Diseases (Page 2)

Groundbreaking research on COVID-19, cancer, diabetes, and other health concerns.

Latest in Diseases

a block calendar with january 1 and the word "dry" on it

The health benefits of Dry January

a firefly glowing on a black background

‘Hope in a bottle’ for a deadly cancer and the firefly gene that lit the way

roman ruins in northern england

Diarrhea slowed down Roman soldiers

By Laura Baisas

several cheeses on a wooden board

Brie, cheddar, and other high-fat cheeses linked to lower dementia risk

By Laura Baisas

Photograph of the fresco Trionfo della Morte, taken at its original location in the Camposanto Monumentale in Pisa. The fresco, known as the “Triumph of Death” and attributed to the painter Buonamico Buffalmacco, is not precisely dated; scholarly estimates range from 1335 to 1350. While it does not depict the Black Death explicitly, the selected detail shows victims of an epidemic from diverse social backgrounds, their souls carried off by demons.

Medieval volcanoes may have ignited the Black Death

Arm in noninvasive glucose monitoring device

Goodbye, finger pricks? Diabetes patients could monitor glucose with lightwaves.

A vibrant, digital illustration of a glowing DNA double helix structure against a dark blue background. The helix is composed of numerous small, multicolored, light-filled blocks and lines that represent the genetic code.

How scientists analyze ancient DNA from old bones

Drone carrying AED in midair

Drones are delivering life-saving defibrillators to 911 calls

Scanning electron microscopy image of the engineered 3D bone marrow tissue colonized with human blood cells (red). Andrés García García, University of Basel, Department of Biomedicine

New lab-made bone marrow model is a bioengineering first

By Laura Baisas

A plate filled with a traditional holiday meal, featuring sliced roasted turkey breast, a scoop of stuffing, green beans, diced sweet potatoes, and a spoonful of cranberry sauce, all resting on a white plate set on a rustic wooden table.

Can one big meal really make you gain weight?

By Jennifer Byrne

Microrobot capsule on tip of finger close up

These tiny robots swim through your blood to fight strokes

V0015163ER Two hooded figures and a King grieve over a dead person whil Credit: Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images images@wellcome.ac.uk http://wellcomeimages.org Two hooded figures and a King grieve over a dead person while another masked figure comes to cleanse the room of the plague. Woodcut by V. Solis. Published: - Copyrighted work available under Creative Commons Attribution only licence CC BY 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Centuries of Black Death misinformation started with a poem

A vintage photo collage featuring an oval cut-out image of seven people—three men and four women, who appear to be young college students—dressed in 1920s-era clothing. They are standing close together and looking at the camera. The background is a texture of yellowed, old newsprint with blurred text about a sleep experiment.

In 1925, seven students went 60 hours without sleep—for science

By Bill Gourgey

Side-by-side of a coiled green mamba and a white llama

The secret ingredient in a snake antivenom? Llamas.

a dolphin blowing bubbles under water

Dolphins may be getting an Alzheimer’s-like disease due to this neurotoxin

By Margherita Bassi

Skull of a soldier from the Napoleon army next to a button from a soldier's uniform.

The real killer of Napoleon’s army revealed by DNA testing

pinworm under microscope

Ancient poop from Mexico’s ‘Cave of the Dead Children’ teems with parasites

By Laura Baisas

Close up of bearded dragon against black background

Reptile ‘pee crystals’ might help treat kidney stones and gout

Kidney transplant in container

Donor organ’s blood type altered for the first time

several large black antsDeposit Photos

Ants ‘social distance’ during a pandemic

By Margherita Bassi

bat hanging upside down from tree branch at night

Why do bats spread so many diseases? They’re evolutionary marvels.

a woman using nail clippers to cut her big toe nail

Scientists need your toenails

By Laura Baisas

Smelt fish under ice. Fish spawning in river. Pacific smelt

Fake fish blood may save your ice cream from freezer burn

A vintage photo collage featuring a man in a shirt and tie, intensely focused while looking into the eyepiece of a microscope. The image is overlaid on yellowed old text, likely a magazine or newspaper clipping, with blurred headlines visible in the background.

How a hatter and railroad clerk kickstarted cancer research

By Bill Gourgey

A colorized vintage photo shows a smiling blonde woman in a salmon-colored dress waving her hand while seated at a dark wooden counter or bar. Two men in white staff uniforms and hats are leaning over the counter, laughing with her, one of whom is holding a cigar. The other offers her a drink in a tall glass. Several other men in hats are visible in the background.

The radioactive ‘miracle water’ that killed its believers

a border collie in a park gives a human a high five with its paw

Pandemic life left its mark on dogs

By Laura Baisas

Close up of mosquito biting a person's skin

Mosquitos seem to like beer drinkers who recently had sex

Golden retriever in park with frisbee in its mouth

Golden retrievers help scientists pinpoint a deadly heart mutation

a young man using his smartphone in the toilet while sitting with a roll of toilet paper placed in a toilet paper holder in the foreground

Bathroom doomscrolling may increase your risk of hemorrhoids

Illustration of the Great Fear of 1789

Rumors spread like viruses. The French Revolution proved it.

a wearable robot vest, with long grey sleeves and sensors in a lab

Balloon-equipped ‘wearable robot’ could help stroke survivors

By Mack DeGeurin

Interior of small airplane bathroom

Airplane toilet water may help combat the next pandemic

Spilled salt shaker on table

Man develops psychosis following ChatGPT’s salt-free diet

Close-up of a dead mosquito lying on its back on a flat surface, its legs curled upward and abdomen visibly red with ingested blood, with wings partially extended and fine hairs on its limbs catching the light.

