Health & Medicine
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Health & MedicineNew ‘Heartland’ disease emerges in U.S. Midwest
A new viral disease causes major pain and flu-like symptoms. At present, no treatment or cure exists.
By Janet Raloff -
BrainLoneliness can breed disease
Everyone experiences loneliness from time to time. But when allowed to persist, loneliness can damage your health and steal years from your life.
By Hugh Westrup -
Health & MedicineExplainer: Tips for overcoming loneliness
This assortment of tips can help overcome loneliness. The approach focuses on changing — for the better — those ways in which you and others interact.
By Hugh Westrup -
EnvironmentPoisonings linked to e-cigarettes
A federal survey finds electronic cigarettes and the chemicals they burn are an increasing cause of reports of harm made to poison-control centers. Young children are often the victims.
By Janet Raloff -
Health & MedicineThe nose knows a trillion scents
There's a long-standing claim that people can identify 10,000 different odors. But a new study suggests that people can actually identify at least 10,000 times that many scents.
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Health & MedicineIntel STS finalist uses math to predict breast cancer spread
Intel STS finalist Esha Maiti developed a model to calculate the probability of cancer spreading to different areas of the body.
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Health & MedicineSome of chocolate’s health benefits may trace to ‘bugs’
Dark chocolate offers people a number of health benefits. A new study finds that the breakdown of chocolate by microbes in the human gut be behind some benefits.
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Health & MedicineThe dangerous rise of electronic cigarettes
Electronic cigarettes were originally advertised as a way for smokers to wean themselves off of cigarettes. In fact, e-cigarettes are helping hook a whole new generation of young people on nicotine — an addiction that may transition back to tobacco.
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Health & MedicineExplainer: What is a hookah?
Many teens are turning to water pipes as a potentially safer alternative to conventional cigarettes. But they’d be wrong.
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Health & MedicineExplainer: What are e-cigarettes?
New battery-powered devices deliver nicotine, a dangerous and addictive drug.
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Health & MedicineIntel STS finalist uses math to help the blind
Intel Science Talent Search finalist Alec Arshavsky has built a computer program to help make sure people receive the right eye transplants to help reverse blindness.
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Health & MedicineLow protein, longer life — for some
Eating less protein can lengthen life and improve health. That’s the message from new studies in mice and in people.