Health & Medicine
-
Earth
Nifty science
Inspired research put select high school seniors on the path to the 2014 Intel Science Talent Search finals.
By Sid Perkins -
Health & Medicine
Beautiful nails may harbor germs
Two students wondered why they weren’t allowed to wear fake nails as nursing assistants. They decided to use science to probe why. What they found sent them to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.
-
Health & Medicine
For better weight control, fiber up!
Certain types of fiber suppress appetite, at least in mice. Found in fruits, vegetables, oats and barley, this fiber breaks down in the gut to release acetate. That travels to the brain, where the chemical prompts the release of hunger-fighting hormones.
-
Health & Medicine
Infected cutting boards
Germs can hitchhike into the kitchen on meat and many types of produce. A new study finds that some of those germs are particularly nasty. They are immune to the one or more of the drugs doctors would prescribe to wipe out the infection.
-
Brain
Ghosts in your head
Many people see, feel and hear things that aren’t really there — despite how much their brain tries to convince them otherwise.
By Kirsten Weir -
Health & Medicine
New ‘Heartland’ disease emerges in U.S. Midwest
A new viral disease causes major pain and flu-like symptoms. At present, no treatment or cure exists.
By Janet Raloff -
Brain
Loneliness can breed disease
Everyone experiences loneliness from time to time. But when allowed to persist, loneliness can damage your health and steal years from your life.
By Hugh Westrup -
Health & Medicine
Explainer: Tips for overcoming loneliness
This assortment of tips can help overcome loneliness. The approach focuses on changing — for the better — those ways in which you and others interact.
By Hugh Westrup -
Environment
Poisonings linked to e-cigarettes
A federal survey finds electronic cigarettes and the chemicals they burn are an increasing cause of reports of harm made to poison-control centers. Young children are often the victims.
By Janet Raloff -
Health & Medicine
The nose knows a trillion scents
There's a long-standing claim that people can identify 10,000 different odors. But a new study suggests that people can actually identify at least 10,000 times that many scents.
-
Health & Medicine
Intel STS finalist uses math to predict breast cancer spread
Intel STS finalist Esha Maiti developed a model to calculate the probability of cancer spreading to different areas of the body.
-
Health & Medicine
Some of chocolate’s health benefits may trace to ‘bugs’
Dark chocolate offers people a number of health benefits. A new study finds that the breakdown of chocolate by microbes in the human gut be behind some benefits.