Health

At Last, a Big, Successful Trial of Probiotics

A large Indian study of 4,500 newborn babies found that the right microbes can prevent a life-threatening condition called sepsis.

• Ed Yong
• Aug 16, 2017

The Ethics Issue Blocking Organ Transplant Research

Doctors have a short window of time to experiment on brain-dead donors to improve procedures—and that's if they can get permission.

• Sarah Zhang
• Aug 15, 2017

The Next Chapter in a Viral Arms Race

A highly lethal disease that controlled Australia’s rabbit problem initially evolved to be milder—but has since rebounded into a newly nasty form.

• Ed Yong
• Aug 14, 2017

A Pharmaceutical CEO Breaks With Trump

Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier resigned this morning, citing “a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism.” The president quickly attacked him.

• James Hamblin
• Aug 14, 2017

Why Scientists Can’t Agree on Whether It’s Unhealthy to Be Overweight

Some studies show being overweight leads to a greater risk of death; others show it doesn’t. Here’s what’s really going on.

• Olga Khazan
• Aug 14, 2017

The Average Guy Who Spent 6,003 Hours Trying to Be a Professional Golfer

Dan McLaughlin got famous for valuing hard practice over talent. Then he didn’t reach his goal.

• Stephen Phillips
• Aug 11, 2017

Cats Are Not Medicine

Pets don’t actually make people healthier, according to a new analysis. Ability to own a pet does.

• James Hamblin
• Aug 10, 2017

A Burdensome Regulation Screening Truck Drivers for a Sleep Disorder

The Trump administration has withdrawn a proposed requirement to screen drivers for a condition that causes them to spontaneously fall asleep.

• James Hamblin
• Aug 8, 2017

The Early Deaths of Appalachians

The region is falling behind the rest of America in life expectancy and infant mortality, a new study finds.

• Olga Khazan
• Aug 7, 2017

How Ice Cream Helped America at War

For decades, the military made sure soldiers had access to the treat—including spending $1 million on a floating ice-cream factory.

• Matt Siegel
• Aug 6, 2017

Can This Drug Cure Performance Anxiety?

Beta-blockers, used primarily as a treatment for heart disease, may help calm the nerves of anxious orators.

• Daniel McGinn
• Aug 4, 2017

The Uneven Health Toll of Sleep Deprivation

A lack of sleep might be contributing to racial disparities in diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes, particularly for women.

• Olga Khazan
• Aug 3, 2017

The Designer Baby Era Is Not Upon Us

American scientists have now used CRISPR to edit human embryos, but that doesn’t mean we’re entering a Gattaca-style dystopia.

• Ed Yong
• Aug 2, 2017

If Everyone Ate Beans Instead of Beef

With one dietary change, the U.S. could almost meet greenhouse-gas emission goals.

• James Hamblin
• Aug 2, 2017

A World Without Suicide

A growing number of mental-health experts are taking a proactive approach to suicide prevention—and they have a bold goal.

• Simon Usborne
• Aug 1, 2017

Can Republicans Stop Trump From Sabotaging Obamacare?

The president wants to let the law implode after the failure of repeal and replace, but GOP lawmakers don’t.

• Russell Berman
• Aug 1, 2017

Trump's Opioid Commission Calls for a State of Emergency

And for giving every police officer naloxone, the drug that reverses overdoses

• Olga Khazan
• Jul 31, 2017

How Scared Should I Be of Macaroni and Cheese?

A calm assessment of risk

• James Hamblin
• Jul 31, 2017

Health Care's Bipartisan Moment?

After the failure of the Senate Republican repeal plan, Democrats say they are ready to deal.

• Russell Berman
• Jul 28, 2017

My Eye Won’t Stop Twitching—Am I Dying?

Muscle spasms are a symptom for all kinds of serious disorders, but they’re more often just caused by stress and fatigue.

• Katie Heaney
• Jul 28, 2017