Health & Medicine
Through the study and use of genetics, we can identify measures that could lead to the improvement of human health and wellness. These methods and procedures aim to prevent years of chronic disease and thousands of dollars in health care costs, and provide families and communities with knowledge of how to live healthier.
Below is the complete archive of related articles sorted by date.
‘Every sneeze, kiss, or slap on the back could be part of a larger story’: How the microbiome affects our social lives
Research confirms that who you spend time with is a powerful predictor of the microbes you carry. But these tiny ...
Would the discovery of life on Mars be ‘world-shaking’?
In a recent interview with the Telegraph, NASA chief scientist Jim Green said it’s possible we’ll soon find evidence of life on ...
No such thing as a harmless lie? How dishonesty hurts our ability to connect with other people
Have you ever told a friend a made-up story to entertain that person or spare his or her feelings? … ...
Do vaccines contain glyphosate? Anti-GMO claim requires ‘very unlikely scenario’
Many GMO critics believe that vaccines are contaminated with glyphosate. A look at how vaccines are made and how glyphosate ...
Viewpoint: Controversial red-meat review challenged ‘deeply entrenched’ nutrition advice with strong science
That last food flip-flop made big headlines last week. It was a “remarkable turnabout,” “jarring,” “stunning.” How, it was asked, ...
Podcast: Obesity, cancer and gut bacteria—how the microbiome impacts your health
Get your hands dirty by delving into the microbiome - the trillions of bacteria that live inside our guts ...
Mental health apps are reading your texts—some of them are selling your data, raising privacy concerns
An app for monitoring people with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia is so precise it can track when a patient steps ...
What the next 20 years have in store for male birth control, including a gel rubbed into the shoulders
[M]ale contraception has been limited to the same two options for the last 100 years: condoms and a vasectomy. Neither ...
Podcast: How technology keeps cancer-causing mycotoxins out of our food
Here's a question for you: what if there were dangerous toxins that could make their way into your food, but ...
4 things to know about epigenetics, including that most changes are not passed on to offspring
Far more is unknown about epigenetics than is known. Let’s have a look at what we do know ...
3 scientists win Nobel Prize in medicine for work on cell’s ability to ‘sense and adapt to oxygen availability’
The Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine was awarded Monday to three physician-scientists from the U.S. and Britain — William ...
What’s xanthan gum? A closer look at that ‘unpronounceable additive’ in so many processed foods
Many people have spied the words “xanthan gum” on the list of ingredients on the back of a food box, ...
Exploring origins of the female orgasm. Is it an ‘evolutionary throwback’?
The female orgasm might have evolved as part of a biological mechanism to induce ovulation, according to findings published [September ...
‘Mandela Effect’: What does mass misremembering tell us about human nature?
If you follow unusual theories online, you’ve probably heard of the Mandela Effect. It’s a phenomenon in which a large ...
Too many carbs, calories? Nope. Lack of fiber biggest problem with American diets
Ask Americans about what they think is the biggest problem with their diets and you'll probably hear a variety of ...
Viewpoint: While experts fight about red meat, eat a diet that makes sense for you
Nutrition researchers and doctors are at each other's throats once again, this time over a recommendation published in the Annals ...
Fat from gene-edited plants could make infant formula more nutritious, less expensive
A team from the Rothamsted Research center, UK, has developed plants capable of mass-producing fat molecules resembling those in human ...
GMO Bt cotton saves Pakistani farmers estimated $7 million on pesticide-related health care costs, study shows
Despite substantial research on the economic effects of transgenic insect-resistant Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton, there is still limited work on ...
Should we eat less red meat? There’s no solid evidence behind that advice, dietary expert panel says
Public health officials for years have urged Americans to limit consumption of red meat and processed meats because of concerns ...
‘Baby biome’: Does a Caesarean section birth alter the gut bacteria of infants?
Previous research has suggested that a lack of exposure to some microbes in early life is implicated in autoimmune diseases ...
In South Africa, being intersex is considered bad luck. This young woman is fighting back
Babalwa Mtshawu never experienced puberty. When she was growing up she didn't get her period or grow breasts like the ...
Chasing freedom from food allergies through controversial oral immunotherapy treatments
An idea based on a century-old concept could soon receive FDA approval. But will it cause more anxiety than relief? ...
Podcast: GMO insects loose in the wild? Inside scoop on controversial Oxitec mosquito in Brazil
The tiny mosquito is a nuisance in the industrialized world, yet in developing countries it is a ruthless killer, spreading ...
Viewpoint: Growing GMO crops provides 4 major health benefits you probably didn’t know about
While the application of agricultural chemicals is highly mechanized in industrial countries, the same cannot be said for developing countries, ...
Viewpoint: Study’s inability to find a ‘gay gene’ provides affirmation for LGBTQ community
As a scientist, I am fascinated by the new international study that found thousands of genetic variants associated with same-sex sexual behavior, ...
Viewpoint: ‘GMO’—the dirty three-letter word used to demonize life-saving biotechnology
The demonization of this technology funds numerous NGOs and has even become a cottage industry ...
Oxitec’s GMO mosquitoes spread their genes in the wild? Separating science from hype after controversial new study
Did the mosquito experiment go wrong? ...
