The Midlife “Unhappiness Hump” Has Vanished, But at a Cost

Summary: A new large-scale study finds that the long-observed “unhappiness hump,” where mental distress peaked in midlife, has disappeared. Instead, younger people now report the highest levels of anxiety, depression,…

Pregnant women face tough choices about medication use due to lack of safety data − here’s why medical research cuts will make it worse

A panel convened in July 2025 by the Food and Drug Administration sparked controversy by casting doubt about the safety of commonly used antidepressants during pregnancy. But it also raised…

College drinking linked to poor academics and mental health for those around the drinker

A red plastic cup discarded on a sidewalk. Credit: Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs It’s well known that alcohol misuse can harm not only drinkers themselves but also…

FDA approves updated COVID-19 vaccines with new restrictions, potentially limiting access for healthy children

Guidance around COVID-19 vaccines has once again shifted after the Food and Drug Administration on Aug. 27, 2025, approved updated shots for the fall season, but for a more limited…

Risk of a second cancer after early breast cancer is low, say new findings

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain For women diagnosed with early breast cancer, the long-term risk of developing a second primary cancer is low (around 2–3% greater than women in the general…

Cannabis Linked to Reduced Insomnia and Anxiety

Summary: A new study suggests cannabis-based medical products may help people with insomnia sleep better over the long term. Across 124 patients followed for up to 18 months, participants consistently…

Largest Bronze Age hoard in Upper Lusatia unearthed in Saxony

Archaeologists in eastern Germany have uncovered the largest Bronze Age hoard ever found in Upper Lusatia and the second largest in all of Saxony. The hoard was discovered in the…

Breathwork and Music Trigger Psychedelic-Like Bliss in the Brain

Summary: New research shows that practicing breathwork while listening to music can induce profound altered states of consciousness similar to those caused by psychedelics. Using self-reports and brain imaging, scientists…

Activated immune cells reveal hidden drivers of autoimmune diseases

TOM1 and DENND1B sQTLs colocalise with Crohn’s disease signals. Credit: Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61669-2 By stimulating macrophages—a type of white blood cell—with biological factors that mimic infection, researchers have…

Pregnancy brings unique challenges for people with autoimmune diseases – but with early planning, pregnancy outcomes can be greatly improved

Only a few decades ago, a diagnosis of lupus could mean giving up the dream of having children. Women with systemic autoimmune diseases like lupus were warned that pregnancy was…