Medicine | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/medicine/RSS feed for MedicineenFri, 04 Sep 2026 15:16:21 +0000GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs Can Slow Aging and Extend Life Span, Mouse Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/GLP-1-weight-loss-drugs-can-slow-aging-and-extend-lifespan-mouse-study-suggests-180989452/Older female mice—equivalent in age to 60-year-old women—given daily injections of the active ingredient in Ozempic lived about 12 percent longer than animals that didn't receive the drugFri, 04 Sep 2026 15:16:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/GLP-1-weight-loss-drugs-can-slow-aging-and-extend-lifespan-mouse-study-suggests-180989452/World War II Sugar Rationing Data Hints That Limiting Intake of the Sweet Stuff Early in Life Lowers the Risk of Dementia and Cancerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/world-war-ii-sugar-rationing-data-hints-that-limiting-intake-of-the-sweet-stuff-early-in-life-lowers-the-risk-of-dementia-and-cancer-180989431/For roughly a decade leading up to September 1953, the United Kingdom limited sugar purchases. Scientists studied health outcomes in people born during the ration and right afterWed, 02 Sep 2026 15:48:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/world-war-ii-sugar-rationing-data-hints-that-limiting-intake-of-the-sweet-stuff-early-in-life-lowers-the-risk-of-dementia-and-cancer-180989431/For Many Americans, Covid Is Still a Chronic, Disabling Disease. These Scientists Are Working Tirelessly to Bring Them Reliefhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/many-americans-covid-still-chronic-disabling-disease-scientists-working-tirelessly-bring-them-relief-180989290/Long Covid saps the strength and vitality of patients, who have little recourse to fight it. A team of specialists—including an afflicted researcher working mostly from her bed—is looking for answersMon, 31 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/many-americans-covid-still-chronic-disabling-disease-scientists-working-tirelessly-bring-them-relief-180989290/At Least One in Four Former NFL Players Who Died Between 2016 and 2021 Had the Progressive Brain Disease CTE, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/at-least-one-in-four-former-nfl-players-who-died-between-2016-and-2021-had-the-progressive-brain-disease-cte-study-suggests-180989406/The true prevalence of the neurodegenerative disease—which is associated with repeated head injuries—among the deceased football players might be much higher. CTE affects other athletes too, including hockey players, soccer players and wrestlersThu, 27 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/at-least-one-in-four-former-nfl-players-who-died-between-2016-and-2021-had-the-progressive-brain-disease-cte-study-suggests-180989406/Tennis Matches Are Heating Up, Literally. Here’s How the Court Became a Living Laboratory for Managing Extreme Temperatureshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/tennis-matches-are-heating-up-literally-heres-how-the-court-became-a-living-laboratory-for-managing-extreme-temperatures-180989399/The sport’s hard-court surfaces can reach some 30 degrees hotter than the surrounding air. With elite players suffering heat illness on the world stage, athletes are following personalized cooling plansThu, 27 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/tennis-matches-are-heating-up-literally-heres-how-the-court-became-a-living-laboratory-for-managing-extreme-temperatures-180989399/This Deadly Shellfish Poisoning Has No Antidote. A Protein Found in American Bullfrogs Could Change Thathttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-deadly-shellfish-poisoning-has-no-antidote-a-protein-found-in-american-bullfrogs-could-change-that-180989365/A study in mice found that a protein called saxiphilin acts like a sponge against a deadly toxin produced by algal blooms. The harmful agent, which accumulates in certain seafood, can cause a life-threatening illness called paralytic shellfish poisoningWed, 26 Aug 2026 15:39:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-deadly-shellfish-poisoning-has-no-antidote-a-protein-found-in-american-bullfrogs-could-change-that-180989365/Scientists Used A.I. to Design New Viruses. The Technology Could Be a Boon for Medicine, but Experts Worry About Harmful Pathogenshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-used-ai-too-design-new-viruses-the-technology-could-be-a-boon-for-medicine-but-experts-worry-about-harmful-pathogens-180989336/The findings represent the first genomes, or complete genetic instruction books, designed entirely with generative A.I. The resulting viruses attack only bacteria, which could one day help overcome the problem of antibiotic-resistant microbesMon, 24 Aug 2026 16:08:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-used-ai-too-design-new-viruses-the-technology-could-be-a-boon-for-medicine-but-experts-worry-about-harmful-pathogens-180989336/A New Personalized Cancer Vaccine Could Keep Skin Cancer From Coming Back, Drugmakers Sayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-personalized-cancer-vaccine-could-keep-skin-cancer-from-coming-back-drugmakers-say-180989382/The results, announced this week by Moderna and Merck, could pave the way for a new generation of treatments tailored to individual tumorsFri, 21 Aug 2026 18:16:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-personalized-cancer-vaccine-could-keep-skin-cancer-from-coming-back-drugmakers-say-180989382/Archaeologists Have Found Thousands of Intact Ancient Human Brains. Scientists Say They've Figured Out Why the Organs Don't Always Rothttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-have-found-thousands-of-intact-ancient-human-brains-scientists-say-theyve-figured-out-why-the-organs-dont-always-rot-180989370/Under the right conditions—wet and oxygen-deprived—the same chemical reactions that cause tissue to break down can instead have the opposite effect, according to a new studyThu, 20 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-have-found-thousands-of-intact-ancient-human-brains-scientists-say-theyve-figured-out-why-the-organs-dont-always-rot-180989370/This Newly Approved Narcolepsy Drug Is the First to Target the Sleep Disorder's Root Cause Rather Than Its Symptomshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-newly-approved-narcolepsy-drug-is-the-first-to-target-the-sleep-disorders-root-cause-rather-than-its-symptoms-180989362/The Food and Drug Administration just greenlit a medication called Orzeyful for the treatment of narcolepsy type 1 in adults. The condition is caused by the loss of brain cells that produce orexin, a chemical important for regulating the sleep-wake cycleTue, 18 Aug 2026 19:18:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-newly-approved-narcolepsy-drug-is-the-first-to-target-the-sleep-disorders-root-cause-rather-than-its-symptoms-180989362/Avoiding These Three Vascular Health Risk Factors in Midlife Can Help You Delay Dementia for About 13 Years, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/avoiding-these-three-vascular-health-risk-factors-in-midlife-can-help-you-delay-dementia-for-about-13-years-study-suggests-180989354/High blood pressure, diabetes and smoking are three major modifiable risk factors of dementia. New research tracked more than 12,000 participants to quantify how many years of healthy cognitive function you can gain by evading some or all of them during middle ageTue, 18 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/avoiding-these-three-vascular-health-risk-factors-in-midlife-can-help-you-delay-dementia-for-about-13-years-study-suggests-180989354/Covid-19 Can Reawaken Dormant Viruses in the Body, Which Might Worsen Symptoms of the Respiratory Illness, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/covid-19-can-reawaken-dormant-viruses-in-the-body-which-might-worsen-symptoms-of-the-respiratory-illness-study-suggests-180989322/Most people carry a sleeping virus in their bodies, such as the herpesvirus that causes mononucleosis, or the “kissing disease.” A new study hints that Covid-19 triggers their reactivation, which could worsen symptoms and increase the risk of long CovidFri, 14 Aug 2026 20:06:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/covid-19-can-reawaken-dormant-viruses-in-the-body-which-might-worsen-symptoms-of-the-respiratory-illness-study-suggests-180989322/Way Bandy Was One of the Most Influential Makeup Artists in the World. He Challenged Stigmas in the 1980s by Making Sure His Death From AIDS Was Widely Knownhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/way-bandy-was-one-of-the-most-influential-makeup-artists-in-the-world-he-challenged-stigmas-in-the-1980s-by-making-sure-his-death-from-aids-was-widely-known-180989330/He instructed the executors of his will to make