Health

Dorchester County artist Michael Rosato painted a mural of Harriet Tubman in Cambridge, Maryland.

Harriet Tubman Is Famous for Being an Abolitionist and Political Activist, but She Was Also a Naturalist

The Underground Railroad conductor's understanding of botany, wildlife biology, geography and astronomy allowed her to guide herself and others to safety

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

Building a Corsi-Rosenthal box portable air filter comes down to duct-taping together a set of furnace filters and a box fan.

The Homemade Air Purifier That's Been Saving Lives During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Made from everyday items found in hardware stores, the Corsi-Rosenthal box is a testament to the power of grassroots innovation

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

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

When medical equipment was scarce in spring of 2020, an engineering firm in Northern Italy posted 3-D printing files online that allowed hospitals to produce venturi valves that could be retrofitted to snorkel masks for use in assisted ventilation.

How Good Design Promotes Good Health

Cooper Hewitt dives into the surprisingly creative ways doctors, nurses, engineers, designers, artists and, even your neighbors, responded to the pandemic

A woman who is six months pregnant receives a Covid booster shot in Los Angeles. The CDC advises pregnant women to get vaccinated.

Seven Things to Know About Covid-19 and Pregnancy

From the effect of vaccines on a baby's immunity to whether Covid-19 can cause stillbirths, experts weigh in with helpful information and advice

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders could affect between 1 and 5 percent of children in the United States.

New Tools May Help Diagnose Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

If conditions stemming from exposure to alcohol in-utero can be better identified, then scientists can more effectively research treatments

Inventor Jean-Yves Blondeau demonstrates his roller suit in 2007 in Beijing.

Seven Fitness Inventions That Were Dropped Like New Year's Resolutions

From roller armor to a weight helmet, these patented pieces of exercise equipment came and went

After years of being paralyzed from the waist down, Michel Roccati can now walk again with the aid of nerve-stimulation devices.

Spinal Stimulation Device Helps Paralyzed Patients Walk, Cycle and Swim

Within days of their implants being activated, all three men were able to walk with support

Runners in Hawaii exercise at sunset. Exercise has profound effects on brain structure and provides more subtle mental health benefits as well.

How Exercise Boosts the Brain and Improves Mental Health

New research is revealing how physical activity can reduce and even ward off depression, anxiety and other psychological ailments

Properly fitted N95 masks should filter 94-95 percent of viral particles.

What You Need to Know About Covid Masks in the Age of Omicron

From what to wear to how to avoid counterfeits, experts weigh in on the latest advice about masks and Covid-19

More than a third of Americans cook with gas stoves, which can emit formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and nitric oxides.

Gas Stoves Are Worse for Climate and Health Than Previously Thought

A new study is heating up the debate over gas-powered stovetops

Some chemical compounds used in sunscreens, such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, are facing scrutiny from legislators and environmental advocates. Scientists are looking to the ultraviolet light-blocking compounds produced by marine organisms as potential replacements.

Designing a More Environmentally Friendly Sunscreen

Scientists are sourcing new ultraviolet ray-blocking compounds from algae, seaweed, cyanobacteria and other marine creatures

Reconstruction by an artist of the toilet room that stood in the garden of the Armon Hanatziv royal estate

Ancient Toilet Unearthed in Jerusalem Shows Elite Were Plagued by Intestinal Worms

Mineralized feces chock-full of parasitic eggs indicate that it wasn’t the lower classes alone who suffered from certain infectious diseases

Anthony Fauci (left), director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical advisor to the President, listens as President Joe Biden (right) delivers remarks on the Omicron Covid-19 variant. Fauci has warned that Omicron could reach most of the population.

Seven Key Questions About Omicron Answered

As the variant spreads and more studies have been done, experts share what they know

A bar proprietress drinks during her 101st birthday party at her tiny bar in Tokyo.

Old-Age Record Could Reach 130 by Century's End

Analysis of supercentenarians suggests human lifespan may have no limit

A CT scan of the spiral intestine of a Pacific spiny dogfish shark (Squalus suckleyi). The organ begins on the left and ends on the right.

Ten Scientific Discoveries From 2021 That May Lead to New Inventions

From nanobots to cancer treatments, nature inspires a wide variety of innovations

From amazing firsts on Mars to the impacts of climate change on Earth, these science stories stood out as the most important of 2021

The Ten Most Significant Science Stories of 2021

Thrilling discoveries, hurdles in the fight against Covid and advancements in space exploration defined the past year

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