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Disease and Illnesses

Strains of Streptomyces bacteria, found in soil, grow in a lab at Swansea University in Wales. They're so new to science they haven't been named.

Soil From a Northern Ireland Graveyard May Lead Scientists to a Powerful New Antibiotic

An ancient legend could provide a new weapon in the fight against deadly bacteria

Dead mussels along the Clinch River.

Trending Today

Scientists Don’t Know Why Freshwater Mussels Are Dying Across North America

Mussel species are dying en mass in rivers across the Pacific Northwest, Midwest and South—likely from unidentified pathogens

Popular lore posits that Jimi Hendrix, or perhaps the crew of classic Hollywood film The African Queen, released the invasive species in the U.K., but a new study suggests otherwise.

Contrary to Popular Legend, Jimi Hendrix Did Not Introduce an Invasive Parakeet to the U.K.

A new study debunks several colorful theories about how ring-necked parakeets became the most abundant naturalized parrot across the pond

The Ten Best Science Books of 2019

New titles explore the workings of the human body, the lives of animals big and small, the past and future of planet earth and how it’s all connected

Bioluminescent "sea fireflies," a species of ostracod crustacean, covering the rocks on the coast of Okayama, Japan.

How Studying Bioluminescent Creatures Is Transforming Medical Science

The natural light of insects and sea creatures can help doctors illuminate H.I.V. and even kill cancer cells

Historical texts, pollen samples and mortuary archaeology suggest the Justinianic plague was not as devastating as previously believed.

The Justinianic Plague’s Devastating Impact Was Likely Exaggerated

A new analysis fails to find evidence that the infamous disease reshaped sixth-century Europe

The tooth-filled mouth of a lamprey. These bloodsucking fish have managed to survive for hundreds of millions of years.

Why the World Needs Bloodsucking Creatures

The ecological benefits of animals like leeches, ticks and vampire bats are the focus of a new exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum

Today, the AIDS Memorial Quilt numbers more than 50,000 panels that honor the lives of some 105,000 people who died of AIDS.

The AIDS Memorial Quilt Is Heading Home to San Francisco

The groundbreaking community arts project has long been under the stewardship of the Atlanta-based NAMES Project Foundation

Ewelina Mamcarz and Stephen Gottschalk developed a treatment for babies born without an immune system.

American Ingenuity Awards

These Scientists May Have Found a Cure for ‘Bubble Boy’ Disease

A newly developed gene therapy is saving young people afflicted by the rare but deadly diagnosis

Yersinia pestis, the bacteria that cause plague, survives on fleas that live on rodents, like rats and rabbits.

Three Cases of Plague Diagnosed in China

Officials say the risk of an outbreak is low, but many are concerned that information about the cases is being restricted

The laboratory where Frankenstein's monster is created in the 1931 film.

Science in the Movies

The Science Behind Hollywood’s Movie Monsters

Massive hits at the time, the films that brought Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy and more to life also tapped into societal fears and traumas

Scientists are starting to get a better idea of how many factors can influence a newborn's gut microbiome.

Babies Born by C-Section Have Different Gut Microbes Than Vaginally Delivered Infants

Method of delivery can influence the bacteria in infants’ guts, according to a new study, but differences were found to disappear within nine months

The explosion does not pose any biological risks to the public, officials say. Reports state there were no disease samples in the laboratory because of the ongoing repairs. And even if had pathogens had been present, the heat of the fire probably would have killed them.

Blast Rocks Russian Facility Storing Smallpox and Ebola Viruses

Officials say that disease samples were not being stored in the affected laboratory, and there is no risk to the public

In groundbreaking clinical trials, researchers are trying to treat patients by editing the genetic makeup of cells with a tool called CRISPR.

Four U.S. CRISPR Trials Editing Human DNA to Research New Treatments

Breaking down how the gene editing technology is being used, for the first time in the United States, to treat patients with severe medical conditions

New Research

Graphene-Coated Fabric Causes Mosquitoes to Buzz Off

Researchers found the insects can’t penetrate thin layers of the wonder material, which also blocks the scent of human sweat

At the height of the book scare, news outlets reported that dust from library books could spread infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, smallpox and scarlet fever.

When the Public Feared That Library Books Could Spread Deadly Diseases

“The great book scare” created a panic that you could catch an infection just by lending from the library

Brain donation is of critical importance for scientists' understanding of brain disorders.

Inside a Brain Bank, Where Humans’ Most Precious Organ Is Dissected and Studied

Unlike organ transplants, brains are used primarily to support research of some of the most widespread and debilitating diseases in the world

A prairie dog eats a bait containing a plague vaccine.

Trending Today

Plague-Infected Prairie Dogs Cause Parks to Close Near Denver

Prairie dog burrows are being dusted with insecticide to stop the spread of the disease transmitted via fleas

Well, that stinks.

Heading to the Beach? Beware the Fecal Bacteria

A new report found that more than 2,600 sites in the U.S. and Puerto Rico were “potentially unsafe” for at least one day in 2018

Can a bike ride a day keep the doctor away?

Welsh Doctors Can Now Prescribe Free Bicycle Rides

The pilot program joins a recent spate of ‘social prescribing’ activities to hit the U.K.

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