his specific cause of death from the disease public during a time when many others feared doing soThu, 13 Aug 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/way-bandy-was-one-of-the-most-influential-makeup-artists-in-the-world-he-challenged-stigmas-in-the-1980s-by-making-sure-his-death-from-aids-was-widely-known-180989330/For the First Time, an mRNA Flu Shot Will Be Available to Some People in the United States. Here's What You Should Knowhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/for-the-first-time-an-mrna-flu-shot-will-be-available-to-some-people-in-the-united-states-heres-what-you-should-know-180989305/The Food and Drug Administration just approved the new type of flu vaccine for adults ages 50 and older. It relies on the same technology as many Covid-19 jabs. However, it’s unclear whether insurance companies will pay for the novel flu shotTue, 11 Aug 2026 15:41:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/for-the-first-time-an-mrna-flu-shot-will-be-available-to-some-people-in-the-united-states-heres-what-you-should-know-180989305/Could Psilocybin Help Treat Anorexia? A Small Clinical Trial Suggests the Psychedelic May Make Patients More Open to Recoveryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/could-psilocybin-help-treat-anorexia-a-small-clinical-trial-suggests-the-psychedelic-may-make-patients-more-open-to-recovery-180989261/The drug, paired with intensive psychological support, may loosen the rigid patterns of thought associated with the eating disorder, scientists say—but they caution that it is not a magic cureTue, 11 Aug 2026 12:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/could-psilocybin-help-treat-anorexia-a-small-clinical-trial-suggests-the-psychedelic-may-make-patients-more-open-to-recovery-180989261/Two People Died After Getting Sick With Cyclosporiasis, Marking the First Known Deaths Linked to the Ongoing Multistate Outbreakhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-peope-died-after-getting-sick-with-cyclosporiasis-marking-the-first-known-deaths-linked-to-the-ongoing-multi-state-outbreak-180989256/Both patients, who were in Michigan, had underlying health conditions, according to state officials. The parasite-caused infection usually isn't life-threateningTue, 04 Aug 2026 19:17:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-peope-died-after-getting-sick-with-cyclosporiasis-marking-the-first-known-deaths-linked-to-the-ongoing-multi-state-outbreak-180989256/After Receiving a Custom Experimental Medicine, a Teen With a Rare Genetic Disorder Walked on His Own for the First Timehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-receiving-a-custom-experimental-medicine-a-teen-with-a-rare-genetic-disorder-walked-on-his-own-for-the-first-time-180989230/The patient's genetic disorder causes frequent seizures and developmental delays. His progress, along with that of another boy who received a similar personalized treatment, highlights the promise—and challenges—of tailor-made drugsMon, 03 Aug 2026 17:31:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-receiving-a-custom-experimental-medicine-a-teen-with-a-rare-genetic-disorder-walked-on-his-own-for-the-first-time-180989230/The First At-Home Test for Infected Ticks Could Improve Lyme Disease Diagnosishttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/the-first-at-home-test-for-infected-ticks-could-improve-lyme-disease-diagnosis-180989235/LymeAlert will hit the market in August. The latest tool against the tick-borne illness could become a medicine cabinet stapleFri, 31 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/the-first-at-home-test-for-infected-ticks-could-improve-lyme-disease-diagnosis-180989235/Long-Term Exposure to Road Traffic Noise Might Increase Your Risk of Developing Parkinson's Disease, New Research Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/long-term-exposure-to-road-traffic-noise-might-increase-your-risk-of-developing-parkinsons-disease-new-research-suggests-180989216/A study that examined 3.1 million adults in Denmark across 18 years found a modest but consistent correlation. The findings hint that disruptive environmental sounds are a credible risk factor for the brain disorderThu, 30 Jul 2026 15:30:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/long-term-exposure-to-road-traffic-noise-might-increase-your-risk-of-developing-parkinsons-disease-new-research-suggests-180989216/How A.I. Will Reshape