Nathan Seppa
Biomedical Writer (retired September 2015)
Trustworthy journalism comes at a price.
Scientists and journalists share a core belief in questioning, observing and verifying to reach the truth. Science News reports on crucial research and discovery across science disciplines. We need your financial support to make it happen – every contribution makes a difference.
All Stories by Nathan Seppa
-
Health & Medicine
Beyond Hearing: Cochlear implants work best when given early
Children born deaf who receive cochlear implants as toddlers show brain activity that's more normal than that of children getting the implants later in childhood.
-
Health & Medicine
New malaria vaccine is off to promising start
An experimental malaria vaccine has been shown to induce a strong immune response in people.
-
Health & Medicine
Rare but Fatal Outcome: Four deaths may trace to abortion pill
In the past 5 years, four healthy women taking the abortion pill mifepristone have died of toxic shock syndrome.
-
Health & Medicine
Natural Ingredients: Method grows vessels from one’s own cells
Starting with bits of skin, scientists have produced new blood vessels in a laboratory and successfully implanted them into two patients.
-
Health & Medicine
Pill eases craving
An experimental drug called varenicline helps cigarette smokers kick the habit better than bupropion does, the most effective medicine currently on the market.
-
Health & Medicine
Endurance cycling tied to lasting heart damage
Former professional bicyclers have signs of heart problems nearly 4 decades after competing in grueling endurance events.
-
Health & Medicine
New drug fights heart failure
The experimental drug levosimendin, in combination with standard drugs, eases heart failure symptoms better than standard drugs alone do.
-
Health & Medicine
Marrow cells boost ailing hearts
Extracting cells from a heart attack patient's bone marrow and then inserting them into the person's heart via a catheter can improve pumping capacity.
-
Health & Medicine
Sleep apnea could signal greater danger
The nighttime breathing disorder called obstructive sleep apnea might double a person's risk of death or stroke.
-
Health & Medicine
Novel Approach: Cancer drug might ease scleroderma
The chemotherapy drug paclitaxel, when given to mice, shows signs of impeding the skin disease scleroderma.
-
Health & Medicine
More Than an Annoyance: Breathlessness could be sign of bigger problems
People who have dyspnea, the sensation of being frequently out of breath, may have an increased risk of dying from heart problems.
-
Health & Medicine
Breath test could detect bad microbe
Using machines that identify component parts of gases, scientists can now detect markers of a dangerous fungal infection in the lungs of people just by analyzing their breath.