Health & Medicine
The shingles vaccine may protect the heart
Shingrix, the same vaccine that protects people from the blistering shingles rash, might also lower risk of heart disease.
By Meghan Rosen
Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
More Stories in Humans
- Science & Society
To nap or not to nap? Science is still waking up to the question
Many people struggle to sleep enough at night. Surprisingly, science cannot say if adding in a nap to sleep in two blocks is healthy.
- Health & Medicine
Your skin chemistry may affect which mosquitoes most want to bite you
Three species preferred different people based on their skin odor and bacteria. The findings could help make new microbe-based repellants.
- Health & Medicine
A new cancer vaccine may keep melanoma from coming back
A personalized mRNA vaccine paired with Keytruda may help keep skin cancer from returning after surgery, a large clinical trial suggests.
- Health & Medicine
Less sugar early in life might decrease dementia risk
Children exposed to World War II sugar rationing had lower dementia and Alzheimer’s risk decades later, data suggest.
- Neuroscience
Personalized brain stimulation can ease chronic pain
A week-long brain mapping session can lead to lasting relief, a case series of three pain patients shows.
- Health & Medicine
Shock wave therapy for erectile dysfunction is on the rise
A sound wave–based therapy commonly used to dislodge kidney stones is gaining traction as a treatment for erectile dysfunction.
- Humans
Why Epstein-Barr is the ‘everything virus’
The Epstein-Barr virus has taken a huge toll on global health. Understanding how it works could offer ways to combat multiple sclerosis, cancer and more.
- Health & Medicine
An unproven autism drug got a boost after a White House briefing
In fall of 2025, the Trump administration touted the drug leucovorin for autism therapy without new evidence. Dispensing of the drug to kids rose.
- Health & Medicine
No refrigerator, no problem. This experimental vaccine doesn’t need it.
In early trials, a new vaccine that didn’t require refrigeration still protected against tetanus and diphtheria.
