Medicine

Flies in Hospitals Are Full of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

A study of seven hospitals in the U.K. found the bacteria in 90 percent of flies, though they are unlikley to spread the infections

The Chinese giant salamander is the world's largest amphibian, weighing upwards of 140 pounds and growing to a length of more than 5.9 feet

Giant Salamander Goo Is Great at Gluing Gashes

Although slightly less durable than other surgical adhesives, a compound derived from the amphibian's skin secretions performs better overall

New Study Suggests Leonardo da Vinci Had A.D.H.D.

The master painter had difficulties with procrastination, finishing projects and staying on task his entire life

China's ‘CRISPR Babies’ May Be More Likely to Die Young

The mutation that was intended to make them resistant to H.I.V. has now been linked to a shorter life expectancy

New Study Shows Coffee—Even 25 Cups a Day of It—Isn't Bad for Your Heart

Researchers from Queen Mary University of London have found that coffee consumption does not stiffen arteries

"Ray's Rock" on Omaha Beach, where medic Ray Lambert was part of the first wave during D-Day

One of the Few Surviving Heroes of D-Day Shares His Story

Army medic Ray Lambert, now 98, landed with the first assault wave on Omaha Beach. Seventy-five years later, he could be the last man standing

In 1954, John Kirklin of the Mayo Clinic created the Mayo-Gibbon heart-lung machine when he modified a design pioneered by John Gibbon. The machine is now in the collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

This 1950s Heart-Lung Machine Revolutionized Cardiac Surgery

Open-heart procedures evolved rapidly once Mayo Clinic surgeon John Kirklin made his improvements to an earlier invention

Flower of tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera).

Civil War Plant Remedies Actually Fought Off Infections, Study Finds

Researchers tested the antimicrobial properties of three plants mentioned in an 1863 treatment book

A spread from one of the casebooks volumes.

Read Hundreds of Medical Case Files by Two 17th-Century Quacks

Cambridge historians have digitized 500 case notes by the notorious astrologer-physicians Simon Forman and Richard Napier

Scanning electron micrograph of HIV-1 (in green) budding from cultured lymphocyte (a type of white blood cell). Multiple round bumps on cell surface represent sites of assembly and budding of virions.

Scientists Identify Factors That Make People Naturally Resistant to H.I.V.

Studying key points on the H.I.V. virus that are weak to immune system attacks could lead to new treatments or H.I.V. vaccines

Drug-Resistant Infections Could Kill 10 Million People Annually by 2050

A new U.N. report highlights the danger posed by widespread antibiotic misuse in humans, livestock and agriculture

"I certainly see ourselves moving in a direction where conception through sex will come to be seen as natural, yet dangerous," says Metzl.

How To Prepare for a Future of Gene-Edited Babies—Because It's Coming

In a new book, futurist Jamie Metzl considers the ethical questions we need to ask in order to navigate the realities of human genetic engineering

Lead author Tal Dvir says, "Maybe, in ten years, there will be organ printers in the finest hospitals around the world, and these procedures will be conducted routinely"

Scientists Used Human Tissue to 3-D Print a Tiny Heart

The technique could eventually be adapted to create full-sized organs personalized to each patient

Three generations of the Marsili family at home in Siena, Italy. From left: Maria Elena; Letizia and her son Ludovico; matriarch Maria Domenica.

The Family That Feels Almost No Pain

An Italian clan's curious insensitivity to pain has piqued the interest of geneticists seeking a new understanding of how to treat physical suffering

The “Human Organ Monitoring Apparatus for Long-distance Travel” (HOMAL) measures the biophyisiologic properties—temperature, pressure, vibration and altitude—of an organ.

Drones’ Newest Cargo Might Just Be Human Organs

Surgeon Joseph Scalea is developing a cooler, biosensors and an online platform with GPS to monitor organs in transport in real time

An illustration of Crawford Long removing a tumor from the neck of James Venable.

How Ether Went From a Recreational 'Frolic' Drug to the First Surgery Anesthetic

Before ether was used as an anesthetic in surgery, doctors relied on less effective techniques for pain relief, such as hypnosis

The baby, whose name is Itzmara, (Not Pictured) was delivered via C-section at 37 weeks, three weeks shy of full term because doctors feared that the fetus inside her, which was still growing, would crush her internal organs.

A Baby Girl in Colombia Was Born With Her Twin Inside Her Abdomen

It is a rare condition known as ‘fetus-in-fetu.’ In this case, the malformed twin was removed and the baby is doing well

F.D.A. Approves First Drug for Treating Postpartum Depression

Brexanolone, which is administered intravenously, has been shown to work within 48 hours

In a feat of surgical skill, Denton Cooley attached the temporary artificial heart device in only 47 minutes.

The Rivalry Between Two Doctors to Implant the First Artificial Heart

Featuring titans of Texas medicine, the race was on to develop the cutting-edge technology

Compared to traditional open-heart surgery, TAVR is a relatively simple procedure that finds cardiologists using a catheter to insert a replacement valve

This Minimally Invasive Technique Could Reduce the Need for Open-Heart Surgery

Clinical trials suggest TAVR is just as beneficial as, or perhaps even better than, open-heart surgery for low- and high-risk patients alike

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