7 breakthroughs that changed medicine in 2024Pig-to-human kidney transplants. A blood test for Alzheimer’s. Birth control without a prescription. These were just a few of the advancements in health and medicine in 2024. Dec 03 24December 03, 2024Article at National Geographic
We've having a COVID summer surge. How worried are experts about winter?This is the fifth summer of Covid-19 since the pandemic began, and 2024 is projected to be the biggest summer wave of Covid infections to date. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that Covid-19 infections are… Aug 16 24August 16, 2024Article at National Geographic
Is long COVID forever? A new study has clues.A new study shows that an abnormally active immune system, a characteristic of long COVID patients, largely subsides two years after the initial infection. The finding offers hope that gradual recovery is possible in some long COVID patients. One in… May 01 24May 01, 2024Article at National Geographic
Why women are more prone to autoimmune diseasesNew research suggests that these conditions may be linked to the body's failure to turn off one of a woman's two x-chromosomes. A healthy immune system defends the body against disease and infection. However, for one in 10 people, mostly women, the… Apr 05 24April 05, 2024Article at National Geographic
What triggers morning migraines? Scientists might now know.For many important life events, festivals, and ceremonies—including her own wedding—software engineer Katyayani Vajpayi endured a throbbing migraine that occurred mainly on the left side of her head, making her nauseous, and disturbing her vision.… Feb 21 24February 21, 2024Article at National Geographic
The menstrual cycle can reshape your brainElma Jashim, a recent college graduate is looking forward to beginning medical school in the fall. But she is also dreading the monthly emotional roller coaster that occurs with her menstrual cycle and the havoc it could wreak with her busy academic… Feb 07 24February 07, 2024Article at National Geographic
7 medical breakthroughs that gave us hope in 2023COVID-19 has continued to claim lives in 2023, killing more than 50 thousand patients in the United States alone and bringing the global death toll to almost seven million people. The pandemic has also created an epidemic of survivors who continue to… Dec 06 23December 06, 2023Article at National Geographic
What causes long COVID? The answer might be in your gut.These endangered macaques are used for entertainingCats have 276 facial expressions. Why?Can this dog-size lizard be stopped from threatening the South?Where are all the caribou?Inside our two-year investigation of the captive tiger industryOrcas are… Nov 13 23November 13, 2023Article at National Geographic
Now we know how COVID attacks your heartEven patients with mild COVID symptoms could face a higher risk of developing heart disease and stroke. Want to explore further? This story is exclusively for Nat Geo subscribers. Subscribe now and cancel anytime. Nov 07 23November 07, 2023Article at National Geographic
Why does COVID-19 cause brain fog? Scientists may finally have an answer.Nearly one in five people who have had COVID-19 in the United States continue to suffer from symptoms of long COVID. But why some people recover completely while others remain sick has been a mystery. Now research has provided some enticing clues. A… Oct 17 23October 17, 2023Article at National Geographic
It’s good to feel bad after your COVID shotJeremy Warner has had six shots of the COVID vaccines. He’s an oncologist at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he treats immunocompromised patients with cancer who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19. To keep his patients safe,… Oct 12 23October 12, 2023Article at National Geographic
Multiple COVID infections can lead to chronic health issues. Here’s what to know.Mehnaz Qureshi has caught COVID-19 seven times, despite being fully vaccinated and boosted. A veterinarian and a virologist at The Pirbright Institute in England, she first caught the disease in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic was just… Sep 13 23September 13, 2023Article at National Geographic
The EG.5 COVID variant is spiking in the U.S. Is it time to mask up?A highly infectious, new COVID variant is spreading fast, barely three months after the World Health Organization declared that COVID-19 was no longer a global health emergency. EG.5, a descendant of a previous XBB strain of Omicron, was first… Aug 14 23August 14, 2023Article at National Geographic
Stopping a tumor's 'cellular looting' may help treatment for brain cancersTo grow and spread rapidly, some cancer cells steal tiny power generators from healthy cells. Glioblastoma is a fast-growing and aggressive brain tumor that often kills patients within a year of diagnosis. The cancer starts in the cells called… Jun 22 23June 22, 2023Article at National Geographic
We are all mermaids in the womb. Sort of.In the mother's womb the fetus floats in a clear, slightly yellowish liquid that surrounds and protects it during pregnancy, allowing it to move and exercise muscles while suspended in its watery world. A spongy disc of tissue called the placenta,… Jun 01 23June 01, 2023Article at National Geographic
How much of a role does genetics play in obesity?Sometimes it’s bad genes, not just bad diet, that leads an individual to gain weight more easily than others. Scientists have found that genetic mutations that make an individual feel less satisfied after a meal may be more common than previously… May 08 23May 08, 2023Article at National Geographic
These microbes found in tumors promote cancer. What if we just kill them?New studies show that bacteria help cancer cells evade the body’s immune response. Experts say this relationship could prove vital for wiping out cancer. Most bacteria living in the human body help us thrive, but recent studies show that some… Apr 20 23April 20, 2023Article at National Geographic
Why do some love to exercise? It might be their microbiome.Some mice are more inclined to run on an exercise wheel than their less active counterparts. That’s because, according to a recent study, these mice carry microbes in their guts that send signals to their brains boosting their desire to exercise.… Mar 24 23March 24, 2023Article at National Geographic
Omicron variant XBB.1.5 is the most contagious yetA highly contagious subvariant of Omicron called XBB.1.5 is now the dominant strain spreading in the United States. Early data suggests it’s more evasive than other variants, efficiently dodging previously acquired immunity and raising concerns among… Jan 06 23January 06, 2023Article at National Geographic
What happens if the flu and RSV fuse into a single virus? Now we know.For the first time, scientists have shown that two seasonal respiratory viruses currently circulating in the United States—and overwhelming hospitals with sick kids—can form a hybrid virus under the right conditions. The finding, they say, is not a… Dec 08 22December 08, 2022Article at National Geographic
