The omicron variant’s family tree has grown substantially over the last year. The brood now encompasses a subvariant soup with alphanumeric names such as BA.2, BA.5 and BF.7. The U.S.…
Category: Humans
HDL ‘good’ cholesterol isn’t always good for heart health
“Good” and “bad” cholesterol: These well-known characters have long starred in the saga of heart health. But in a major plot twist, “good” cholesterol, it turns out, is not always…
Why it’s easier to catch a cold, the flu or COVID in the winter
When bitter winds blew and temperatures dropped, my grandmother would urge me to come inside. “You’ll catch your death of cold out there,” she’d say. Sure, freezing to death is…
4 key things to know about lung infections caused by fungi
Some fungi that can cause serious lung infections have spread to many parts of the United States. A Science News story on the expanded range of Histoplasma, Coccidioides and Blastomyces…
50 years ago, scientists sequenced a gene for the first time
Molecular biology’s flower child — Science News, January 6, 1973 During the past several years, some artificial genes have been synthesized…. But no one had unraveled a real gene that dictates…
Fungi that cause serious lung infections are now found throughout the U.S
Three types of fungi that cause serious lung infections and were once thought to be confined to certain regions of the United States are now widespread. In 1955, Histoplasma fungi…
Brain scans suggest the pandemic prematurely aged teens’ brains
Living through the COVID-19 pandemic may have matured teens’ brains beyond their years. From online schooling and social isolation to economic hardship and a mounting death count, the last few…
These 5 biomedical advances gave 2022 a sci-fi feel
COVID-19 may continue to dominate headlines, but this year’s biomedical advances weren’t all about “the Rona.” 2022 saw fruitful and seemingly fantastical research that could one day mean good news…
Medical racism didn’t begin or end with the syphilis study at Tuskegee
“We were all hard-working men … and citizens of the United States.” Herman Shaw, 1997 Born in Alabama in 1902, Herman Shaw was a farmer and a cotton mill worker.…
These science discoveries from 2022 could be game changers
These reported discoveries from 2022 could be game changers, if only we were sure of the findings. News reports this year left us wondering … Is new physics around the…
