Christopher Wanjek is a Live Science contributor and a health and science writer. He is the author of three science books: Spacefarers (2020), Food at Work (2005) and Bad Medicine (2003). His "Food at Work" book and project, concerning workers' health, safety and productivity, was commissioned by the U.N.'s International Labor Organization. For Live Science, Christopher covers public health, nutrition and biology, and he has written extensively for The Washington Post and Sky & Telescope among others, as well as for the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, where he was a senior writer. Christopher holds a Master of Health degree from Harvard School of Public Health and a degree in journalism from Temple University.
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Family Income Could Affect Kids' Brain Structures, Study FindsChildren and teens from poorer families show differences in their brains compared with wealthier children, a new analysis of MRI scans reveals.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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'MIND' Your Diet, and Protect Against Alzheimer'sResearchers have created a new diet they call the "MIND" diet, which may lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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Energy Drinks Raise Blood Pressure, Study FindsEnergy drinks might prime you for heart problems, a new study finds.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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Cough Medicine Ingredient May Aid Diabetes FightAn ingredient in some cough medicines may help in the fight against Type 2 diabetes, new findings suggest.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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Daily Coffee Could Lower Your MS RiskPeople who drink four cups of joe daily have a lower risk of developing the debilitating disease multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers say.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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Obesity Is Complicated and Needs New Approach, Scientists SayWe still aren't winning the fight against obesity. In a new series of articles, experts explain what society has done wrong in the battle of the bulge, and what needs to happen now.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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Inflammatory Bowel Disease May Be from Mom's Bacteria, not DNAThe traits that you thought you inherited from your mom may have been actually passed from her to you in bacteria that she spread to you soon after birth, a new study finds.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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Cost-of-Smoking Estimates Were Grossly ExaggeratedSmoking a pack of cigarettes a day will cost a person upwards of $2 million over his or her lifetime, a new study claims. But is that claim true?
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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Psychopaths' Brains Don't Grasp Punishment, Scans RevealThe brains of violent criminals who are psychopathic are different from even those of violent criminals who are not psychopathic, new research finds.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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Gen X and Y: Why You Need to Watch Your Cholesterol NowPeople whose cholesterol levels are even slightly high while they are in their 30s are at an increased risk of heart disease later on, researchers say.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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How Genes and Environment Conspire to Trigger DiabetesEnvironmental factors such as diet may alter the expression of genes to cause, and reverse diabetes, new research finds.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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3,000-Mile Run Across US Has Scientists Following MarathonersScientists will closely study runners' health and well-being as they run more than 3,000 miles across America in four months, about a marathon a day.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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Sound Mind and Sound Body? This Protein Helps BothA protein known to have antidepressant effects in the brain may also improve heart health, a new study finds.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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Nix That: 5 Top Retracted Science Papers of 2014Here is our annual listing of some of the more egregious retractions and questionable scientific papers of 2014.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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Imagination and Reality Look Different in the BrainIn the brain, the information from real events that we see flows "up" from one brain lobe to another, but the images that we imagine flow "down," new research finds.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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Dystextia: Garbled Phone Text May Be Sign of a StrokeA woman's garbled text message to her son turned out to be a sign that she was having a stroke. This is the fourth incident now reported of someone with a stroke having "dystextia," researchers say.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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Why Painful Memories LingerScientists reveal the mechanism by which the brain creates long-lasting memories of painful or scary events.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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Heart Disease and Diabetes Risks Tied to Carbs, Not Fat, Study FindsIn what seems contrary to most diet advice, a small new study shows that doubling the saturated fat in a person's diet does not drive up the levels of saturated fat in the blood.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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Many People with Dementia May Go Unscreened, UntreatedThe majority of people with dementia have never seen a doctor about their memory and thinking problems, according to a new study published in Neurology.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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No Turkey, Thanks! Stay Vegan for Healthier HolidayBy Christopher Wanjek Published
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From Birth to Death, Diet Affects the Brain's HealthPoor diets may adversely affect mental health in all stages of life, from fetal development through old age, a slew of new research shows.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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Cholesterol-Lowing Drug Reverses Memory Deficit in MiceA statin drug which is taken by millions of Americans to lower their cholesterol level may also reverse certain types of learning deficits, according to a new study in mice.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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5 Ways to Skip Halloween Candy — Without Getting Your House EggedSome "healthy" alternatives to Halloween candy are likely to meet disapproval from kids. Here are some suggestions for kid-friendly ways to avoid contributing to childhood obesity.
By Christopher Wanjek Published
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Vaccines Do Not Increase Risk of Multiple SclerosisGetting a vaccination does not increase people's risk of developing multiple sclerosis, as some anti-vaccination groups have suggested, a new study finds.
By Christopher Wanjek Published

