Health, features and articles | Educational Science

Feb 16, 2024

Why is the 'T-zone' on your face so oily?

The forehead, nose and chin, collectively known as the T-zone, are notorious for being much oilier than the rest of the face. While this shine can be blotted away, excess grease can drive skin problems, including clogged pores and acne breakouts. But why is the T-zone so oily? The skin...

Feb 27, 2024

Best humidifiers 2024: Relieve dry skin & allergy symptoms

Investing in one of the best humidifiers is an easy and effective way to improve the air quality in your home or workplace — especially if you live in a hot, dry climate. Humidifiers release moisture into the air, often in a form of water vapor, to increase the overall...

Feb 29, 2024

What causes tinnitus, and can it be treated?

Many people have experienced an occasional ringing, buzzing or roaring sound in their ears — but for people with tinnitus, these phantom noises persist, often for several weeks or months. But what causes tinnitus? And are there ways to manage the symptoms? Sabrina Lee, a licensed audiologist with HearUSA, a...

Mar 1, 2024

Boiling tap water can remove nearly 90% of microplastics, new study finds

Boiling tap water before drinking it can remove at least 90% of potentially harmful microplastics, a new study has found. Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic debris measuring less than 0.2 inches (5 millimeters) long, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These broken-down remnants of industrial waste...

Mar 4, 2024

Do we have taste receptors in other parts of our body?

Most of the cell types in your body appear in many places — for example, humans have photoreceptors throughout our nervous systems, not just our eyes. So it seems strange that taste receptors would only be found on the tongue. Turns out, you actually have taste receptors throughout your body;...

Mar 6, 2024

Best water flossers 2024: Top 6 oral irrigators from Waterpik, Bitvae and more

Investing in one of the best water flossers is an easy and effective way to step up your oral hygiene routine. These devices shoot streams of water to remove plaque and food debris from hard-to-reach areas between the teeth and below the gum line. The best water flossers offer all...

Mar 12, 2024

New self-powered throat patch could help people speak without vocal cords

A new, flexible device that clings to the neck can translate muscular movements into speech, enabling people to talk without using their vocal cords. The small patch not only detects the movements of the throat associated with speech, but also harnesses that movement to generate electricity, meaning the device can...

Mar 13, 2024

Best dehumidifiers 2024: Fight damp, mold and condensation

Investing in one of the best dehumidifiers is an easy and effective way to improve the air quality in your home or workplace. These smart appliances can rid your living spaces of damp, mold and dust mites, simply by sucking out excessive moisture from the air. As Wei-Ning Wang, an...

Mar 13, 2024

Humans inhale a staggering amount of microplastic every week. Here's where it ends up.

Editor's Note: The headline and lede of this story were updated on March 13, 2024 at 1:40 p.m. E.S.T. to remove reference to the total amount of plastic inhaled by humans every week. Researchers originally estimated that humans ingest a credit cards' worth, but this was a miscalculation; it's actually...

Mar 15, 2024

One of our favorite smart scales for measuring body fat just got its price slashed in a Walmart deal

If you want to lose weight and gain muscle, having bathroom scales that provide precise measurements of your body fat percentage and muscle mass can be invaluable. One set of smart scales that does just that has been slashed by $70, now costing just $29.99 at Walmart. In our 2023...

Mar 18, 2024

8-hour intermittent fasting tied to 90% higher risk of cardiovascular death, early data hint

Intermittent fasting — a dieting strategy that limits when someone can eat each day — has been linked to a 91% higher risk of heart-related death in a large study. This risk was tied to eating in an eight-hour or shorter window in the 24-hour day, compared with a more...

Mar 18, 2024

Ice-cold plunges and breath-holding: Does the 'Wim Hof method' do anything?

Can breathing exercises and ice baths make you a better, healthier version of yourself? Scientists have found there may be some benefits — but ultimately, the jury is still out. A new review of research focuses on the Wim Hof method, a regimen of breath-holding and cold exposure promoted by...

Sep 26, 2023

Rat 'lungworm' that can invade the human brain found in Georgia rodents

A parasite that normally lives in the lungs of rats can infect the human brain if accidentally ingested in contaminated food — and now, the worm has claimed new territory in Georgia. But don't freak out. The parasite, called rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis), mostly infects people in Southeast Asia and...

Sep 27, 2023

Strange purple lump on infant's head is rare case of protruding brain tissue, case report says

A boy who was born with a purple lump on his head had a rare skin defect and a bit of brain tissue spilling out of his skull, a new case report says. The lump, which was on the right top of the boy's head, measured around 0.5 square inches...

Sep 29, 2023

Woman is 1st to survive infection with deadly 'blackleg' bacteria she caught while gardening bare-handed

A woman in Australia has become the third known person to be infected with a species of bacteria that normally causes deadly blackleg disease in cattle and sheep — and she's the only one to survive, according to a new case report. After gardening without gloves, the 48-year-old woman experienced...