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Health

Scientists surveyed nearly 1,000 U.S. parents during the first half of 2023 to estimate melatonin use among kids.

Melatonin Use Is Rising in U.S. Children, Study Finds

Nearly one in five children under 14 are being given melatonin before bed, according to a survey of about 1,000 parents

A colored image of an anthrobot. Hairlike structures called cilia enable the bots to move.

Tiny ‘Robots’ Made From Human Cells Show Wound-Healing Potential

The so-called “anthrobots” can self-assemble and move on their own, and they prompted damaged neurons to regenerate in a recent study

Around 80 percent of pregnant people experience morning sickness, or bouts of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.

Why Most Pregnant People Experience Morning Sickness—and How It Could Be Treated

A hormone produced by the fetus may induce nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, a new study finds

Photographs and other items connected to Florence Nightingale

These May Be the Last Photos Ever Taken of Florence Nightingale

The rare images are among a collection of artifacts connected to the “Lady with the Lamp” that recently sold at auction

Illustration of the thalamus, a region of the brain linked to learning and memory.

Brain Implants Show Promise for People With Traumatic Brain Injuries in Small Study

Electrodes placed in the brains of five patients led to “profound” improvements in cognitive function, even years after their injuries

Eczema affects almost 32 million people in the United States.

Here’s What Can Cause Itchiness, According to New Research

Scientists discovered a connection between a bacteria linked to eczema and an itch-causing enzyme in a study of mice

San Francisco-based startup Loyal is developing drugs that aim to extend dogs' lifespans—and it could form a basis for longevity research in humans.

A New Drug That Could Extend Dogs’ Lives Inches Closer to Approval

For the first time, the FDA has indicated a willingness to endorse a longevity drug

Researchers at the Ohio State University collected 9,287 Asian longhorned ticks in just 90 minutes using lint rollers.

An Invasive Tick That Can Clone Itself Is Spreading Across the U.S., Threatening Livestock

Researchers documented three cows in Ohio killed by Asian longhorned ticks, which can lay up to 2,000 eggs without needing to mate

The monkey "chimera" with two sets of DNA at three days old. Some body parts appear tinted green, because the researchers marked the transplanted cells with fluorescent dye to trace what parts they developed into.

Scientists Created a Monkey With Two Different Sets of DNA

So-called “chimeric” monkeys could help scientists understand human diseases and aid in conservation efforts, but the research raises ethical questions

Experts recommend that dog owners make sure their pets are up to date on their vaccines and reducing their contact with large numbers of other dogs. 

Hundreds of Dogs Across the U.S. Are Falling Ill With Unknown Respiratory Illness

Researchers are not sure whether a virus or bacteria is causing the pets’ ailments

Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter dancing at the presidential Inaugural Ball in January 1977

Women Who Shaped History

From the Governor’s Mansion to the White House and Beyond, Rosalynn Carter Was a Tireless Advocate for the Vulnerable

Smithsonian experts reflect on the life and legacy of the former first lady, who died Sunday at age 96

A candlelit vigil on January 13, 2022, in Washington, D.C., for nurses who died during the Covid-19 pandemic. A new study finds that Covid-19 was the leading reason for a growing gap in life expectancy between U.S. men and women from 2019 to 2021.

Women Now Live Nearly Six Years Longer Than Men in the United States

Disparities from Covid-19 and opioid overdose deaths are major contributors to the widening gap, according to a new study

Ketamine and esketamine are the only psychedelics currently being used clinically with eating disorder patients.

The Future of Mental Health

Are Psychedelics the Future of Eating Disorder Treatment?

The drugs have been shown to reduce depression and anxiety symptoms and make individuals more flexible in their thinking

Around 40 percent of people experience a fainting spell at some point in their lives.

Here’s What Causes Fainting, According to New Research

Scientists have discovered a pathway between the heart and brain in mice that appears to be involved during loss of consciousness

Aaron James is now five months out from his whole-eye and partial-face transplant.

Surgeons Perform World’s First Whole Eyeball Transplant on Arkansas Veteran

The patient, who suffered a severe electrical accident in 2021, currently has no vision in the transplanted eye, but doctors say he’s recovering well

This 15th-century medical manuscript shows different colors of urine alongside the ailments they signify.

Modern Medicine Traces Its Scientific Roots to the Middle Ages

Contrary to popular belief, early medieval doctors relied on rational deduction to understand and treat disease

Patients who are at high risk of lung cancer can get screened with low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans.

Millions More Smokers Should Be Screened for Lung Cancer—Even if They Quit Long Ago

The American Cancer Society released new guidance on who should get yearly scans for lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death around the world

An X-ray shows where the prosthetic metal fingers attach to the device.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Discover Centuries-Old Prosthetic Hand in Germany

Used by a man between 30 and 50 years old, the four prosthetic fingers date to between 1450 and 1620

A blood smear of a patient with sickle cell. The crescent-shaped sickle cells can be seen in the smear.

Gene-Editing Treatment for Sickle Cell Disease Moves Closer to Approval

FDA advisors said the benefits seem to outweigh any possible risks, and the agency will decide whether to approve it by December 8

In 2022, nearly 46 percent of health workers felt burnt out either often or very often.

Health Care Workers Are Burning Out, CDC Says

Depression, anxiety and harassment of health professionals have risen beyond crisis levels, per a new report from the agency

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