This drug can turn your blood into mosquito poison

By Mack DeGeurin

sheep bones in a dig site

Ancient animal bones unlock clues about Bronze Age plague

By Laura Baisas

Close up of older man using eye drops

Bye bye, bifocals? New eye drops can fix farsightedness

a small, yellow snail with dark eyes

Apple snails can regrow their eyeballs

By Laura Baisas

Close up of women flossing

Future vaccines could be delivered by dental floss

A highly detailed visualization of a glowing blue neuron with electric impulses traveling through its synapses. This futuristic and scientific representation illustrates brain activity, artificial intelligence, and the complexity of neural networks in both biology and technology

Biomedical engineers grow whole-brain organoid

Medieval manuscripts like the Cotton MS Vitellius C III highlight uses for herbs that reflect modern-day wellness trends. Image Credit: The British Library.

Dark Age detoxes sometimes resembled TikTok health trends

A close up of a mosquito biting human skin

A mosquito killer may lurk in a Mediterranean bacteria

By Laura Baisas

a doctor usess a tongue depressor to examine a young boy's throat

Do we need our tonsils?

By Lauren Leffer

a yellow fungus with a white circle around it in a petri dish

Deadly ‘pharaoh’s curse fungus’ could be used to fight cancer

By Laura Baisas

a long black amphibian with feathered gills called an axolotl swims in a fish tank

Axolotl mucus peptides attack breast cancer cells and MRSA

By Laura Baisas

A female Anopheles mosquito is sitting on a green vine of the forest a

Scientists engineer mosquito STD to combat malaria

By Laura Baisas

Close up of fruit fly head on orange background

Researchers genetically altered fruit flies to crave cocaine

A painting scene of people suffering from the bubonic plague in the 15th century from the Toggenberg Bible.

How the bubonic plague has survived for centuries

By Laura Baisas

a woman browsing a sunscreen aisle in a grocery store

Mineral vs. chemical sunscreen: What’s best for protecting your skin?

By Laura Baisas

a smiley face made of white sunscreen on a hand

Do I really need to wear sunscreen every day? We asked dermatologists.

By Laura Baisas

A new 5G cell tower stands on a high-rise building

Study debunks 5G health conspiracy theory (again)

Entamoeba histolytica (green) attacking human T cells.

This parasite rips apart human cells and wears them as disguises

an illustration of a woman with long blonde hair kissing a man with short dark hair

Does kissing spread gluten? New research offers a clue.

By Laura Baisas

a bandage with daffy duck from looney tunes on a child's arm

Why using the same arm for vaccines might boost the body’s response

By Laura Baisas

a person scratches an itchy arm

Your skin is crawling with zombie cells–some help, some hurt

By Laura Baisas

Amazon trained Prime drivers to use defibrillators

When you were conceived could impact your weight

By Lauren Leffer

close up of finger balancing a grain of rice next to tiny pacemaker for size comparison

World’s smallest pacemaker is the size of a grain of rice

A low-polygon human brain dissolves from top to bottom, visually representing the progression of memory loss

How an unusual medical procedure transmitted Alzheimer’s

By RJ Mackenzie

Martian landscape taken by NASA rover

Toxic dust on Mars could make astronauts sick

A child’s cheek with the characteristic rash associated with measles.

The shaky science behind treating measles with vitamin A

Hand holding titanium heart implant against black background

In world first, man leaves hospital with titanium heart

Tabby cats, with their distinctive coats adorned in a symphony of stripes, dots, and swirls, bring a unique charm to the feline world. These enchanting creatures, often seen in shades of brown, black, and gray with hints of cream, captivate us with their individual patterns. The classic tabby pattern, characterized by bold stripes that run along the cat's back and tail, evokes a sense of timeless elegance. Whether in ebony, tawny, or ashen gray, each tabby cat carries a visual narrative that tells a story of nature's creativity. Some tabbies flaunt the mesmerizing "spotted" pattern, where dots of color dance across their fur like stardust. Others boast the intricate "swirls," a delicate and graceful arrangement of lines that adds an artistic flair to their appearance. Completing their ensemble are those endearing whiskers that frame their faces, adding an extra touch of charm to these captivating companions. Tabby cats, in their varied hues and unique patterns, bring a touch of artistry and individuality to our homes, turning each encounter into a delightful exploration of feline aesthetics.

How to protect your pets from bird flu

By Lauren Leffer

Doctors performing eye surgery in operating room

Surgeons implant teeth in patients’ eyes to restore vision

black rat sits on cage

Patient’s tingling feet turns out to be a rat-borne brain parasite