Latest articles by Emily Cooke
Babies' brain activity changes dramatically before and after birth, groundbreaking study finds
New brain scans have shown that neurons in several regions of the brain become significantly more active across birth.
Doctors discover live worms growing under a woman's eyelid in China
An office worker in Beijing developed a parasitic infection that caused worms to grow under her right eyelid.
'Electronic' scalp tattoos could be next big thing in brain monitoring
Electrodes can now be printed onto the scalp to measure brain activity.
Stone man disease: A rare condition that causes a person to grow a second skeleton
Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is an extremely rare congenital condition that causes the body to grow a second skeleton, rendering patients immobile.
Is playing in the dirt good for kids' immune systems?
Experts explain why it's healthy to let your children occasionally play in the dirt — and it may not be for the reasons you assume.
Cervical cancer deaths have plummeted among young women, US study finds
A new study has revealed that cervical cancer deaths have strongly declined in the U.S. since 2016, likely due to increased rates of HPV vaccination.
Your skin color may affect how well a medication works for you — but the research is way behind
As a new analysis highlights the impact of skin tone on drug safety and efficacy, experts outline what can be done to make medical research more inclusive.
Ancient hunter-gatherer DNA linked to higher BMI in modern Japanese people
A new study suggests that the DNA some modern Japanese people have inherited from ancient hunter-gatherers may increase BMI.
Butterfly disease: A disorder that makes skin as delicate as butterfly wings
Epidermolysis bullosa is a potentially fatal, inherited disorder that causes patients to blister very easily.
'Dengue is coming': Climate-fueled rise in cases will affect the US, scientists warn
New research suggests that climate change is currently driving a surge in global dengue infections and that case rates could increase by 60% by 2050.
Necrotizing fasciitis: The 'flesh-eating' infection that bores holes in the body
Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare, life-threatening illness caused by bacteria that aggressively attack the soft tissue of the body.
Migraine molecules may drive endometriosis pain. Existing drugs might help.
Pain-sensing neurons exchange signals with immune cells that drive endometriosis, sparking the pain associated with the condition, new research suggests.
BRCA only explains a fraction of breast cancers — genes tied to metabolism may also up risk
Scientists pinpointed 80 gene variants, including eight tied to fatty acid metabolism, that may cause breast cancer in some people, new research suggests.
These 3 neurons may underlie the drive to eat food
A brain circuit made up of three types of neurons may regulate appetite, a mouse study finds.
Natural selection is unfolding right now in these remote villages in Nepal
Physiological traits that help Tibetan women survive at high altitudes are being selected for within the population, meaning they may be becoming more common, new research hints.
Trigger for deadly neurodegenerative disorder identified
The discovery of an important enzyme involved in Huntington's disease may pave the way for future treatments to prevent the condition, researchers say.
How to get better faster when you have the flu, according to science
Experts explain how to shorten a flu infection.
Watch 1st-ever video of ovulation occurring in real-time
A new imaging technique enabled scientists to film every step of ovulation as it unfolds in mouse cells.
New device 'zaps' bacteria on the skin, potentially preventing infections
Early experiments suggest a patch that delivers harmless electric currents into the skin can thwart certain bacterial infections. However, it has not yet been tested in humans.
Parents who have this gene may be more likely to have a girl
A large new analysis suggests that some people carry genetic variants that make them more likely to have female than male offspring.
Melatonin disruption tied to early-onset osteoporosis, new study suggests
A genetic analysis suggests that rare cases of early onset osteoporosis may be partly caused by disruptions to the function of the hormone melatonin.
At-home brain stimulation could be promising depression treatment, trial hints
A new trial suggests that at-home brain stimulation could potentially be a first-line treatment for depression. However, some experts are skeptical.
Potential health hazards of cryptocurrency mines laid bare by scientists
Anecdotal reports suggest that cryptocurrency mines can have harmful knock-on effects on people's health, but the true scale of the problem is still unknown.
