https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/health/RSS feed for HealthenTue, 19 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/want-to-avoid-having-a-picky-eater-start-exposing-your-kids-to-veggies-super-early-in-the-womb-180988750/In a new study, 3-year-olds who were repeatedly exposed to the taste of bitter kale as fetuses appeared to be less averse to the leafy greens' scent than they were to a food smell they hadn't experienced in uteroTue, 19 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/want-to-avoid-having-a-picky-eater-start-exposing-your-kids-to-veggies-super-early-in-the-womb-180988750/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ebola-outbreak-in-africa-was-declared-a-global-health-emergency-by-the-who-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-but-severe-illness-180988758/The international health agency notes that the outbreak does not meet the criteria for a pandemic, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the risk to the American public is lowMon, 18 May 2026 19:16:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ebola-outbreak-in-africa-was-declared-a-global-health-emergency-by-the-who-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-but-severe-illness-180988758/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-a-revolutionary-cancer-treatment-could-reset-the-immune-systems-of-patients-with-autoimmune-diseases-180988753/Researchers are testing CAR T-cell therapy as a treatment for lupus, Graves’ disease and other conditions in which the body’s defenses go rogueMon, 18 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-a-revolutionary-cancer-treatment-could-reset-the-immune-systems-of-patients-with-autoimmune-diseases-180988753/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-the-unconscious-mind-aware-of-its-surroundings-new-research-suggests-anesthetized-brains-can-process-overheard-words-180988710/Seven participants had electrodes temporarily implanted in a brain structure important for learning. While anesthetized, their nerve cells learned to differentiate between distinct sounds—and could even predict upcoming words in phrasesFri, 15 May 2026 15:40:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-the-unconscious-mind-aware-of-its-surroundings-new-research-suggests-anesthetized-brains-can-process-overheard-words-180988710/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neanderthals-got-cavities-too-and-new-research-suggests-they-drilled-into-their-teeth-to-treat-them-just-like-modern-dentists-180988746/Researchers unearthed a 59,000-year-old Neanderthal molar that shows signs of dental surgery, a discovery that pushes back the earliest evidence of dental work by roughly 45,000 yearsFri, 15 May 2026 13:34:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neanderthals-got-cavities-too-and-new-research-suggests-they-drilled-into-their-teeth-to-treat-them-just-like-modern-dentists-180988746/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fetuses-can-catch-yawns-from-their-mothers-while-still-in-the-womb-new-research-suggests-180988735/Yawning is considered a social behavior. Although fetuses were known to yawn, scientists weren't sure if it was a self-contained reflex or if they could somehow detect cues from their momsThu, 14 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fetuses-can-catch-yawns-from-their-mothers-while-still-in-the-womb-new-research-suggests-180988735/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-relaxation-of-listening-to-a-song-or-drawing-a-picture-may-actually-slow-cellular-aging-new-research-show-180988734/According to a new study, people who are exposed to art on a weekly basis are about a year younger "biologically" than those exposed only once or twice per yearWed, 13 May 2026 20:39:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-relaxation-of-listening-to-a-song-or-drawing-a-picture-may-actually-slow-cellular-aging-new-research-show-180988734/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/pregnancy-changes-mothers-brains-these-recent-discoveries-are-showing-us-how-180988713/“Baby brain” isn’t the deficit it’s stereotyped to be, research suggests. Neural adaptations during pregnancy can prime soon-to-be-moms to become more attuned to their children and enhance social cognitionSat, 09 May 2026 00:23:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/pregnancy-changes-mothers-brains-these-recent-discoveries-are-showing-us-how-180988713/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/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fda-approved-at-home-brain-stimulation-device-aims-to-treat-depression-by-changing-patients-brain-excitability-180988654/The treatment consists of a Bluetooth headset that patients can connect to an app on their smartphones. It could mark a revolution in mental health medicineThu, 07 May 2026 