolites produced by certain gut bacteria while digesting red meat play a significant role in cardiovascular disease. -
One-two punch from pair of common viruses may trigger Alzheimer’s disease
July 31, 2022A fascinating new study has found two common viruses may be working in tandem to trigger the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease. The findings build on a growing body of evidence implicating the herpes virus in neurodegenerative disease. -
Massive study links long COVID to hair loss and reduced libido
July 31, 2022A huge new study looking at the symptoms of long COVID in non-hospitalized patients has identified a diverse set of symptoms, including reduced libido and hair loss, and suggested reclassifying the condition into three distinct groups. -
Oxford's cheap, single-dose rabies vaccine passes Phase 1 human trials
July 28, 2022A new single-shot rabies vaccine is showing promising results following a Phase 1 human clinical trial. Further clinical trials are now underway in the hopes the vaccine could help cut down the thousands of deaths every year from this viral disease. -
Stem cell HIV cure proves successful in oldest patient to date
July 27, 2022A 66-year-old man has become the fourth patient, and the oldest to date, to be effectively cured of a HIV infection after undergoing a stem cell transplant from a donor with a rare genetic mutation that has been linked to HIV resistance. -
How a Silicon Valley dad designed the next generation of face mask
July 27, 2022For the last few years, Kevin Ngo has spent his spare time developing a new kind of reusable face mask. The resulting Flo Mask is a radically different take on face masks: light, comfortable, and as protective as any disposable mask around. -
PFAS linked to infertility, diabetes and billions in economic costs
July 27, 2022Researchers have found strong evidence exposure to a common group of household chemicals can be associated with 13 different health conditions. The related economic costs have been estimated at between US$5 billion and $60 billion annually in the US. -
Huge genetic study suggests alcohol accelerates biological aging
July 26, 2022A comprehensive new Oxford study has added to the growing body of research highlighting the health effects of alcohol. The large-scale genetic analysis suggests that alcohol consumption directly accelerates aging, by shortening telomeres.
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