Health, features and articles | Educational Science

Nov 30, 2014

Wine (and Grape) Health Claim Gets New Boost

This article was originally published on The Conversation. The publication contributed this article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. If you’re a teetotaller, your friends have likely tried to convince you to taste red wine by swearing on its multiple health benefits. These benefits have been credited to...

Nov 30, 2014

US Cancer Death Rates Fall, Saving 1.5 Million Lives

The death rates from most cancers have dropped across the United States, sparing the lives of 1.5 million Americans over two decades, a new report found. There was a 22 percent decline in the average rate of all cancer deaths from 1991 (the year it peaked) to 2011, according to...

Oct 31, 2014

The Human Race: Will We Keep Breaking Running Records?

Just over a month ago, Dennis Kimetto of Kenya ran the fastest marathon ever, finishing the Berlin Marathon with a record-setting time of 2 hours, 2 minutes and 57 seconds. This means that for more than 26 miles (42 kilometers), Kimetto kept up a blisteringly fast average pace of 4...

Oct 31, 2014

Vitamin B Supplements Don't Benefit Memory, Study Finds

Taking vitamin B12 and folic acid supplements may not reduce the risk of developing memory and thinking problems in older people, a new study finds. Some previous studies had suggested a link between low levels of certainB vitamins and poor thinking skills, but other studies found mixed results about whether...

Oct 31, 2014

'Smart Drug' Modafinil Does Not Make You Smarter

It's reported that 1 in 5 students take the drug Modafinil in hopes of boosting their academic performance, but this so-called smart drug may actually impair their ability to answer questions quickly and correctly, a new study finds. The drug, also known by the brand name Provigil, is approved the...

Oct 31, 2014

4 Myths About Juice Cleansing

There's nothing wrong with drinking juice, although it's not as healthful as eating fresh fruits and vegetables, which are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and plenty of fiber, especially in their skins and pulp. But when a person is downing only fruit and vegetable juice as part of a juice...

Oct 31, 2014

Salt Sensor Helps People Improve Diet

CHICAGO — A small device that detects the amount of salt in food could help people with heart disease lower the amount of salt in their diet to improve their heart health, a new study shows. The patients in the study who used the device reduced their daily salt intake...

Oct 31, 2014

Too Many Jockeys Die Racing Horses (Op-Ed)

This article was originally published on The Conversation. The publication contributed this article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. Horse racing claimed the lives of three jockeys recently – two in Australia and one in the United States – and some prominent industry professionals have openly claimed that...

Oct 31, 2014

'InsideTracker' Review: Can a Commercial Blood Test Make You Healthier?

InsideTracker is a service that analyzes your blood for various biomarkers — from sugar and cholesterol levels to liver enzymes — and tells you how you are faring in terms of health and fitness. The service does not intend to find disease, so users with an off-the-chart blood sugar level...

Oct 31, 2014

Is Farmed Salmon Good for You?

Eating salmon and other oily fish has been recommended as a way of boosting omega-3 fatty acids, and potentially lowering the risk of heart disease. But now, some farmed salmon have lower levels of this healthful oil because of their diet, and it's not clear whether these less- nutritious fish...

Oct 31, 2014

Why Dried Whiskey Under Microscope Looks Like Art

Dried whiskey at the bottom of a glass produces stunning images that closely resemble fine art paintings, shows new research that also helps explain how the patterns form. The effect results from both the chemical composition of whiskey as well as fluid dynamics. The presentation “Painting Pictures with Whiskey,” explaining...

Oct 31, 2014

Have a Cold? Don't Ask Your Doctor for Antibiotics

This article was originally published on The Conversation. The publication contributed this article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. Antibiotic resistance is a major threat to public health. Resistance makes it harder for physicians to treat infections and can increase the chance patients will die from an infection....

Oct 31, 2014

Juice Cleanses: Separating Fact from Fiction

With nutritious ingredients and good-for-you health claims, juice cleanses and liquid detox diets have received plenty of buzz. The craze has caught on among celebrities who see doing a cleanse as a way to lose weight quickly and eliminate toxins from their bodies, giving them a fresh start. But many...

Sep 30, 2014

Free Birth Control Implants Slash Teen Pregnancy Rates

Providing teens with free contraception dramatically reduces their chances of unintended pregnancy, a new study shows. On average, nearly 16 percent of sexually experienced female teens will get pregnant in a given year, but fewer than 4 percent of the teens who received free contraception did in the new study,...

Sep 30, 2014

'Reverse Puberty' to Ruptured Spleens: Odd Snakebite Reactions

Snakebites are scary to most people, but in a small number of cases, they can also cause really unusual and severe symptoms. From a ruptured spleen to reverse puberty, rare effects of venomous snakebites have been reported by researchers over the years. There are currently more than 3,000 species of...