Health & Medicine

  1. Health & Medicine

    Teen arm wrestlers face risk of an unusual elbow break

    The pointy part of the inner elbow can break in arm wrestling, especially among teens whose bones are still growing.

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  2. Health & Medicine

    To test for COVID-19, a dog’s nose can match a nose swab

    Dogs can sniff out COVID-19 cases as well as PCR tests can — and are better at ID’ing cases having no symptoms, a new study finds.

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  3. Health & Medicine

    Joggers run at an energy-efficient pace, new data show

    Fitness trackers and treadmill tests show that a runner’s speed tends to vary little, regardless of the distance they run.

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  4. Brain

    Warning! Nicotine poses special risks to teens

    Even a single dose of nicotine during early teen years can start a life-long cycle of nicotine use and addiction.

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  5. Chemistry

    Reusable plastic bottles release hundreds of pollutants into water

    Data show the plastic ends up tainting drinking water. For now, scientists don’t know what health risks downing these pollutants might pose.

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  6. Health & Medicine

    Patches and robotic pills may one day replace injections

    Instead of a shot in the arm, a light-activated patch or robotic pill may one day deliver your medicine.

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  7. Health & Medicine

    Your bloodstream may be littered with the plastic you’ve eaten

    For the first time, scientists have found plastic particles circulating in human blood. No one yet knows whether those polluting bits might pose a risk to health.

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  8. Health & Medicine

    Like bloodhounds, worms are sniffing out human cancers

    Scents emitted by diseased cells may usher in a new era of safe, low-cost screening tests for cancer and other illnesses.

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  9. Health & Medicine

    In an emergency, you may want to see Dr. Dog

    Emergency room visits by therapy dogs can reduce pain, anxiety and depression in patients waiting for care, a new study finds.

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  10. Environment

    We all unknowingly eat plastic, which may host toxic pollutants

    In the environment, plastics attract all types of toxic chemicals. If ingested, new data show, chemicals on those plastic bits may harm the gut.

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  11. Health & Medicine

    Sickle-cell gene therapies offer hope — and challenges

    Doctor Erica Esrick discusses existing treatments and an ongoing clinical trial for a gene therapy to treat sickle cell disease.

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  12. Health & Medicine

    Explainer: What is sickle cell disease?

    Gene mutations can alter an individual’s hemoglobin in ways that curl their blood cells. This can cause painful sickle cell disease.

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