The more scientists learn about the health risks of PFAS, found in everything from nonstick cookware to carpets to ski wax, the more concerning these “forever chemicals” become. The U.S.…
Category: Anthropology
Infections after surgery are more likely due to bacteria already on your skin than from microbes in the hospital − new research
Health care providers and patients have traditionally thought that infections patients get while in the hospital are caused by superbugs they’re exposed to while they’re in a medical facility. Genetic…
Family caregivers can help shape the outcomes for their loved ones – an ICU nurse explains their vital role
The floor nurse had just told me that my new patient – let’s call her Marie – would not stop screaming. Marie landed in the intensive care unit where I…
Fetal personhood rulings could nullify a pregnant patient’s wishes for end-of-life care
The Alabama Supreme Court handed down an unprecedented decision in February 2024, holding that stored frozen embryos created for in vitro fertilization, known as IVF, were “minor children” under a…
3 marketing myths the supplement industry wants you to swallow
Americans seem to have quite a positive view of dietary supplements. According to a 2023 survey, 74% of U.S. adults take vitamins, prebiotics and the like. The business of supplements…
A century after the EEG was discovered, it remains a crucial tool for understanding the brain
Jena, Germany, 1924: Working in near-isolation and with painstaking tediousness, the psychiatrist Hans Berger observes rhythmic electrical activity from the scalp of human subjects. He is convinced the activity arises…
Could sharing a bedroom with your pets be keeping you from getting a good night’s sleep?
Sleeping with your dog in the same room could be negatively affecting your sleep quality, according to my team’s recently published research in Scientific Reports. We recruited a nationally representative…
Hospice care for those with dementia falls far short of meeting people’s needs at the end of life
Jimmy Carter, who chose to forgo aggressive medical care for complications of cancer and frailty in February 2023, recently reached his one-year anniversary since enrolling in hospice care. During this…
