Respiratory health

For the first time, scientists quantify the health risks of hair styling

Society & Community

This daily routine sends billions of hazardous nanoparticles into the lungs

Hair care may be turning your bathroom into a hazardous emissions zone, as scientists find that 10-20 minutes of styling with common products and tools resulted in 10 billion ultrafine particles being inhaled and able to cross into the bloodstream.

Cancer

How viral infections like COVID can reawaken dormant cancer cells

Some cancer cells don't die; they go quiet, like seeds lying dormant in the soil. But when the body faces a virus like SARS-CoV-2, the resulting inflammation jolts these silent cells awake, especially in the lungs, giving them a chance to grow and spread.

Pepper has become an unlikely disease research hero

Infectious Diseases

Black cat finds a new human virus – and it's not his first time

Black cats may be a symbol of bad luck in many Western societies, but one such sooty feline has brought good fortune to scientists, playing a key role in identifying a new virus that can infect humans. It's the second novel bug Pepper has hunted down.

Scientists have identified how air pollution damages lung function – and potentially how to treat it

Wellness & Healthy Living

Researchers find how pollution hampers lung function and how to reverse it

New research has identified the mechanism by which air pollution damages the lungs’ self-cleaning system, leaving us vulnerable to infection. In doing so, it has also identified a way to reverse that damage and restore lung function.