16:39:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fda-approved-at-home-brain-stimulation-device-aims-to-treat-depression-by-changing-patients-brain-excitability-180988654/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-australia-be-the-first-country-to-eliminate-cervical-cancer-its-on-track-but-hpv-vaccination-and-screening-rates-are-falling-180988681/The country implemented a national vaccination program to prevent the disease in 2007. New data show that in 2021, no women under age 25 were diagnosed with cervical cancer, marking a major milestoneWed, 06 May 2026 15:57:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-australia-be-the-first-country-to-eliminate-cervical-cancer-its-on-track-but-hpv-vaccination-and-screening-rates-are-falling-180988681/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-deadly-outbreak-of-hantavirus-has-stranded-a-cruise-ship-in-the-atlantic-ocean-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-contagion-180988680/Three people associated with the vessel have died, and health officials have identified a total of two confirmed cases and five suspected cases of the infection. The virus usually spreads via contaminated rodent droppingsTue, 05 May 2026 21:08:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-deadly-outbreak-of-hantavirus-has-stranded-a-cruise-ship-in-the-atlantic-ocean-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-contagion-180988680/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cancer-is-somehow-rare-in-the-heart-turns-out-the-organs-rhythmic-beat-might-keep-the-disease-at-bay-a-mouse-study-finds-180988666/Less than 1 percent of cancers start in the heart, and disease that begins elsewhere seldom spreads to the blood-pumping organ. New research suggests mechanical force might have a protective roleTue, 05 May 2026 18:31:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cancer-is-somehow-rare-in-the-heart-turns-out-the-organs-rhythmic-beat-might-keep-the-disease-at-bay-a-mouse-study-finds-180988666/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/youve-been-told-to-feed-a-cold-turns-out-eating-may-truly-boost-your-immune-system-cells-according-to-a-new-study-180988673/T cells, which target infection and disease, can become more effective after a meal. The finding might help improve cancer-fighting therapies and optimize our response to vaccinesTue, 05 May 2026 15:56:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/youve-been-told-to-feed-a-cold-turns-out-eating-may-truly-boost-your-immune-system-cells-according-to-a-new-study-180988673/https://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/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-athletes-smashed-a-marathon-milestone-running-26-2-miles-in-under-two-hours-heres-the-science-behind-their-achievements-180988646/An intense training regimen, good weather conditions, physiology and lightweight shoes probably played a role in their astounding performances during the London Marathon on SundayThu, 30 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-athletes-smashed-a-marathon-milestone-running-26-2-miles-in-under-two-hours-heres-the-science-behind-their-achievements-180988646/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-buildings-and-bridges-are-the-most-endangered-in-england-and-wales-and-they-tell-us-a-lot-about-life-in-the-victorian-era-180988642/Structures remaining from the height of the British Empire reveal changing economic, medical and education trends from the 1800s and early 1900s. But their legacy is at risk as they fall into disrepairWed, 29 Apr 2026 19:41:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-buildings-and-bridges-are-the-most-endangered-in-england-and-wales-and-they-tell-us-a-lot-about-life-in-the-victorian-era-180988642/https://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/https://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/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/these-young-innovators-have-created-a-fitbit-to-predict-epileptic-seizures-180988630/Truman Pierson and Christopher Fitz are developing behind-the-ear EEG patches and an accompanying app that issues an alert if the user is at high risk for a seizure in the next hourTue, 28 Apr 2026 15:39:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/these-young-innovators-have-created-a-fitbit-to-predict-epileptic-seizures-180988630/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-big-database-of-dna-from-indigenous-americans-shakes-up-scientific-theories-about-human-settlement-of-south-america-180988628/Genomic data provides evidence for a previously unknown wave of migration, with Indigenous groups living in central and southern Mexico spreading into South America and the Caribbean starting around 1,300 years agoTue, 28 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-big-database-of-dna-from-indigenous-americans-shakes-up-scientific-theories-about-human-settlement-of-south-america-180988628/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/state-licensed-medical-marijuana-has-been-reclassified-as-a-less-dangerous-drug-heres-what-that-means-180988617/The