Health & Medicine

  1. Life

    For blood stem cells, the force is strong

    Blood flow boosts production of blood stem cells, two new studies show.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  2. Chemistry

    Nonstick chemical pollutes water at notable levels

    Residues of nonstick chemicals — from unknown sources — appear to be approaching concentrations associated with adverse effects in laboratory animals.

    By Janet Raloff
  3. Health & Medicine

    Toothpicks match needles for acupuncture

    Sham acupuncture works as well as the real thing for back pain, a study shows.

    By Nathan Seppa
  4. Life

    Misread epigenetic signals play role in leukemia

    A genetic mistake causes misinterpretation of epigenetic marks, leading to cancer.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  5. Earth

    U.S. radiation dose has doubled

    New analysis finds radiation-based medical procedures have skyrocketed.

    By Janet Raloff
  6. Health & Medicine

    Keeping artery plaques under control

    Toning down a gene called CHOP may offer a way to reduce the risk of arterial plaque ruptures, which can cause heart attacks and strokes, a study in mice shows.

    By Nathan Seppa
  7. Earth

    Report of earlier, longer puberty in girls

    A Danish study finds young girls are entering puberty notably earlier than 15 years ago — for reasons that remain unknown.

    By Janet Raloff
  8. Health & Medicine

    Narcolepsy linked to immune system

    Genome association study finds a second connection between the sleep disorder and the body's disease-fighting apparatus

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  9. Health & Medicine

    Swine flu genetics suggest a vaccine is possible

    So far, strain's contagion appears on par with that of a seasonal flu outbreak. Vaccine would be at least months away.

    By Nathan Seppa
  10. Health & Medicine

    Science budgets look rosy, AAAS finds

    The president and Congress have collaborated in targeting substantial increases for federal investments in R&D this year.

    By Janet Raloff
  11. Health & Medicine

    World Health Organization raises swine flu alert level

    The World Health Organization announced April 29 that is has raised the alert level for swine flu from Phase 4 to Phase 5, which suggests that a pandemic is imminent.

    By Nathan Seppa
  12. Health & Medicine

    Brain reads word-by-word

    The brain reads words as whole units and processes the information quickly, two studies suggest.

    By Tina Hesman Saey