Health & Medicine

  1. Health & Medicine

    Could eating clay help manage weight?

    A new study suggests that clay could help soak up fat in the gut. In rats, it works as well as a weight-loss drug.

    By Shruti Ravindran
  2. Health & Medicine

    For coughing up phlegm, water is key

    Patients with diseases like cystic fibrosis get lungs filled with sticky mucus. Adding water could be the key to getting that phlegm out.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  3. Health & Medicine

    Explainer: The benefits of phlegm, mucus and snot

    There are many types of mucus in the body. They might seem gross, but these gloppy goos are the first line of defense against infection.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  4. Health & Medicine

    Friendly adults help teens stand up against bullies

    In the movies, kid heroes often intervene to stop bullies. What makes that happen in reality? A good family life and trustworthy teachers can help.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  5. Health & Medicine

    Easing test anxiety boosts science grades in low-income students

    Giving lower-income students mental tools to cope with test anxiety boosted their science grades.

    By Sujata Gupta
  6. Health & Medicine

    These researchers swallowed Legos for science

    Parents rush to the hospital every day after their kids swallow toys. To calm their fears, six brave doctors swallowed Legos for science.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  7. Genetics

    Explainer: What are genes?

    Genes are DNA regions that tell cells how to build proteins. But we have many more proteins than genes. And much of our DNA controls when genes turn on and off.

    By Silke Schmidt
  8. Health & Medicine

    Later school starts linked to better teen grades

    A Seattle study confirms that later high school start times improve teens’ sleep and grades. Fitbit-like activity trackers provided the evidence.

    By Silke Schmidt
  9. Health & Medicine

    Snot Science: Stopping the sneeze

    In my previous study, I compared thick and thin snot. Now, I’ll find out if a tissue makes a difference in how far a sneeze spreads.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  10. Health & Medicine

    Scientists Say: Metabolism

    Metabolism is all the chemical activities that support life in a cell, an organ and a whole organism’s body.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  11. Health & Medicine

    Goose bumps may have hairy benefits

    The nerves and muscles needed to set your hair on end and produce goose bumps also play a role in hair growth, new rodent data show. This suggests goose bumps might be useful in promoting hair growth.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  12. Health & Medicine

    Analyze This: Most teen girls don’t meet guidelines for daily exercise

    Girls trail boys in the amount of exercise they tend to get each day regardless of race.

    By Lillian Steenblik Hwang