move should make it easier for researchers to study the substance and give tax breaks to licensed medical marijuana dealersFri, 24 Apr 2026 20:32:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/state-licensed-medical-marijuana-has-been-reclassified-as-a-less-dangerous-drug-heres-what-that-means-180988617/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/we-use-many-of-the-same-brain-cells-to-see-and-to-imagine-objects-a-study-suggests-the-findings-provide-a-new-window-into-memory-180988580/While past research has hinted at an overlap in relevant brain regions, the new work drills down to the cellular level. The discovery could help improve treatments for memory disorders, such as dementia, and certain psychiatric conditions, like schizophreniaWed, 22 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/we-use-many-of-the-same-brain-cells-to-see-and-to-imagine-objects-a-study-suggests-the-findings-provide-a-new-window-into-memory-180988580/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ancient-humans-mastered-fire-now-burning-fossil-fuels-and-blazing-landscapes-threaten-to-undo-the-world-180988531/Intensifying wildfires across the continent are spewing air pollution, putting human health at risk, particularly Americans living with chronic illnessesThu, 16 Apr 2026 11:00:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ancient-humans-mastered-fire-now-burning-fossil-fuels-and-blazing-landscapes-threaten-to-undo-the-world-180988531/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-different-psychedelics-affect-the-brain-scientists-analyzed-more-than-500-neural-scans-to-find-out-180988534/A new study suggests that four psychoactive compounds work in surprisingly similar ways, and that they break down the separation between how we think internally and how we perceive the outside worldWed, 15 Apr 2026 17:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-different-psychedelics-affect-the-brain-scientists-analyzed-more-than-500-neural-scans-to-find-out-180988534/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-just-made-the-most-complete-map-of-the-clitoris-sensory-nerve-network-heres-what-found-180988463/Cultural taboos around female sexuality have hindered research on the organ. But a new study provides pivotal insights that can inform important surgeries and health careWed, 15 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-just-made-the-most-complete-map-of-the-clitoris-sensory-nerve-network-heres-what-found-180988463/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/on-major-music-release-days-stay-extra-vigilant-while-driving-car-crash-deaths-seem-to-spike-when-top-artists-drop-new-albums-180988541/A new study found a correlation between big album release days and traffic fatalities. While the research can't prove the new music caused the accidents, the work hints at a major distractor while drivingTue, 14 Apr 2026 14:37:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/on-major-music-release-days-stay-extra-vigilant-while-driving-car-crash-deaths-seem-to-spike-when-top-artists-drop-new-albums-180988541/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-this-personalized-cell-therapy-treated-three-life-threatening-autoimmune-diseases-in-one-patient-180988528/The patient was bedridden and needed daily blood transfusions, and she had tried nine different therapies that didn't bring lasting effects. So, researchers modified some of her immune cells so they would attack her faulty cellsMon, 13 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-this-personalized-cell-therapy-treated-three-life-threatening-autoimmune-diseases-in-one-patient-180988528/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/earths-smells-are-disappearing-because-of-climate-change-and-its-a-vast-cultural-loss-180988496/A triple threat of pollution, extinction and warming temperatures is altering the way the planet smells. Scientists are only beginning to understand the stakes for humansWed, 08 Apr 2026 12:57:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/earths-smells-are-disappearing-because-of-climate-change-and-its-a-vast-cultural-loss-180988496/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-engineered-tobacco-plants-to-produce-five-mind-altering-psychedelic-compounds-180988488/The substances have been used by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years, but they've recently become popular as possible therapeutics for mental health conditionsTue, 07 Apr 2026 15:58:12 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-engineered-tobacco-plants-to-produce-five-mind-altering-psychedelic-compounds-180988488/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/becoming-an-expert-birder-can-reshape-your-brain-and-might-help-protect-it-from-aging-new-research-suggests-180988489/Compared with novices, seasoned birders had denser, more structurally complex brain