Health

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 at Indiana University have linked a protein secreted by the stomach to obesity. In tests in mice, the team switched off the protein and found that it reduced the animals’ body fat levels, even when fed a high-fat diet.

A number of countries are reporting increasing rates of viral gastroenteritis over recent months, and experts suggest greater use of hand sanitizers, known to have little effect on pathogens such as norovirus, may be partly responsible.

The new Fitbit Luxe isn't a revolutionary device as far as fitness trackers go, but it does add some extra style and elegance to the usual wearable formula: it has a stainless steel casing, and is the first Fitbit tracker with a color screen.

A new study reviewing a decade's worth of literature has added to our understanding of high-intensity interval training, showing how these short bouts can offer comparable benefits to longer sessions of moderate or vigorous exercise.

A new metastudy conducted in conjunction with the US National Park Service has found that the sounds of nature are not only pleasant, but can have a variety of health benefits – though finding these sounds isn't always easy.

A team of scientists is investigating the bi-directional relationship between COVID-19 and diabetes. The researchers suggest SARS-CoV-2 infection may be triggering the onset of diabetes and a global registry has been set up to track this phenomenon.

A study is demonstrating a new screening method developed to better identify human-made chemicals in people. The proof-of-concept research discovered more than 100 chemicals, including 55 that have never been reported found in humans before.

A new breakthrough could lead to a safe, effective and reversible male contraceptive pill, as a compound from traditional Chinese medicine has been shown in tests to render mice and monkeys temporarily infertile.

Scientists have studied 50,000-year-old Neanderthal poop, and analyzed the DNA of microbes to determine their gut microbiome. Many species are still present in modern humans, revealing the "old friend" bacteria that may be most crucial to our health.

Promising interim data testing the efficacy of a monoclonal antibody cocktail developed to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection has been announced, but there are concerns the prohibitive cost of producing the therapy will limit widespread use.

Nobody likes needles – at best they’re an unpleasant means to an important end. Microneedle patches could be a painless alternative, and now researchers have developed a way to use them to detect biomarkers at much lower levels without drawing blood.