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Disease and Illnesses

A health worker in protective gear works at an Ebola treatment centre in Beni, Eastern Congo in September 2018.

Ebola Outbreak in the Congo Has Killed 500 People, Including 100 Children

Efforts to bring the crisis under control are being hampered by violent conflicts and widespread misconceptions about the infection

A mass on the femur of a Pappochelys rosinae specimen.

What This Prehistoric Turtle’s Tumor Tells Scientists About Modern Cancer

A new study suggests not only that prehistoric creatures got cancer, but also that the disease looked similar to cancers in modern humans

New Research

Was Alexander the Great Pronounced Dead Prematurely?

A new theory suggests he was only paralyzed when he was declared dead, but it’s impossible to prove he had Guillain-Barré Syndrome with the existing facts

Operation Ranch Hand has led to a multi-generational health crisis and an environmental catastrophe.

Trending Today

Court Rules ‘Blue Water’ Vietnam Veterans Are Eligible for Agent Orange Benefits

Sailors had long been excluded from health benefits related to the dioxin-tainted herbicide the military spread during the war

Measles Outbreak Sparks Public Health Emergency in Washington State

There have been 36 confirmed cases, and most of the patients had not been vaccinated

The researchers posit that Darwin contracted Lyme disease while exploring the expanses of Great Britain

Did Charles Darwin Have Lyme Disease?

New study attributes British naturalist’s persistent poor health to tick-borne disease

Four infected ponies were euthanized at the end of December

Swamp Cancer Kills Seven of Chincoteague’s Beloved Wild Ponies

The deadly infection leaves itchy lesions clustered across victims’ bodies

In 2017, researchers recorded a 10-point percentage difference between African-American and Caucasian respondents who slept less than six hours per night

Nearly One-Third of Americans Sleep Fewer Than Six Hours Per Night

The survey reflects a worrying trend of national sleep deprivation, specifically among African-American and Hispanic respondents

When healthy DNA is added to gold particle-laden (and therefore pink) water, it turns blue, but when cancerous DNA is added, the water remains pink

Researchers Say They’ve Created Universal Cancer Test That Detects Mutating Cells in Just 10 Minutes

The tool, which is still in early stages of development, can’t identify the specific type of cancer present or gauge the severity of the disease

Excessive Vitamin D in Pet Food May Be Making Dogs Sick

A number of brands, including Nutrisca and Natural Life, have issued recalls of certain products

Drug overdoses claimed 70,237 lives in 2017, while suicides numbered more than 47,000 over the same period

U.S. Life Expectancy Drops for Third Year in a Row, Reflecting Rising Drug Overdoses, Suicides

Drop represents longest sustained decline in expected lifespan since the tumultuous period of 1915 to 1918

Drug-Resistant Bacteria Found on International Space Station Toilet

The bacteria do not currently pose a risk to astronauts, but that could change as the microbes adapt to their environment

New Research

Could a Freeze-Dried Vaccine Spell the End of Polio Worldwide Forever?

The vaccine does not require refrigeration, meaning aid workers could get it to children in hard-to-reach regions of the world. So far, it works in mice.

A trip to the British Museum may be one of the social prescribing options outlined by U.K. doctors

British Doctors May Soon Prescribe Art, Music, Dance, Singing Lessons

Campaign is expected to launch across the entire U.K. by 2023

Princepajaro, a male California sea lion, swims in a pool during treatment for leptospirosis at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA. When a leptospirosis outbreak occurs, the Center’s scientists study the disease to learn more about what causes an outbreak and how we can improve treatment for infected animals.

Major Disease Outbreak Strikes California Sea Lions

Leptospirosis afflicts sea lions on a semi-regular cycle, but warming waters and migrating fish could make the marine mammals more susceptible

Llama antibodies are smaller than human ones, making them ideal for latching onto hard-to-reach areas of flu virus strains

Llama Antibodies May Be the Key to Flu Prevention

Researchers have created a llama-inspired mega protein capable of neutralizing 59 different strains of influenza

Though acute flaccid myelitis is not nearly as widespread as polio was at the height of its outbreaks, nor is the polio virus present in patients with AFM, yet symptoms, including paralysis, starkly resemble the disease. Pictured: Child gets polio vaccine on sugar cube circa 1970s.

A Polio-Like Illness Is Causing Paralysis in Children

Acute flaccid myelitis, or AFM, remains very rare, but cases have been peaking every other year since 2014

Spain nabbed the top spot with an average life expectancy of 85.8 years

United States Drops 21 Spots in Global Life Expectancy Rankings

By 2040, an average American’s lifespan is projected to rise from 78.7 to 79.8 years, an increase of just 1.1 years

The bendable patch consists of a thin elastomer sheet with small “islands” of electrodes and piezoelectric transducers that create ultrasound waves from electricity.

This Ultrasound Patch Monitors Blood Pressure in Deep Arteries

The flexible wearable could be an alternative to current invasive methods of measuring central blood pressure within the human body

Swedish researchers used phase-contrast imaging to examine the soft tissue of a 2,400-year-old mummified hand

Now We Don’t Have to Unravel Mummies to Study Them at a Cellular Level

Phase-contrast imaging enabled researchers to non-invasively examine a mummified hand’s blood vessels, skin layers and connective tissue

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