Disease and Illnesses

Psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms (pictured here), has been designated by the FDA as a breakthrough therapy for treatment resistant depression.

Why Psychedelic Drugs May Become a Key Treatment for PTSD and Depression

Ecstasy and the active ingredient in magic mushrooms have shown promise in clinical trials, but more testing is needed

A person receives a Covid-19 nasopharyngeal swab at a testing site in Los Angeles International Airport on December 21, 2021. 

More Than Half of Americans Have Been Infected With Covid-19

The percentage of the population with Covid-19 antibodies resulting from infection rose significantly in recent months

Biotech firm Oxitec is genetically modifying mosquitoes in the hopes of curbing the overall population. The company completed its first open-air release of the bugs in Florida.

First U.S. Open-Air Test of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Deemed a Success

Biotech firm Oxitec engineered the bugs in an effort to curb their numbers and help stop the spread of disease

A 19th-century illustration of two yellow fever victims in New Orleans

How Yellow Fever Intensified Racial Inequality in 19th-Century New Orleans

A new book explores how immunity to the disease created opportunities for white, but not Black, people

The fox walks near Upper Senate Park.

Rabid Fox and Her Kits Euthanized After Nine People Were Bitten on Capitol Hill

Bite victims included a reporter and a U.S. congressman

Filling in genome gaps could help scientists better the genetic basis for certain diseases and lead to new medical discoveries.

Scientists Have Finally Sequenced a 'Gapless' Human Genome

Scientists have deciphered the missing eight percent of our genetic blueprint, setting the stage for new discoveries in human evolution and disease

Acid-spewing tawny crazy ants, formerly called raspberry crazy ants, have been spreading through the gulf coast in recent years.

A Killer Fungus Is Annihilating Invasive 'Crazy Ants' in the United States

Entomologists are hopeful the pathogen could slow the insects' spread through the country

Researchers are getting closer to creating a birth control pill for those with testes, according to findings presented this week at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Male Birth Control Pill Expected to Start Human Trials This Year

The new non-hormonal pill was 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy in mice

Alice Ball was just 23 years old when she developed a method of making chaulmoogra oil—an early treatment for leprosy—more easily injectable.

The Trailblazing Black Woman Chemist Who Discovered a Treatment for Leprosy

After Alice Ball's death in 1916 at age 24, a white man took credit for her research

Medical professionals agree Pfizer’s current three-shot vaccination schedule still provides strong protection for healthy, young people against getting very sick with Covid-19. 

Pfizer Seeks Authorization of a Second Covid-19 Booster for Older Americans

The request comes after mounting evidence that protection from three shots has faded with time, especially against the Omicron variant

A first grade student receives a Covid-19 vaccine in Chicago, Illinois

Six Important Things to Know About Covid Vaccination in Children

Experts share the latest research and advice about protecting kids

Researchers examined magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the brains of 785 British participants before and after Covid-19 infection.

Even Mild Covid-19 Infections May Change the Brain, New Study Finds

Scans taken before and after a case of coronavirus reveal tissue damage and accelerated loss of gray matter

Coronavirus has been found in white-tailed deer in the northeastern United States and central Canada.

First Possible Case of Covid-19 Spreading From Deer to Humans

Experts say the discovery is not reason for panic, but underscores the importance of monitoring wildlife for diseases that could infect humans

Air pockets in a sponge mimic healthy soil, which has various nooks and crannies to host microbial communities. 

Your Kitchen Sponge Is a Better Home for Bacteria Than a Petri Dish

Its porous structure provides the ideal physical environment for different kinds of bacteria to thrive, according to new research

Bones communicate in varying ways with other parts of the body.

How Bones Communicate With the Rest of the Body

A new vision of the skeleton as a dynamic organ that sends and receives messages suggests potential therapies for osteoporosis and other problems

Flea-ridden rats in crowded medieval cities were the primary cause of Black Death infections in the 14th century, which historians believe killed off nearly half the European populaton. A new study argues, however, that the death toll may have in fact been way lower. 

The Black Death Wasn't as Deadly as Previously Thought, Research Suggests

Ancient pollen deposits reveal that some areas of Europe may have experienced a 'much lighter touch' of the disease, according to the study

ONE Condoms become the first condoms approved for anal sex by the FDA. 

FDA Approves First Condom for Anal Sex

Health experts say FDA authorization may increase condom usage during anal intercourse and reduce sexually transmitted infections

Black-legged ticks, also called deer ticks, carry a variety of diseases that can be passed to humans.

Scientists Edit Tick Genes for the First Time

Altering tick genomes could bring scientists closer to managing ticks and tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease

This seven-foot statue of Pearl Kendrick, center, and Grace Eldering, left, was unveiled in Grand Rapids in 2019. Lab assistant Loney Clinton stands to the right with a microscope.

The Unsung Heroes Who Ended a Deadly Plague

How a team of fearless American women overcame medical skepticism to stop whooping cough, a vicious infectious disease, and save countless lives

The patient was treated for HIV using stem cells from umbilical cord blood, a less invasive and risky method compared to bone marrow transplants.

First Woman Has Been 'Cured' of HIV Using Stem Cells

The novel treatment using umbilical cord blood could help dozens of people with both HIV and aggressive cancers

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