Medicine | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/medicine/RSS feed for MedicineenWed, 20 May 2026 13:11:48 +0000Regularly Wearing a Cooling Vest Might Help You Lose Body Fat, According to a New Studyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/regularly-wearing-a-cooling-vest-might-help-you-lose-body-fat-according-to-a-new-study-180988767/Participants who were overweight or living with obesity wore the accessories for two hours every morning for six weeks and lost an average of two pounds. The researchers suspect showering or swimming in frigid water could have similar effectsWed, 20 May 2026 13:11:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/regularly-wearing-a-cooling-vest-might-help-you-lose-body-fat-according-to-a-new-study-180988767/Want to Avoid Having a Picky Eater? Start Exposing Your Kids to Veggies Super Early—in the Wombhttps://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/The Ebola Outbreak in Africa Was Declared a Global Health Emergency by the WHO. Here's What to Know About the Rare but Severe Illnesshttps://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/How a Revolutionary Cancer Treatment Could Reset the Immune Systems of Patients With Autoimmune Diseaseshttps://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/Is the Unconscious Mind Aware of Its Surroundings? New Research Suggests Anesthetized Brains Can Process Overheard Wordshttps://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/Neanderthals Got Cavities, Too—and New Research Suggests They Drilled Into Their Teeth to Treat Them, Just Like Modern Dentistshttps://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/FDA-Approved At-Home Brain Stimulation Device Aims to Treat Depression by Changing Patients’ Brain Excitabilityhttps://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/Could Australia Be the First Country to Eliminate Cervical Cancer? It's on Track, but HPV Vaccination and Screening Rates Are Fallinghttps://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/A Deadly Outbreak of Hantavirus Has Stranded a Cruise Ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Here's What to Know About the Rare Contagionhttps://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/Cancer Is Somehow Rare in the Heart. Turns Out, the Organ's Rhythmic Beat Might Keep the Disease at Bay, a Mouse Study Findshttps://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/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/These Are the Top Ten 'Endangered' Buildings and Bridges in England and Wales—and They Tell Us a Lot About Life in the Victorian Erahttps://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/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/These Young Innovators Have Created a 'Fitbit' to Predict Epileptic Seizureshttps://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/A New Big Database of DNA From Indigenous Americans Shakes Up Scientists' Theories About Human Settlement of South Americahttps://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/State-Licensed Medical Marijuana Has Been Reclassified as a Less-Dangerous Drug. Here's What That Meanshttps://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/We Use Many of the Same Brain Cells to See and to Imagine Objects, a Study Suggests. The Findings Provide a New Window Into Memoryhttps://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/The First LSD Trip Was a Literal Bicycle Ride 83 Years Ago. Fans of the Psychedelic Celebrate the Occasion Every April 19https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-first-lsd-trip-was-a-literal-bicycle-ride-83-years-ago-fans-of-the-psychedelic-celebrate-the-occasion-every-april-19-180988564/In 1943, a chemist in Switzerland synthesized a drug that alters consciousness. His discovery changed the study of medicine, psychiatry and biology—and became a central component of the counterculture movementFri, 17 Apr 2026 17:56:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-first-lsd-trip-was-a-literal-bicycle-ride-83-years-ago-fans-of-the-psychedelic-celebrate-the-occasion-every-april-19-180988564/How Do Different Psychedelics Affect the Brain? Scientists Analyzed More Than 500 Neural Scans to Find Outhttps://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/Scientists Just Made the Most Complete Map of the Clitoris's Sensory Nerve Network. Here's What They Foundhttps://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/In a First, This Personalized Cell Therapy Treated Three Life-Threatening Autoimmune Diseases in One Patienthttps://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/Scientists Engineered Tobacco Plants to Produce Five Mind-Altering Psychedelic Compoundshttps://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/Becoming an Expert Birder Can Reshape Your Brain and Might Help Protect It From Aging, New Research Suggestshttps://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/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/An Astronaut's Sudden Inability to Speak Prompted the ISS's First Medical Evacuation. Doctors Still Don't Know What Caused the Issuehttps://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/Humans Might Struggle to Make Babies in Space. Sperm Gets Disoriented in Microgravity, a New Study Suggestshttps://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/Could Python Blood Lead to the Next Generation of Weight-Loss Drugs?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/The 'Cicada' Variant of Covid-19 Is Spreading in the United States. Here's What You Need to Knowhttps://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/Did Neanderthals Use Birch Bark Tar as an Antibiotic to Treat Wounds and Infections?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/A Clump of Human Brain Cells on a Computer Chip Learned to Play the Nostalgic Video Game 'Doom'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/Vivid Dreams Might Be Key to Feeling Well Rested When You Wake Up, According to a New Studyhttps://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/