On June 13, 2024, the Supreme Court of the United States unanimously decided to uphold access to mifepristone, one of two pills used in medication abortion. Mifepristone has long been…
Category: Humans
A microbiologist explains how to avoid getting sick at the barbecue, in the pool or on the trail
As flowers bloom and temperatures climb, many are eager to get back outside. But while the Sun may be shining, there is a dark side that can make the great…
PFAS are toxic ‘forever chemicals’ that linger in our air, water, soil and bodies – here’s how to keep them out of your drinking water
Close to half of America’s tap water contains PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These “forever chemicals” are in thousands of products, from clothing and cosmetics to cleaning products, and…
Biden and Trump may forget names or personal details, but here is what really matters in assessing whether they’re cognitively up for the job
Some Americans are questioning whether elderly people like Joe Biden and Donald Trump are cognitively competent to be president amid reports of the candidates mixing up names while speaking and…
Fossil finds amplify Europe’s status as a hotbed of great ape evolution
Two lines of ancient apes, including what may be the smallest great ape yet, lived alongside each other in Europe, fossils discovered in a Bavarian clay pit indicate. It’s the…
Menopause treatments can help with hot flashes and other symptoms – but many people aren’t aware of the latest advances
Menopause used to be a taboo topic in many quarters. Now, it’s frequently in the news. In March 2024, the White House announced an initiative to “Galvanize New Research on…
AI plus gene editing promises to shift biotech into high gear
During her chemistry Nobel Prize lecture in 2018, Frances Arnold said, “Today we can for all practical purposes read, write and edit any sequence of DNA, but we cannot compose…
Bird flu can infect cats. What does that mean for their people?
Cats are getting — and dying of — bird flu. That’s sparking worries about the risk that the ongoing outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza poses for these feline…
Human body lice could harbor the plague and spread it through biting
Rats and their fleas take the rap for spreading the plague, but lice that infest people may share the blame. Human body lice can harbor plague-causing bacteria and can transmit…
Genetic analyses of the bird flu virus unveil its evolution and potential
A flurry of reports about the genetics of the bird flu currently infecting U.S. cattle are offering insight into how the virus has and continues to spread. Since it first…