regions involved with tasks like object identification, visual processing, attention and working memoryTue, 07 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/becoming-an-expert-birder-can-reshape-your-brain-and-might-help-protect-it-from-aging-new-research-suggests-180988489/https://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/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-astronauts-sudden-inability-to-speak-prompted-the-isss-first-medical-evacuation-doctors-still-dont-know-what-caused-the-issue-180988471/The individual who fell ill, NASA's Mike Fincke, says the medical team is almost certain that the issue was related to being in spaceFri, 03 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-astronauts-sudden-inability-to-speak-prompted-the-isss-first-medical-evacuation-doctors-still-dont-know-what-caused-the-issue-180988471/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-might-struggle-to-make-babies-in-space-sperm-gets-disoriented-in-microgravity-a-new-study-suggests-180988459/Simulated near-weightless conditions reduced human sperm’s navigational abilitiesWed, 01 Apr 2026 18:59:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-might-struggle-to-make-babies-in-space-sperm-gets-disoriented-in-microgravity-a-new-study-suggests-180988459/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-python-blood-lead-to-the-next-generation-of-weight-loss-drugs-180988438/Researchers discovered an appetite-suppressing molecule in python blood. If one day turned into a medication, it might lack some of the common negative side effects of GLP-1sWed, 01 Apr 2026 15:25:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-python-blood-lead-to-the-next-generation-of-weight-loss-drugs-180988438/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-cicada-variant-of-covid-19-is-spreading-in-the-united-states-heres-what-you-need-to-know-180988462/Infection levels are still low in the country, but the highly mutated variant might be able to evade your body’s immune defenses acquired via vaccine or past infectionTue, 31 Mar 2026 19:35:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-cicada-variant-of-covid-19-is-spreading-in-the-united-states-heres-what-you-need-to-know-180988462/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-neanderthals-use-birch-bark-tar-as-an-antibiotic-to-treat-wounds-and-infections-180988393/Scientists created samples of the black resin using three methods and tested their effectiveness against two common bacteriaMon, 30 Mar 2026 20:55:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-neanderthals-use-birch-bark-tar-as-an-antibiotic-to-treat-wounds-and-infections-180988393/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sharks-in-the-bahamas-test-positive-for-drugs-including-cocaine-and-painkillers-in-a-new-study-180988445/Around one-third of the studied sharks had detectable levels of the analyzed drugs in their bloodMon, 30 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sharks-in-the-bahamas-test-positive-for-drugs-including-cocaine-and-painkillers-in-a-new-study-180988445/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-clump-of-human-brain-cells-on-a-computer-chip-learned-to-play-the-nostalgic-video-game-doom-180988447/The technology could one day help researchers develop drugs and tailor treatments to individual patientsFri, 27 Mar 2026 19:54:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-clump-of-human-brain-cells-on-a-computer-chip-learned-to-play-the-nostalgic-video-game-doom-180988447/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/vivid-dreams-might-be-key-to-feeling-well-rested-when-you-wake-up-according-to-a-new-study-180988434/The findings could help explain the purpose of dreams and help physicians better treat people with sleep disordersThu, 26 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/vivid-dreams-might-be-key-to-feeling-well-rested-when-you-wake-up-according-to-a-new-study-180988434/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/sponsored/seeing-life-differently-navigating-geographic-atrophy-with-resilience-180987979/Learning to adapt to life with geographic atrophy (GA), one woman finds new ways to stay true to her adventurous spiritTue, 24 Mar 2026 04:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/sponsored/seeing-life-differently-navigating-geographic-atrophy-with-resilience-180987979/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/popular-lore-claims-that-william-howard-taft-got-stuck-in-a-bathtub-new-research-sheds-light-on-the-legends-forgotten-origins-180988386/A long-overlooked 1929 account contains the earliest known reference to the anecdote, suggesting that the 27th president found himself trapped in a tub during a Mississippi River voyageMon, 23 Mar 2026 11:15:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/popular-lore-claims-that-william-howard-taft-got-stuck-in-a-bathtub-new-research-sheds-light-on-the-legends-forgotten-origins-180988386/