Articles tagged as Disease | Smithsonian Magazine

U.S. species, like this red salamander, may be at risk as a new form of deadly amphibian fungus spreads.

A Ban on Salamanders Is Just Part of the Fight Against This Deadly Fungus

Scientists are deploying a variety of weapons as new clues emerge about the fungal diseases killing off amphibians

February 13, 2016

Michelangelo painted some of art history's greatest hands.

New Research

Michelangelo May Have Had Arthritis

Researchers used old portraits and letters to study the master’s hands

February 9, 2016

“One out of every four deer that you see on your lawn or in the woods is infected with malaria,” says Ellen Martinsen.

One in Four U.S. Deer Is Infected With Malaria

Scientists suspect the undetected blood parasite has been present in the animals ever since they arrived across the Bering Land Bridge

February 5, 2016

Thousands of infants born in Brazil have been reported to show signs of microcephaly, like Alice pictured here being comforted by her father.

How Can Viruses Like Zika Cause Birth Defects?

While the link between Zika and microcephaly is uncertain, similar diseases show how the virus might be affecting infants

February 4, 2016

A doctor and patients in Nicaragua during an outbreak of dengue and chikugunya virus earlier in 2015

Three countries have already approved the vaccine

December 31, 2015

Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacterium responsible for the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea.

And public health officials are scared of what comes next

December 29, 2015

Or did it?

December 22, 2015

Marburg virus is one of the pathogens the WHO recently identified as most dangerous.

You may not know their names, but health officials are concerned about the epidemic potential of these illnesses

December 15, 2015

An adult Rhodnius prolixus (kissing bug) on the right and large nymph on the left

The disease-causing parasite spread by biting bugs has spread beyond the tropical world

November 18, 2015

This Chemical Compound Could Melt Away Cataracts

Eye drops made from “compound 29” have been shown to reduce cataracts in mice. Researchers hope the same will hold true for humans.

November 16, 2015

American Ingenuity Awards

The Two Brains at the Forefront of the Fight Against Alzheimer’s

Rudolph Tanzi and Doo Yeon Kim have invented a revolutionary new tool to study the mysteries of the disease and counter the coming epidemic of dementia

December 2015

Saiga antelope with two calves at the Black Earth Nature Reserve in Kalmykia, Russia

More than half of the world’s endangered saiga antelopes died suddenly on the Central Asian steppes last spring

November 5, 2015

A Disaster in the Kitchen Leads to a Breakthrough in the Lab

After a failed attempt at making cotton candy, biomedical engineer Chris Moraes thought to use sugar to mold silicone and study human cells

November 5, 2015

Ask Smithsonian

Ask Smithsonian: Is the World Due for Another Massive Plague Outbreak?

It is highly unlikely, experts say, but a plague-based bioterror assault is another matter

October 22, 2015

This Bronze Age skull is from the Yamnaya culture, which later developed into the Afanasievo culture of Central Asia, one of the peoples that carried early strains of plague.

New Research

Plague Was Infecting Humans 3,300 Years Earlier Than Thought

DNA from Bronze Age victims helped pinpoint mutations that allowed the disease to go from localized illness to deadly pandemic

October 22, 2015

Jaundice is usually treated with short-wave blue light.

The Innovative Spirit

These Plastic Canopies Could Save Thousands of Babies

Researchers have developed sunlight-filtering canopies as a low-tech treatment for jaundice in newborns

September 25, 2015

More than 200 concussions occurred in last year's NFL season.

Innovative Spirit Health Care

The Future of Concussions: How 5 New Advances Could Change Treatment

Scientists and engineers are working on ways to diagnose, treat and prevent head injuries

September 10, 2015

An illustration of the dengue virus, which is transmitted by mosquito bites.

A Single Protein Is the Root of Dengue’s Virulence

But researchers who found the culprit say it could be a clue in developing a vaccine for the mosquito-borne virus

September 9, 2015

New Research

See How the Plague Swept Through London

New research shows that during mass burials, bodies were given more respect than previously thought

September 1, 2015

Knut, the star of the Berlin Zoo, died due to swelling in his brain.

New Research

Knut the Polar Bear’s Mysterious Death Finally Solved

The famed Berlin Zoo bear suffered from an autoimmune disease that until now has only been known to occur in humans

August 27, 2015