Doctors | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/doctors/RSS feed for DoctorsenFri, 29 May 2026 20:15:09 +0000These 600-Year-Old Chinese Surgical Instruments Are Coated in an Early Local Anesthetic—Carefully Extracted From a Poisonous Planthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-600-year-old-chinese-surgical-instruments-are-coated-in-an-early-local-anestheticcarefully-extracted-from-a-poisonous-plant-180988865/Researchers say the numbing agent splashed onto iron scissors and tweezers during a procedure. They were found in a Ming dynasty doctor's tombFri, 29 May 2026 20:15:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-600-year-old-chinese-surgical-instruments-are-coated-in-an-early-local-anestheticcarefully-extracted-from-a-poisonous-plant-180988865/Why Did This Wealthy Scotsman Pay a Jeweler to Wrap His Teeth in Gold Wire Hundreds of Years Ago?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-this-wealthy-scotsman-pay-a-jeweler-to-wrap-his-teeth-in-gold-wire-hundreds-of-years-ago-180988709/What an early example of a dental bridge reveals about health, wealth and social values in the late medieval and early modern worldFri, 08 May 2026 21:32:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-this-wealthy-scotsman-pay-a-jeweler-to-wrap-his-teeth-in-gold-wire-hundreds-of-years-ago-180988709/A.I. Outperformed Doctors at Diagnosing Real-World E.R. Patients in a New Study. That Doesn't Mean Computers Will Replace Clinicianshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ai-outperformed-doctors-at-diagnosing-real-world-er-patients-in-a-new-study-that-doesnt-mean-computers-will-replace-clinicians-180988660/One of OpenAI's large language models did better than physicians in several experiments, hinting that A.I.-assisted emergency medical care could be around the cornerMon, 04 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ai-outperformed-doctors-at-diagnosing-real-world-er-patients-in-a-new-study-that-doesnt-mean-computers-will-replace-clinicians-180988660/The FDA Approves the First-Ever Gene Therapy for Deafness, Which Aims to Restore Hearing in Kids With a Rare Inherited Conditionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-fda-approves-the-first-ever-gene-therapy-for-deafness-which-aims-to-restore-hearing-in-kids-with-a-rare-inherited-condition-180988635/The agency's decision is based on results from a clinical trial in which the treatment improved hearing in 80 percent of the pediatric participants. However, Deaf community advocates worry about the push to cure hearing lossWed, 29 Apr 2026 17:44:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-fda-approves-the-first-ever-gene-therapy-for-deafness-which-aims-to-restore-hearing-in-kids-with-a-rare-inherited-condition-180988635/Cancer Survivors Are Living Longer but Still Have Complex Needs. That's Why Doctors and Advocates Want Post-Treatment Care Planshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/cancer-survivors-are-living-longer-but-still-have-complex-needs-thats-why-doctors-and-advocates-want-post-treatment-care-plans-180988629/Survivors have a heightened risk of developing cardiovascular disease, pain, insomnia, psychosocial distress and new cancers. Many, patient advocates say, are not receiving adequate long-term careWed, 29 Apr 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/cancer-survivors-are-living-longer-but-still-have-complex-needs-thats-why-doctors-and-advocates-want-post-treatment-care-plans-180988629/Doctors Used 'Digital Twins' of Patients' Hearts to Fix Their Irregular Heartbeatshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/doctors-used-digital-twins-of-patients-hearts-to-fix-their-irregular-heartbeats-180988476/A small clinical trial suggests the technology can help physicians perform life-saving surgeries more efficiently and safelyMon, 06 Apr 2026 15:47:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/doctors-used-digital-twins-of-patients-hearts-to-fix-their-irregular-heartbeats-180988476/