Health, features and articles | Educational Science

Sep 30, 2019

Girl Diagnosed with Fatal Brain Disease Gets a Tailor-Made Drug within a Year

When Mila Makovec was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition at age 6, her prognosis was grim. The condition, known as Batten disease, is fatal, with death usually occurring in late childhood or the early teen years. There is no cure, and at the time of Mila's diagnosis, in 2016,...

Sep 30, 2019

Should You Eat Red Meat?

Another diet study, another controversy and the public is left wondering what to make of it. This time it's a series of studies in the Annals of Internal Medicine by an international group of researchers concluding people need not reduce their consumption of red and processed meat. Over the past...

Sep 30, 2019

Why Did This Man's Taste Buds Disappear?

When a 64-year-old man stuck out his tongue for a physical exam, doctors could immediately tell something was off: Instead of a typical, textured tongue, his was smooth and shiny. It didn't take long for them to recognize why: The man's taste buds were missing. His tongue's strange appearance would...

Sep 30, 2019

What Is Activated Charcoal?

Activated charcoal can be found almost everywhere: in toothpaste, skin care products, baked goods, beverages and water filtration systems. Here's what you need to know about this seemingly ubiquitous ingredient. What makes it activated?Activated charcoal is created from carbon-rich materials burned at high temperatures, according to the National Capital Poison...

Sep 30, 2019

Measles Wipes Your Immune System's 'Memory,' So It Can't Fight Other Infections

The notorious measles virus not only makes people sick, it also sneaks inside important immune cells in the body and wipes their memories, new research suggests. Once infected, the amnesic immune system no longer recognizes the harmful pathogens that it has fought off in the past. This means measles survivors...

Aug 31, 2019

Teen's Junk Food Diet Caused Him to Go Blind, Doctors Say

A teen who ate nothing but fries, chips and other junk food for years slowly went blind as a result of his poor diet, according to a new report of the case. The case highlights a perhaps little-known fact about poor diets: In addition to being tied to obesity, heart...

Aug 31, 2019

Tuna Steaks Recalled Because They May Cause This Weird Type of Food Poisoning

Yellowfin tuna products sold in 16 U.S. states are being recalled because they have the potential to cause an odd type of food poisoning that resembles an allergic reaction. On Sept. 6, the company Alfa International Seafood issued a voluntary recall of its refrigerated, yellowfin tuna steak products, which were...

Aug 31, 2019

Why Don't Newborns Have Tears or Sweat?

Upon entering the world, a newborn lets out a loud, distinct cry — a sign of health and vigor. It's a cry that new parents will quickly become used to in the coming days and weeks. But if you look closely, you'll see that a newborn's cry is a bit...

Aug 31, 2019

12 Children with Autism Were Conceived from One Donor's Sperm. Is There an 'Autism Gene'?

A single sperm donor is the biological father of at least 12 children who all developed autism — an extraordinary case that prompted one woman to sue her sperm bank, according to news reports. The case came to light when the woman, Danielle Rizzo of Illinois, was researching treatments for...

Aug 31, 2019

Woman Swallows Engagement Ring in Her Sleep

A woman's engagement ring was lost and found ... in her intestine, according to the woman's viral Facebook post. Jenna Evans of San Diego wrote on Facebook that she swallowed the ring in her sleep. She said she had a vivid dream in which her fiancé told her to swallow...

Aug 31, 2019

Why Do Babies Lose Their Hair?

The first weeks and months of a baby's life are full of big changes. But what new parents may not have expected are the tiny hairs left on their newborn's mattress. After a few months, their baby's once-full head of hair has become thin and patchy — or nearly bald....

Aug 31, 2019

Woman's Rare Blood Disease Triggered by Cold Weather

Cold winter temperatures are uncomfortable for most, but for one New York woman, frigid weather triggered a rare immune condition, according to a new report of the case. The 70-year-old woman lived in upstate New York, which is known for its cold and snowy winters. She went to the doctor...

Aug 31, 2019

'Trippy' Bacteria Engineered to Brew 'Magic Mushroom' Hallucinogen

Scientists have transformed a common bacterial cell into a psychedelic drug factory capable of pumping out copious quantities of psilocybin, the chemical famously found in magic mushrooms, according to a new study. Psilocybin can be found in more than 100 'shroom species, most notably in one called Psilocybe cubensis, which...

Jul 31, 2019

John Dillinger's Corpse to Be Dug Up and DNA-Tested to Settle Conspiracy Theory

The body of infamous Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger — or, at least, the body of whoever is buried in Dillinger's Indianapolis cemetery plot — is going to be exhumed, DNA-tested and reinterred on Sept. 16, cbsnews.com reported. This grim reaping could finally smother the flames of a conspiracy theory that's...

Jul 31, 2019

The Circulatory System: An Amazing Circuit That Keeps Our Bodies Going

The circulatory system, also known as the cardiovascular system, is a vast network of organs and blood vessels that acts both as a delivery and waste removal system for the body. Nutrients, oxygen and hormones are delivered to every cell and as these necessities are provided, waste products such as...