'Foundations of lifelong health' are built in early childhood — and racial inequality plays a huge part

‘Foundations of lifelong health’ are built in early childhood — and racial inequality plays a huge part

Jack Shonkoff |
The scientific evidence is crystal clear: Early experiences literally shape the architecture of the developing brain.... But here’s something that’s ...
Quest for agelessness: A host of drugs and therapies are under review, but expectations are low

Quest for agelessness: A host of drugs and therapies are under review, but expectations are low

Ron Winslow |
Will people eventually routinely live—and live healthily—longer? That’s the vision of the burgeoning field of aging research, where scientists are ...
Transgender people who start transitioning as teenagers have better mental health, study finds

Transgender people who start transitioning as teenagers have better mental health, study finds

Erin Digitale |
For transgender people, starting gender-affirming hormone treatment in adolescence is linked to better mental health than waiting until adulthood, according ...
Viewpoint: When it comes to chemical safety, there’s a difference between ‘movie science’ and the real thing

Viewpoint: When it comes to chemical safety, there’s a difference between ‘movie science’ and the real thing

Richard Williams |
I loved the movie Erin Brockovich played by Julia Roberts who played a lawyer’s assistant fighting the interplay of corporate greed ...
Tempted to try to get Omicron to ‘just get it over with’? Here’s why that’s problematic

Tempted to try to get Omicron to ‘just get it over with’? Here’s why that’s problematic

Allison Aubrey |
With growing evidence that the omicron variant likely causes milder disease, some people may be thinking: Why not encourage omicron to ...
‘Double sleeping’: Did the industrial revolution end humans' proclivity to sleep in two shifts?

‘Double sleeping’: Did the industrial revolution end humans’ proclivity to sleep in two shifts?

Zaria Gorvett |
In the 17th Century, a night of sleep went something like this. From as early as 21:00 to 23:00, those ...
Podcast: Here’s the case for optimism even as COVID infection rates soar

Podcast: Here’s the case for optimism even as COVID infection rates soar

On average, the U.S. is tallying nearly 500,000 new COVID cases a day. [January 3], the U.S. hit yet another ...
Olympics threat? Omicron and other COVID variants surge across China on cusp of Winter Games

Olympics threat? Omicron and other COVID variants surge across China on cusp of Winter Games

Huizhong Wu |
Throughout the pandemic, authorities have been especially protective of Beijing since it is the seat of government and home to ...
Olive oil and disease: Another study reaffirms daily consumption helps stave off heart disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases

Olive oil and disease: Another study reaffirms daily consumption helps stave off heart disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases

Denise Mann |
Swapping out the butter or other artery-clogging fats in your diet for heart-healthy olive oil may add years to your ...
Omicron appears to be peaking

Omicron appears to be peaking

David Leonhardt |
The number of new Covid-19 cases in New York City rose more than twentyfold in December. In the past few ...
Infographic: When will Omicron peak?

Infographic: When will Omicron peak?

Jeffrey Shaman |
Our models project that the United States is likely to document more Covid-19 cases in January than in any previous ...
Twindemic: With regular flu cases ticking up, fears of mid-winter health crisis rise

Twindemic: With regular flu cases ticking up, fears of mid-winter health crisis rise

Miriam Berger |
A “twindemic” of covid-19 and influenza is a recipe for public health nightmares. Strict measures to control the spread of ...
First CRISPR food hits market: Sicilian Rouge tomato with blood pressure-lowering GABA available in Japan

First CRISPR food hits market: Sicilian Rouge tomato with blood pressure-lowering GABA available in Japan

Emily Waltz |
Genome-edited food made with CRISPR–Cas9 technology is being sold on the open market for the first time. Since September, the ...
Considering Omicron’s milder impact, how should we alter our behavior?

Considering Omicron’s milder impact, how should we alter our behavior?

David Leonhardt |
The latest evidence about Covid is largely positive. A few weeks ago, many experts and journalists were warning that the initial ...
‘An increase in food production does not necessarily result in less hunger’: Why we need a second Green Revolution embracing genetics and organic farming

‘An increase in food production does not necessarily result in less hunger’: Why we need a second Green Revolution embracing genetics and organic farming

Richard Mills |
Most people believe hunger is caused by food scarcity, however this is wrong. There is currently more than enough food ...
GMO purple tomatoes with more antioxidants poised for spring US rollout

GMO purple tomatoes with more antioxidants poised for spring US rollout

Michael Pollitt |
Genetically-modified (GM) purple tomatoes with high levels of health-giving antioxidants - developed by Norwich scientists - could be available in the USA from ...
What might have happened if COVID-19 had emerged 300 years ago?

What might have happened if COVID-19 had emerged 300 years ago?

Lesley Newson, Peter Richerson |
If this novel coronavirus had emerged in 1719 instead of 2019, the effect would have been very different. For a ...
What causes obesity? Debate rages between 'what you eat' and 'how much you eat' factions

What causes obesity? Debate rages between ‘what you eat’ and ‘how much you eat’ factions

David Ludwig |
The usual way of thinking considers obesity a problem of energy balance. Take in more calories than you expend—in other ...
Viewpoint: 'Unnecessary delays’ — Activist maneuvers slow rollouts of nutritionally-enhanced Golden Rice

Viewpoint: ‘Unnecessary delays’ — Activist maneuvers slow rollouts of nutritionally-enhanced Golden Rice

The consumption of the genetically modified rice variety known as Golden Rice (GR) offers a potent and cost-effective strategy to ...
Viewpoint: 10 stupid agriculture and food truisms that need to die

Viewpoint: 10 stupid agriculture and food truisms that need to die

Erin (Food Science Babe) |
In the spirit of moving forward into the new year and helping to stop the spread of misinformation, here are ...
Does what we eat affect brain performance and health?

Does what we eat affect brain performance and health?

Bo Ekstrand |
Food plays an important role in brain performance and health. In our review “Brain foods – the role of diet ...
Do hormonal factors protect women against cardiovascular disease?

Do hormonal factors protect women against cardiovascular disease?

Jumana Saleh |
Several lines of evidence support the idea that cardiovascular disease is linked to variations in female hormones. First, women develop ...
Yet another patient was naturally cured of HIV

Yet another patient was naturally cured of HIV

Amy Norton |
Researchers have identified a second HIV-positive person whose body might have naturally cleared the infection — sparking hope that studying ...
Omicron multiplies 70 times faster than Delta — but infects the lungs less

Omicron multiplies 70 times faster than Delta — but infects the lungs less

Spencer Kimball |
The omicron variant of Covid-19 replicates 70 times faster in human airways than delta, but infection in the lungs appears ...
This virus expert accurately predicted 800,000 Americans would die of COVID. What does he think the future holds?

This virus expert accurately predicted 800,000 Americans would die of COVID. What does he think the future holds?

Michael Osterholm, Peter Bergen |
Michael Osterholm is director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota and author ...
Viewpoint: Are the EPA and other regulatory agencies dragging their feet by not restricting glyphosate weedkiller?

Viewpoint: Are the EPA and other regulatory agencies dragging their feet by not restricting glyphosate weedkiller?

Michael Dourson |
Are the EPA and big agricultural groups defending glyphosate because they need to maintain business as usual? Should the public ...
Omicron appears to be milder than Delta — but it’s more infectious, including to the vaccinated. What does that mean for you?

Omicron appears to be milder than Delta — but it’s more infectious, including to the vaccinated. What does that mean for you?

Rachel Gutman |
Back in July, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky announced that COVID had become “a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” an unfortunate turn ...