Health & Medicine

Humans

Using physics can help athletes avoid sports injuries 

Jessica Talmage uses physics to help understand how the body moves. Her findings help athletes avoid sports injuries and improve their performance.

Health & Medicine

New study links early smartphone ownership to health risks

The earlier kids get smartphones, the more likely they’ll get too little sleep, gain weight — and possibly develop depression, a new study suggests.

Health & Medicine

You need to eat protein — but the right mix really matters

All proteins are not equal, research is showing. So while most Americans get plenty of protein, they might not be eating the most nutritious blend.

Chemistry

Explainer: What is chirality?

Chiral molecules are mirror images of each other. They might not seem all that different — but can have drastically different effects in medicine, materials and more.

Health & Medicine

Butt breathing might help people struggling to get enough oxygen

This strange investigation into whether humans can use the gut for breathing has surprisingly heartwarming origins: helping the scientist’s dad.

Microbes

Let’s learn about viruses

Viruses cause a huge range of illnesses, but vaccines can help protect you against these infections.

Health & Medicine

Recruits agreed to be buried face down in the snow, for science

A safety device helped maintain the buried person’s oxygen levels for a half hour or more, which might provide time for an avalanche rescue.

Brain

Hypnosis isn’t magic. It’s the brain at work

While we still don’t know much about how hypnosis works, it appears to help some people conquer pain, anxiety and other problems.

Health & Medicine

Air pollution might harm children’s eye health

Scientists used machine learning to understand air pollution’s role in eye health and vision. They found children have better eyesight in cleaner air conditions.

Humans

Scientists Say: Chronohygiene

Artificial lights and other aspects of modern life can confuse our body’s internal sleep clock. But a few minor changes may grant us much-needed control.

Health & Medicine

A little shape-up helps these pimple patches get a grip

These zit patches use some innovative geometry to anchor onto skin. This solves one problem that’s hindered other uses of microneedles for drug delivery.

Tech

A modified glue gun squirts a material to help heal broken bones

The handheld printer might someday apply bone-repair patches directly onto fractures — complete with antibiotics to prevent infection.