Radiology—Without Replacing Radiologistshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-ai-will-reshape-radiologywithout-replacing-radiologists-180989220/Human experience and flexibility are still necessary even as digital diagnostic tools improveWed, 29 Jul 2026 18:15:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-ai-will-reshape-radiologywithout-replacing-radiologists-180989220/A Premature Baby Giraffe Born Via C-Section Is Fighting for Her Life at a Zoo in Kansashttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-premature-baby-giraffe-born-via-c-section-is-fighting-for-her-life-at-a-zoo-in-kansas-180989214/According to officials with the Tanganyika Wildlife Park, no known giraffe calf has ever survived the procedure. The youngster, who was recently named Milani, was born on July 11, likely three to seven weeks earlyWed, 29 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-premature-baby-giraffe-born-via-c-section-is-fighting-for-her-life-at-a-zoo-in-kansas-180989214/Experimental Alzheimer's Drug That Fights a Tough-to-Target Protein Shows Promise at Slowing Cognitive Decline in a Clinical Trialhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/experimental-alzheimers-drug-that-fights-a-tough-to-target-protein-shows-promise-at-slowing-cognitive-decline-in-a-clinical-trial-180989177/Recently FDA-approved treatments work to clear clumps of the protein amyloid beta in the brain. A drug that instead goes after tangles of the protein tau can yield similar cognitive outcomes, a new study suggestsThu, 23 Jul 2026 19:32:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/experimental-alzheimers-drug-that-fights-a-tough-to-target-protein-shows-promise-at-slowing-cognitive-decline-in-a-clinical-trial-180989177/A Man With Paralysis Has Regained Feeling and Movement in His Hands After an Experimental Brain Implanthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-man-with-paralysis-has-regained-feeling-and-movement-in-his-hands-after-an-experimental-brain-implant-180989156/After months of training, the patient can now move his arms and hands and feel the sensation of touchMon, 20 Jul 2026 19:35:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-man-with-paralysis-has-regained-feeling-and-movement-in-his-hands-after-an-experimental-brain-implant-180989156/Koalas Are at Risk of Extinction in Some Parts of Australia. Can Freezing Their Sperm and Eggs Help Save the Iconic Marsupials?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/koalas-are-at-risk-of-extinction-in-some-parts-of-australia-can-freezing-their-sperm-and-eggs-help-save-the-iconic-marsupials-180989147/Scientists are preserving the animals' reproductive cells in liquid nitrogen in a bid to boost genetic diversity in future populationsMon, 20 Jul 2026 15:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/koalas-are-at-risk-of-extinction-in-some-parts-of-australia-can-freezing-their-sperm-and-eggs-help-save-the-iconic-marsupials-180989147/Cancer Cases Are Expected to Nearly Double by 2050, Warns the WHO. Low-Income Countries Will Be Disproportionately Affectedhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cancer-cases-are-expected-to-nearly-double-by-2050-warns-the-who-low-income-countries-will-be-disproportionately-affected-180989102/In a new report, the World Health Organization predicts that new annual diagnoses will rise from about 20.6 million today to almost 35 million by 2050. The biggest increases will be in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean regionMon, 13 Jul 2026 15:44:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cancer-cases-are-expected-to-nearly-double-by-2050-warns-the-who-low-income-countries-will-be-disproportionately-affected-180989102/Cases of a Parasitic Infection That Can Cause Diarrhea for Weeks Are Rapidly Rising in the U.S. Here's What to Knowhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cases-of-a-parasitic-infection-that-can-cause-diarrhea-for-weeks-are-rapidly-rising-in-the-us-heres-what-to-know-180989108/The illness is caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, which spreads via food or water contaminated with feces, usually on farms. Health officials are still investigating the source of the multistate outbreakFri, 10 Jul 2026 19:26:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cases-of-a-parasitic-infection-that-can-cause-diarrhea-for-weeks-are-rapidly-rising-in-the-us-heres-what-to-know-180989108/