Health, features and articles | Educational Science

Oct 31, 2018

Ancient Skeletons of Woman and Fetus Hint at Childbirth Death 3,700 Years Ago

Archaeologists in Egypt recently unearthed a grim discovery: the skeleton of a young woman dating to about 3,700 years ago who was in the final weeks of her pregnancy when she died. And she was buried with the unborn fetus still inside her body. The tiny skeleton was head-down within...

Oct 31, 2018

Many Kids Are Given Probiotics for Stomach Bugs. But They May Not Help At All.

When kids catch a stomach bug, they are increasingly treated with probiotics in the hopes of improving the symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting. But rigorous new research finds that young children with intestinal infections don't appear to benefit from several commonly used probiotics. Two large studies — one conducted in...

Oct 31, 2018

6 Doctors Swallowed and Pooped Lego Minifigures So You Don't Have To

Earlier this year, six pediatric scientists decapitated six Lego minifigures, then swallowed the heads. The researchers did this to answer a simple, scientific question: How long does it take to poop a brick? The answer, for those of you teetering on the edges of your seats, is about two to...

Oct 31, 2018

Scary 'New' Tick Has US Officials Worried

A species of tick native to Asia is spreading across the United States, according to a new report. This tick, known as the longhorned tick, or Haemaphysalis longicornis, was first identified in the U.S. in August 2017 when it was found on a sheep in New Jersey, according to the...

Sep 30, 2018

How Bad Is Bacon for You, Really?

It's a debate that plays out in everyone's head during a weekend brunch: Should I be eating this much bacon? Researchers have been diving into the question, too, specifically as it relates to cancer. The question once again jumped to the forefront of people's minds with the recent release of...

Sep 30, 2018

The HPV Vaccine Was Just Approved for Adults Up to Age 45. Should They Get It?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced last week that Gardasil 9, the HPV vaccine, is now approved for use in people ages 27 to 45. The vaccine, which protects against several strains of a sexually transmitted infection called human papillomavirus, has been on the market for 12 years; however,...

Sep 30, 2018

What Does Elizabeth Warren's 'Native' Ancestry Mean?

On Monday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released results from DNA testing, suggesting she has Native American ancestry and thrusting the issue of genetic testing and Native American identity into the spotlight. The DNA report comes after years of political back-and-forth exchanges between Warren and Republican opponents, who accuse her of...

Sep 30, 2018

Adenovirus Doesn't Usually Kill, So Why Did 7 Kids Die from the Virus in New Jersey?

This story was updated at 11:23 a.m. ET on Oct. 24 to reflect the most recent number of deaths at this time. Seven children at a New Jersey healthcare facility have died in an outbreak of adenovirus, a virus that can cause cold and flu-like symptoms, according to health officials....

Sep 30, 2018

How Did Two Mothers Both Carry the Same Child?

For what is likely the first time ever, two mothers each got to carry the same child for part of the fetus's development, according to news reports. The married women, Ashleigh and Bliss Coulter, were each able to carry the developing embryo (and eventually, for one woman, the fetus) thanks...

Aug 31, 2018

Chemicals in Consumer Products May Promote Weight Gain. But There's an Easy Fix.

For those who have a hard time losing weight, there's some good and bad news. The bad news is that common chemicals in the environment may play a role in weight gain, a new study suggests. The good news? Diet and exercise may counteract these obesity-promoting effects, according to the...

Jul 31, 2018

Here's What We Know About CRISPR Safety

A movie just recently released called Rampage features Dwayne The Rock Johnson using a genetic engineering technology called CRISPR, to transform a gorilla, among other animals, into a flying dragon-monster with gigantic teeth. Though this is science fiction, not to mention impossible, the movie captures the imagination of the public...

Jul 31, 2018

App for Preventing Pregnancy Gets FDA Marketing Approval. Is It Reliable?

A smartphone app for preventing pregnancy has just become the first of its kind to receive marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but some experts are wary. The app, called Natural Cycles, is essentially a high-tech version of the so-called rhythm method, also known as fertility...

Jul 31, 2018

More Than 70 People Overdosed in a Connecticut Park

This article was origially published on Aug. 15 and updated on Aug. 17. A mass overdose took place in a Connecticut park this week, according to news reports. More than 70 people in New Haven, Conneticut were transported to the hospital on Wednesday (Aug. 15) after showing signs of a...

Jul 31, 2018

Twitter Bots and Trolls Fuel Online Discord About Vaccines

Twitter bots and trolls appear to be skewing online discussions about vaccinations, spreading misinformation on the topic and fueling online discord, according to a new study. The vast majority of Americans believe vaccines are safe and effective, but looking at Twitter gives the impression that there is a lot of...

Jul 31, 2018

Nonaddictive Opioid Alternative Shows Promise in Monkey Study

With the opioid epidemic raging across America, many scientists are in search of an alternative painkilling drug — one that could be used in place of opioids, without the deadly side effects. Now, a team of researchers in the U.S. and Japan say they've developed a promising new synthetic drug...