Health, features and articles | Educational Science

Jun 30, 2018

How Long Can Humans Survive in a Cave?

This story seems like it's on its way to a happy ending: The youth soccer team and its coach in Thailand that had gone missing in the Tham Luang caves for more than a week have been found. The team had been on an outing, exploring the cave, when heavy...

Jun 30, 2018

Are Hot Summer Days Risky for Pregnant Women?

Hot, sticky weather can be uncomfortable for anyone. But for pregnant women, the summer heat may be particularly risky. That's because getting too hot or dehydrated can pose a risk of pregnancy complications, experts say. Dehydration can create a lot of potential problems for pregnant women, said Dr. Saima Aftab,...

Jun 30, 2018

Parasite Outbreak Tied to Del Monte Vegetables Sickens More Than 200 People

An outbreak of parasitic infections tied to Del Monte vegetable trays has sickened more than 200 people in four U.S. states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Victims of the outbreak were sickened with Cyclospora cayetanensis, a microscopic parasite that causes an intestinal illness known as cyclosporiasis....

Jun 30, 2018

A Woman Had Strange Feelings in Her Legs. Doctors Found Parasites in Her Spine

This article was updated on July 12. When the 35-year-old woman arrived at a hospital in France, she told doctors it felt like electric shocks were running down her legs. What's more, she felt weak and had experienced a number of falls recently. The woman's unusual symptoms turned out to...

Jun 30, 2018

Do Spicy Snacks Really Cause Gallbladder Problems?

A Tennessee teen needed gallbladder surgery after consuming large amounts of spicy snacks, according to news reports. But could spicy snacks really have caused her gallbladder problems? The 17-year-old, Rene Craighead, estimated she was eating about four bags of hot snacks a week, like Flamin' Hot Cheetos and Takis, according...

May 31, 2018

Here's What Could Happen If You Don't Properly Remove Mascara

A woman in Australia who had a habit of not washing off her mascara developed serious eye problems that could have taken her vision, according to a new report. The 50-year-old woman went to the eye doctor after experiencing the uncomfortable feeling that something was in her eyes, according to...

May 31, 2018

Blood in Your Veins Is Not Blue — Here's Why It's Always Red

Human blood is red because of the protein hemoglobin, which contains a red-colored compound called heme that's crucial for carrying oxygen through your bloodstream. Heme contains an iron atom that binds to oxygen; it's this molecule that transports oxygen from your lungs to other parts of the body. Chemicals appear...

May 31, 2018

Blood Cells Can Transform into Brain Cells, New Study Shows

Unless you're a werewolf or a superhero, you can't easily transform into something you're not — but your cells can. Scientists recently found a way to convert an immune-system cell into a neuron — two cells with totally different shapes and very different functions. The hope is that the technique...

May 31, 2018

5 Weird Ways Hot Tubs Can Make You Sick

A relaxing dip in a hot tub may sound like the ideal way to spend a cool summer night. But in rare cases, danger may lurk beneath those soothing jets: Hot tub use has been linked with several types of infections and injuries. Here are five ways you can get...

Apr 30, 2018

Why This Man's Blood Helped Save Millions of Babies

A man in Australia helped save the lives of more than 2 million babies by donating his special blood, which was used to make a medication that can prevent life-threatening problems in newborns. But why exactly is this man's blood special, and how does the medication work to save babies?...

Apr 30, 2018

Is the Romaine Lettuce E. Coli Outbreak Finally Over?

Romaine lettuce tied to a recent outbreak of E. coli is likely no longer on store shelves or in restaurants, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said today (May 16). That means that the agency is no longer advising consumers to avoid buying romaine lettuce in connection with the...

Mar 31, 2018

Brain-Uploading Company Has No Immediate Plans to Upload Brains

Nectome wants to back up your consciousness when you die. But now, after MIT cut ties with the company, its founders have emphasized to Live Science that they don't plan to actually attempt the feat anytime soon. The startup came under criticism from a number of prominent neuroscientists, including two...

Mar 31, 2018

How a Stranded Nurse Saved His Own Life During a Heart Attack

What do you do if you're in the middle of nowhere and you have a heart attack? If you're a nurse alone in Western Australia, apparently the answer is, save your own life, damn it. A case report published March 8 in The New England Journal of Medicine tells the...

Mar 31, 2018

A Man Ate the 'World's Hottest' Pepper. Then the 'Thunderclap' Headaches Started

Biting into the hottest pepper in the world sounds painful enough. But for one man, the daring feat resulted in excruciating headaches, known as thunderclap headaches, according to a new report of his case. The 34-year-old man ate the pepper, a Carolina Reaper, as a part of a hot-pepper-eating contest....

Mar 31, 2018

CDC Says to Avoid All Romaine Lettuce Amid E. Coli Outbreak

An E. coli warning tied to romaine lettuce is being expanded to include all types of romaine from a region in southwestern Arizona, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced today (April 20). The announcement means that consumers should avoid eating not just chopped romaine from this region...