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Health

Over several decades, researchers have identified more than 140 active compounds, called cannabinoids, in the cannabis plant. 

The Scientific History of Cannabinoids

Hundreds of these cannabis-related chemicals, both natural and synthetic, now exist, and researchers want to know how they can hurt and help us

Blood donations have dropped around the United States during the Covid-19 pandemic.

More Gay and Bisexual Men Could Soon Donate Blood

Since 1985, federal blood donor restrictions have barred many men who have sex with men from participating

A portrait of Anne d’Alégre, a 17th-century French noblewoman who masked her poor dentition with gold wire and an elephant ivory false tooth

What Secrets Lie Beneath This 17th-Century French Aristocrat’s Smile?

New research suggests noblewoman Anne d’Alégre used gold wire to keep her decaying teeth in place

Fall/Winter Sears catalog from 1957

Before Folding 30 Years Ago, the Sears Catalog Sold Some Surprising Products

The retail giant’s mail-order business reigned supreme for more than a century, offering everything from quack cures to ready-to-build homes

Ants don't have noses, but they detect scents using antennae atop their heads.

These Ants Were Trained to Sniff Out Cancer

In just ten minutes, an ant could learn to identify urine from mice with cancerous tumors, a new study finds

Saliva impacts how different foods taste.

How Saliva Changes the Flavor of Food

The liquid impacts how we perceive taste and can influence what we choose to eat

Moderna is one of several companies currently working on a vaccine for RSV.

Experimental RSV Vaccine Prevents Illness in Older Adults, Moderna Says

In a large clinical trial, the vaccine was 83.7 percent effective at preventing two or more symptoms of respiratory illness in people over the age of 60

People in Chicago fishing on Lake Michigan on December 25, 2021. The new study found particularly high levels of PFAS in fish from the Great Lakes.

Freshwater Fish Contain Harmful ‘Forever Chemicals’

Eating one serving of locally caught fish could equate to drinking contaminated water for a month, a new study finds

Debra Babalola and Shefali Bohra invented Dotplot, a device that can help users monitor their breast health.

A New Tool Could Help Detect Breast Cancer Earlier

Dotplot gives users real-time feedback and builds a personalized map of their chests

Gas stoves emit air pollutants, including heat-trapping gasses.

Should the U.S. Ban Gas Stoves?

While the White House opposes an all-out ban, a federal safety agency is studying the health and environmental hazards of the kitchen appliances

Examples of computing hardware architecture supporting an AR and IR environment inside a car of the near future are displayed at the Valeo booth at CES 2023 in Las Vegas.

Eight Cool New Technologies From This Year’s Consumer Electronics Show

Flying cars, live-translation eyeglasses, self-driving strollers and more were unveiled at the annual trade show in Las Vegas

Public health officials are warning about xylazine, also known as “tranq” or “tranq dope,” an animal sedative that's infiltrating the nation’s illicit drug supply in substances such as heroin and fentanyl.

What to Know About ‘Tranq,’ the Animal Sedative Infiltrating Street Drugs

Public health officials are sounding the alarm about xylazine, a substance that causes gruesome wounds and knocks users out for hours

Pollinators, including bees, face pressure from disease-causing organisms, habitat loss, climate change and other factors.

The World’s First Vaccine for Honeybees Is Here

It could be a game-changer for beekeepers fighting American foulbrood, a disease that can wipe out entire colonies

A Covid-19 testing site in New York City on December 9. An estimated 27.6 percent of cases nationwide were caused by the XBB.1.5 variant this week, according to the CDC's most recent data.

What to Know About the ‘Most Transmissible’ Covid-19 Variant

XBB.1.5 is the fastest-spreading variant in the country, but it is not known to cause more severe illness than previous ones

Americans might choose more sustainable meals when beef items on menus are labeled "high climate impact."

Could Climate Impact Labels Change the Way We Eat?

Warnings on fast-food menus might make Americans think twice about choosing beef, a new study finds

Some experts say cannabis product packaging may appear similar to other snacks, which can confuse kids. 

More Kids Are Accidentally Eating Marijuana Edibles, Study Finds

Between 2017 and 2021, accidental cannabis ingestion in young children rose by 1,375 percent

Researchers are studying psilocybin therapy to treat conditions like alcohol addiction and major depressive disorder.

Adults Can Now Use Magic Mushrooms With Supervision in Oregon

State-certified facilitators will guide patients in hallucinogenic trips, which may help treat mental health conditions

Residents of Washington, D.C. wait in line to get Covid-19 test kits in December of 2021. The United States lagged behind other nations in testing during the first few months of the pandemic.

Six Lessons We’ve Learned From Covid That Will Help Us Fight the Next Pandemic

Public health experts weigh in on the steps America needs to take to stem a future outbreak

A growing movement is underway to halt chronic disease by protecting brains and bodies from the biological fallout of aging.

Could Getting Rid of Old Cells Help People Live Disease-Free for Longer?

Researchers are investigating medicines that selectively kill decrepit cells to promote healthy aging

Aedes aegypti can carry Zika, dengue, chikungunya and other viruses.

‘Super-Resistant’ Mosquitoes Can Survive Insecticides in Southeast Asia

Researchers found high numbers of a genetic mutation linked to this resilience in Cambodia and Vietnam

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