Health

348 articles published

North Carolina Confronts the Toxic Legacy of Firefighting Foam

The state is grappling with widespread PFAS contamination left behind by decades of firefighting foam use.

Apr 15, 2026

New Urine Test Could Identify the Right UTI Antibiotic in Under Six Hours

A breakthrough method that skips traditional lab culturing matched standard results in over 96% of cases, potentially transforming how urinary tract infections are treated.

Apr 15, 2026

Salt Substitutes Could Help Millions With High Blood Pressure — But Almost No One Uses Them

A national analysis spanning nearly two decades finds that fewer than 6% of U.S. adults use salt substitutes, despite strong evidence they lower blood pressure.

Apr 15, 2026

DNA Robots Edge Closer to Delivering Drugs and Hunting Viruses Inside the Human Body

Scientists are engineering microscopic machines from DNA that could one day target cancer cells, capture viruses, and assemble nanoscale devices with extraordinary precision.

Apr 15, 2026

Viagra Ingredient Shows Remarkable Promise Against Deadly Childhood Brain Disease

A small study found that sildenafil dramatically improved muscle strength, reduced seizures, and halted metabolic crises in patients with Leigh syndrome.

Apr 15, 2026

Scientists Discover Internal "Wind System" in Cells That May Explain How Cancer Spreads

A surprise finding during a classroom experiment revealed that cells actively generate currents to move proteins, challenging decades of textbook biology.

Apr 14, 2026

New Drug Helps Early-Morning Shift Workers Stay Alert When Their Brains Say Sleep

A clinical trial found that solriamfetol significantly boosts wakefulness in workers who start their shifts before sunrise.

Apr 14, 2026

Walking More Each Day Can Lower Your Risk of Chronic Disease, Study Finds

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center found that simply adding daily steps can meaningfully reduce the likelihood of developing chronic conditions.

Apr 14, 2026

Common Pregnancy Painkiller Linked to Higher Autism and ADHD Risk in Children

A new study from Harvard researchers adds to growing evidence that acetaminophen use during pregnancy may affect neurodevelopment.

Apr 14, 2026

Only Colorectal Cancer Carries a Distinct Microbial "Fingerprint," Study Finds

An analysis of DNA from more than 9,000 cancer patients found that colorectal tumors uniquely harbor identifiable microbial communities — a discovery that could reshape diagnosis and treatment.

Apr 14, 2026

Trump Administration Quietly Seeks Access to Medical Records of 8 Million Federal Workers and Their Families

A little-noticed federal notice could give the Office of Personnel Management sweeping access to prescription, treatment, and claims data for millions of Americans, alarming privacy experts and insurers alike.

Apr 14, 2026

Most Americans Support Autism Research but Don't Know Brain Donation Makes It Possible

A new survey reveals that while 92 percent of people say studying the autistic brain is important, 70 percent have never heard of brain donation — and a separate NIH study is raising its own questions about accessing private medical data for autism research.

Apr 14, 2026