Latest science news in Health & Medicine
FDA advisers agree maternal RSV vaccine protects infants, but are divided on its safety
A committee of advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday voted unanimously that a vaccine from Pfizer, given as an injection during pregnancy, is efficacious at protecting infants from severe...
Alcohol-related liver disease soared during pandemic
During the pandemic, deaths from alcohol-associated liver disease for American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) populations was six times higher than that of white people, according to a study by Massachusetts General Hospital....
President-elect Gay names Katie O’Dair chief of staff
Katie O’Dair, a deeply experienced higher education leader, will be chief of staff to Harvard’s incoming president, Claudine Gay. O’Dair — who has served in roles at Harvard, Boston College, Massachusetts Institute of...
Edward Osborne Wilson, 92
At a meeting of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences on May 2, 2023, the following tribute to the life and service of the late Edward Osborne Wilson was spread upon the...
Roy Jay Glauber, 93
At a meeting of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences on May 2, 2023, the following tribute to the life and service of the late Roy Jay Glauber was spread upon the...
Medical school was preordained, but focus on climate change was new
This story is part of a series of graduate profiles ahead of Commencement ceremonies. One might think that Julia Malits’ arrival on a medical school campus was nearly preordained, since her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother...
Ukraine doctors get urgent training through fellowship
Ali Dzhemiliev was a first-year medical student in Crimea in 2014 when Russian invaders forced him to leave the region for a school in Kyiv. Much worse was still to come. Eight...
Why start mammograms at 40? Doctor explains new advice.
Women should start getting regular mammograms at the age of 40, according to a new recommendation being drafted by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. This is a reversal from the previous recommendation...
EPA’s new rules on forever chemicals don’t go far enough, study suggests
CAPE COD, Massachusetts — Earlier this year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed maximum allowable levels in drinking water for six PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) — so-called forever chemicals. But the draft...
Estrogen a more powerful breast cancer culprit than we realized
In what may turn out to be a long-missing piece in the puzzle of breast cancer, Harvard Medical School researchers have identified the molecular sparkplug that ignites cases of the disease currently unexplained...
Rehan Staton traces path from sanitation worker to Law School grad
This story is part of a series of graduate profiles ahead of Commencement ceremonies Reporters rushed to find Rehan Sujeewa Staton a handful of years ago when news broke that the Maryland sanitation worker had...
Rehan Staton traces path from sanitation worker to Law School grad
This story is part of a series of graduate profiles ahead of Commencement ceremonies Reporters rushed to find Rehan Sujeewa Staton a handful of years ago when news broke that the Maryland sanitation worker had...
A rare mutation helped one man stave off Alzheimer’s for decades
A rare genetic mutation never seen before protected a man with an inherited form of Alzheimer’s from developing the disease for decades. He is the second person found to have such protection, following...
Scientists may have found an antidote for death cap mushrooms
Death cap mushrooms get their name for a reason: The poisonous fungi can kill if ingested in even small amounts. But researchers may have found an antidote for one of the mushroom’s...
Stimulating spleens with ultrasound hints at a treatment for inflammation
We typically think of using ultrasound to take pictures of our organs and tissues to check if they are healthy. But a slight tweak to the tool might lead to treatments for...
As U.S. courts weigh in on mifepristone, here’s the abortion pill’s safety record
A widely used abortion medicine is in legal jeopardy, despite decades of data supporting its use. The medicine, called mifepristone, is part of two-drug regimen that can end a pregnancy, and was used...
How over-the-counter birth control pills could improve reproductive health
Being able to buy birth control pills off the shelf took a big step forward on May 10. Two advisory committees to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously to make...
How over-the-counter birth control pills could improve reproductive health
Being able to buy birth control pills off the shelf took a big step forward on May 10. Two advisory committees to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously to make...
US National Science Foundation clamps down on misconduct
Agency will now require every grantee organization to report cases of sexual harassment
Paraguay confirms bird flu cases
Cases of bird flu have been detected in backyard chickens in Paraguay, authorities said Saturday.
Biochemists' discovery could lead to vaccine against 'flesh-eating' bacteria
Biochemists at the University of California San Diego have uncovered patterns in the outer protein coat of group A Streptococcus that could finally lead to a vaccine against this highly...
New 'Trojan horse' antibody strategy shows promise against all Ebola viruses
In research published online today in Science, a team of scientists describe a new therapeutic strategy to target a hidden Achilles' heel shared by all known types of Ebola virus....
Human kidney progenitors isolated, offering new clues to cell renewal
In a first-of-its-kind look at human kidney development, researchers at The Saban Research Institute of Children's Hospital Los Angeles have isolated human nephron progenitor (NP) cells. Their results, published...
Famous birthdays for May 21: Mr. T, Lisa Edelstein
Actor Mr. T turns 71 and actor Lisa Edelstein turns 57, among the famous birthdays for May 21.
12 dead, about 90 injured in stampede at El Salvador soccer stadium
The El Salvador National Civil Police are investigating the cause of the stampede that occurred during a match between Alianza Futbol Club and Club Deportivo FAS on Saturday night.
New technique for detecting foodborne illness early
University of Delaware researchers have developed a new technique to catch bacteria in the act, detecting it on produce before it reaches stores, restaurants and consumers' plates. The new platform...
How to get rid of mice
Good housemates don't chow down while completely naked. That's just one reason to learn how to get rid of mice. Sandy Millar / Unsplash There’s a scritching sound in the darkened bedroom....
How to get rid of mice
Good housemates don't chow down while completely naked. That's just one reason to learn how to get rid of mice. Sandy Millar / Unsplash There’s a scritching sound in the darkened bedroom....