Ben Locwin
Sports and war: With concussions, there’s little difference between football, fighting
Evidence suggests "early aging" in the brains of troops is a result of experiencing bomb blasts. It may be similar ...
The obesity paradox: Why being fit may be more important than losing weight
Instead of focusing purely on weight, a better approach is one that also considers a person's physical fitness when assessing ...
Why identifying ‘autism genes’ is so elusive
Researchers are unlocking the mystery of autism's origin. Yes, it's mostly 'in the genes,' but what that means is one ...
Rare genetic diseases can arise from unsuspecting carriers
Discovery of the rare disease -- marked by blindness, deafness, fragile bones and albinism -- could lead to genetic screening ...
Colon cancer rates spiking among millennials, but no one knows why
It might be tempting for activists to blame GMOs for the rise in colon cancer rates among younger people, but ...
Behold the octopus: Problem solver, tool user and now, gene editor
The more we learn about octopuses and squids, the more mysterious they become. The ability to edit their own RNA ...
This year’s flu vaccine has been 50% effective, and that’s not shabby
This season's vaccine was more effective than those of the previous two years at reducing influenza-related hospitalizations ...
Fatty acids: How do all those omegas affect your health?
Omega 7 fatty acids are suddenly the rage in health circles. They are found in macadamia nuts, certain meats and ...
How epigenetics, our gut microbiome and the environment interact to change our lives
There appears to be an incredible, largely invisible world, of cellular communication, symbiosis, and chemistry occurring between ‘us’ and the ...
Polio eradicated? Health officials mobilizing against AFM–rare polio-like condition
Cases of a rare condition that is characterized by polio-like symptoms have ballooned in North America and elsewhere. Here is ...
Forget about counting steps—Fitbit, other activity trackers won’t help you much to get healthy
Activity trackers may create a false assurance - when people see how much they are walking on a daily basis ...
How human chimeras could revolutionize science and medicine
The NIH appears ready to fund scientists who want to make and study human chimeras. What can we hope to ...
Genetic therapies won’t solve depression anytime soon
Can a better understanding of the genetics of depression lead us to safer, more effective treatments for the disease? ...
New drug approved for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, as mystery disease causes come into focus
Viruses and our human genes tend to co-mingle and cause structural and functional changes--is that what's causing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? ...
Epigenetic Zs: Could a bad night’s sleep alter your genes?
Sleep deprivation can not only ruin your day, it may change your DNA ...
Synthetic biologists developing cells programmed to target, destroy cancer
Synthetic biology might be ready to graduate from cells engineered to perform only one task to multiple cells in a ...
Autism in our DNA? Slew of studies points to genetics as main driver, but there is no ‘autism gene’
Researchers are unlocking the mystery of autism's origin. Yes, it's mostly 'in the genes,' but what that means is one ...
Understanding IQ: What race horses, Eskimos, NBA centers and you have in common
To understand how individual intelligence forms, we have to know more than just someone's inherited genetic characteristics ...
Wine as magic elixir? The debate thickens
Is wine good or bad for you? Much of the attention surrounding the drink has focused on the compound resveratrol ...
What the #%!*& ? Pain—It’s all in your head, but your emotions can control it
It really is true that pain is 'all in your head’. That understanding is part of a new wave of ...
Beyond microcephaly: Can Zika virus cause auto-immune disorder Guillain-Barré syndrome?
Much of the discussion about the Zika virus has been about its ability to cause microcephaly. But now evidence has ...
Genetics of relationships and marriage
Many online dating services claim to use science to match people with their perfect mate. But the science of relationships ...
Genes identified that extend life
Is the secret to extending human life span written in our genes? Clues from other organisms suggest it might be ...
Is natural sleep the only kind that counts? Or can we make that artificial, too?
Around the world, people spend billions on sleep. Everyone is looking for a good night's rest. But, amidst all of ...
Link between inflammation and cancer
People with chronic inflammatory conditions may be more susceptible to DNA-induced cell mutations which could contribute to getting cancer ...
Scoop on ‘leaky gut syndrome’–And effect of pathogenic gut microbes on health
Do microbes in your gut cause pathologies elsewhere in the body like the heart? ...
Madonna may suffer from ‘DNA paranoia’
Madonna is famous for her work on stage particularly her singing and performing, but behind the scenes, she's famous for ...
Why is your memory so bad when you’re hungry?
Why is it so hard to think while you're hungry? Researchers now believe it may come down to one protein ...
