The New Elixirs
Exploring the frontiers of medicine
When Pain Is the Best Therapy
Exposing people to what they fear—even in virtual reality—is an effective way to overcome phobias.
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Lucy Nicholson / Reuters Modern Medicine Is Too Reliant on Short-Term Studies
Vigilant, long-term monitoring of patients is the future.
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Eduardo Munoz / Reuters Why Napping Can't Replace a Good Night's Rest
Sleeping in spurts has the appeal of productivity, but inevitably you’ll collapse in your morning oatmeal.
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Jason Reed / Reuters The FDA's Dueling Priorities
The organization’s challenge is balancing drugs’ safety and effectiveness.
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Alexander Ermochenko / Reuters 3-D Printing a Better Prosthetic
Algorithms can be used to design cheap, perfect-fitting limbs, orthodontics, and other accessories.
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Matt Dunham / AP Growing Organs on Apples
The future of regenerative medicine may be plants.
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Jose Luis Gonzalez / Reuters A Psychedelic Can Cure Heroin Withdrawal
But it can’t cure addiction.
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Gail Burton / AP The Gel That's Revolutionizing Pain Treatment
An injectable, jello-like substance reduces chronic inflammation, and may aid limb transplantations.
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Pawel Kopczynski / Reuters How Salmonella Could Be Used to Kill Cancer
A genetically modified strain of the bacteria has successfully planted drugs in mice tumors.
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Phillippe Wojazer / Reuters Human Hearing Loss Could Be Reversible
Many animals regenerate the tiny hair cells that enable hearing—and there are promising signs that people can be made to do the same.
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Carlo Allegri / Reuters Mainlining Vitamins Is Silly and Harmful
The high-priced hangover treatment takes life-saving nutrients from those who need them most.
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AFP / Stringer / Getty Soylent Is Healthier Than the Average North American Diet
And that’s embarrassing.
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(Phil Sandlin / AP Photo) The Mushroom Farmer Versus Drug-Resistant Superbugs
Tradd Cotter believes his fungi are the future of medicine—but does the science hold up?
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tarapong srichaiyos / Shutterstock The Future of Food Is Cheese Curds and Turmeric
The strange new food preferences of Americans, according to Google
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Ints Kalnins / Reuters A Drug Factory the Size of a Refrigerator
A new machine could cut medication costs by allowing hospitals and pharmacies to make their own pills.
