Articles tagged as Health | Smithsonian Magazine

A thin film of DNA could work even better than sunscreen at protecting our skin

Why Salmon Sperm DNA Could Revolutionize Sunscreen

A thin layer of the genetic material seems to effectively block the sun’s rays and becomes more effective over time

August 1, 2017

This month, several news outlets misleadingly reported that women's birth control was causing "transgender" fish.

How One Bad Science Headline Can Echo Across the Internet

Recent articles claiming birth control causes “transgender” fish show how science communication can mislead—even when it relies on facts

July 31, 2017

New Research

Yes, Sperm Counts Have Been Steadily Declining—But Don’t Freeze Your Sperm Yet

The study is a striking reminder of how much science has to learn about these little wrigglers

July 26, 2017

The degenerative disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE, is common in football players, boxers, veterans and others exposed to head trauma.

New Research

Disease Found in 99 Percent of Brains Donated by NFL Families

The degenerative brain disease develops after repeated concussions or blows to the head

July 25, 2017

Taking a stroll to the Pump Room–the fashionable place to be seen in Bath during Austen's time.

Five Things to Know About Bath, Jane Austen’s Home and Inspiration

Two hundred years after her death, Bath hasn’t forgotten about Jane Austen

July 18, 2017

The Next Pandemic

Needle-Free Patch Makes Vaccination as Easy as Putting on a Band-Aid

The new product could be available in about five years, scientists say

July 17, 2017

Otto von Bismarck addressing the Reichstag

History of Now

Bismarck Tried to End Socialism’s Grip—By Offering Government Healthcare

The 1883 law was the first of its kind to institute mandatory, government-monitored health insurance

July 14, 2017

A Blood-Monitoring Device Inspired by Mosquitoes

The e-mosquito is a continuous glucose-monitoring device that could help people with diabetes better manage their blood sugar

July 14, 2017

New Research

Scientists Store Video Clip in DNA of Living Cells

This first could lead to health-monitoring molecular recorders inside cells

July 14, 2017

This is an illustration, not a picture, of a virus, because viruses are super small. But a new "VirusCam" promises to be able to see and track individual viruses, potentially leading to breakthroughs for human health.

“VirusCam” Can Watch Individual Viruses to (Someday) Keep You From Getting Sick

Viruses are tiny and hard to see, but a new microscope can track them individually to try to better prevent disease

July 12, 2017

How Fake, Lab-Made Poop Can Improve Sanitation

The, er, sludge replicates the properties of human waste to better understand sanitation in Bangladesh

July 12, 2017

This false-color image depicts various compounds that ants smell to detect where their nestmates stand in the colony's social hierarchy.

The Innovative Spirit fy17

Studying Ant “Noses” Could Lead to Better Bug Repellents

The new class of repellents, called “excito-repellents,” is similar to “getting on an elevator with someone who’s put on way too much perfume”

July 11, 2017

The early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic were marked with stigma and confusion.

The epidemic’s early days were perplexing and terrifying

July 3, 2017

The Neanderthal teeth, including the impacted molar

New Research

Neanderthals May Have Used Toothpicks to Treat Aching Teeth

A Neanderthal living in what is now Croatia and wore grooves in his or her teeth trying to soothe the pain

June 29, 2017

Study co-author Kevin Smith applies melted bitumen to a bottle, following a technique used by indigenous groups of the California Channel Islands.

New Research

Drinking From Ancient Water Bottles Didn’t Hurt Indigenous People—Making Them Did

Researchers replicated a bottle-making process used by indigenous groups of the California Channel Islands to test toxic chemicals

June 29, 2017

Animals like prairie dogs can play host to plague-infected fleas.

The deadly disease can be spread by household pets

June 28, 2017

A cocktail of steroids and vitamin C, often found in citrus and leafy green produce, might hold the key to treating sepsis. Or, clinical trials might prove it overhyped.

New Research

Could Vitamin C Be the Cure for Deadly Infections?

A new protocol that includes this common nutrient could save millions of lives—and has already sparked a raging debate among doctors

June 27, 2017

Over 200,000 cases of cholera have been documented in Yemen thus far.

More than 200,000 cases have been reported in a country racked by civil war

June 26, 2017

The "abortion pill" (actually two separate medications) can be taken up to 10 weeks after pregnancy, according to the FDA.

The Science Behind the “Abortion Pill”

Legal or not, more American women are opting for abortion by medication. We asked doctors: How safe is it?

June 23, 2017

Fasten your seatbelts for record heat, Phoenix—just don't burn yourself while you're at it.

New Research

Half the World’s Population Will Experience Deadly Heat by the End of the Century

And Arizona is kicking things off

June 20, 2017