Health

Against a Federal Registry of Genitals

A report that the Trump administration plans to define gender based on the appearance of infants runs counter to developmental biology and individual privacy.

• James Hamblin
• Oct 21, 2018

Women in the U.S. Can Now Get Safe Abortions by Mail

The founder of a global abortion-pill provider that has never shipped to the U.S. has quietly started a new service for Americans.

• Olga Khazan
• Oct 18, 2018

Inherited Trauma Shapes Your Health

A new study on Civil War prisoners adds to the evidence suggesting that our parents’—and even grandparents’—experiences might affect our DNA.

• Olga Khazan
• Oct 16, 2018

A Simpler Way to Get to the Bottom of Mysterious Illnesses in Poor Countries

Backed by major funders, a group of scientists has created a platform to help the world’s disease detectives. Will it work?

• Ed Yong
• Oct 16, 2018

Neanderthals Suffered a Lot of Traumatic Injuries. So How Did They Live So Long?

Our ancient-hominid relatives seem to have had surprisingly sophisticated health care.

• David Robson
• Oct 15, 2018

The High Stakes of Surfing’s Wave-Pool Arms Race

With the Olympics ahead, artificial-wave makers appear to be one-upping one another in their attempt to bring surfing to the world.

• Kimball Taylor
• Oct 14, 2018

Sperm Counts Continue to Fall

Scientists are coming to a consensus that men in America and Europe are experiencing a worsening decrease in fertility. They disagree, however, about why.

• Ashley Fetters
• Oct 12, 2018

YouTube Stars Are Being Accused of Profiting Off Fans’ Depression

Viewers are outraged that some of the site’s biggest celebrities have partnered with a controversial online counseling service.

• Taylor Lorenz
• Oct 12, 2018

When Abortion Is Illegal, Women Rarely Die. But They Still Suffer.

A look at what happens when abortion is forbidden, from countries where it still is

• Olga Khazan
• Oct 11, 2018

Bad News for People Who Can’t Remember Names

Everyone’s social nightmare might have lasting effects on relationships.

• Paul Bisceglio
• Oct 10, 2018

On the Trail of Missing American Indian Women

Lissa Yellowbird-Chase, an amateur sleuth, believes that every human being deserves to be searched for.

• Sophia Myszkowski
• Oct 10, 2018

Everyday Discrimination Literally Raises Women’s Blood Pressure

A new study adds to the evidence that routine moments of “disdain, distance, and disrespect” have health consequences.

• Ed Yong
• Oct 9, 2018

A Plan to Keep Dying Patients' Drugs From Fueling Addiction

The opioids bill that passed Congress includes a measure to let hospice workers destroy unneeded medications.

• Melissa Bailey and Kaiser Health News
• Oct 7, 2018

Naloxone Retail Dispensing Is Up 70 Percent

An awareness campaign by the U.S. Surgeon General has led to a surge in demand for the overdose-reversal drug.

• Lola Fadulu
• Oct 5, 2018

A Controversial Virus Study Reveals a Critical Flaw in How Science Is Done

After researchers resurrected a long-dead pox, some critics argue that it's too easy for scientists to make decisions of global consequence.

• Ed Yong
• Oct 4, 2018

The Gay Men Who Have Lived for Years With Someone Waiting on Their Death

At the height of the AIDS crisis, a number of Americans confronting HIV sold their life insurance for quick cash. Then lifesaving drugs came along.

• Jack Lowery
• Oct 4, 2018

The $1 Tool That Might Curb the Overdose Epidemic

A new study shows that fentanyl test strips nudge drug users to take extra precautions.

• Olga Khazan
• Oct 3, 2018

Hallucinations Are Everywhere

Experiences like hearing voices are leading psychologists to question how all people perceive reality.

• Joseph Frankel
• Oct 2, 2018