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Future pandemics are a 'certainty' — and we must be better prepared to distribute vaccines equitablyBook Months before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, efforts were already underway to ensure low-income countries would get access to future vaccines against the infection. The book "Fair Doses" tells that story and discusses the ongoing fight for vaccine equity around the world.
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A toddler accidently ate gonorrhea bacteria from a lab dishIn a bizarre medical case published in 1984, a young boy was inadvertently exposed to an STI-causing bacteria in a lab dish.
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Black eyes, orbital fractures and retinal detachment: Pickleball-related eye injuries are on the rise in the USA new analysis suggests the rate of pickleball-related eye injuries has increased dramatically in the U.S. as the sport gains popularity.
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A woman's nausea was triggered by a huge mass in her stomach — which doctors dissolved with diet sodaA woman's abdominal discomfort turned out to be caused by a build up of food in her stomach. And the treatment involved diet soda.
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'The Big One' could be even worse than COVID-19. Here's what epidemiologist Michael Osterholm says we can learn from past pandemics.The new book "The Big One" describes lessons learned from past pandemics and how they might be applied to mitigate the dangers of future outbreaks.
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Scientists created human egg cells from skin cells — then used them to make embryosIn a proof-of-concept experiment, scientists demonstrated that you can create and fertilize human eggs in the lab using sperm, genes from skin cells, and the "shells" of existing egg cells.
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'Groundbreaking' gene therapy is first treatment for Huntington's disease to slow the conditionResults from a three-year trial suggest an experimental gene therapy for Huntington's disease can slow the progression of the deadly condition by 75%.
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If tiny lab-grown 'brains' became conscious, would it still be OK to experiment on them?A perspective paper published this week argued that brain organoids could soon gain consciousness, and we should consider stricter regulations around them.
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CDC committee votes to change measles vaccine guidance for young childrenThe Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has recommended against using the MMRV vaccine in children under 4. This could eliminate a choice for kids' first dose of measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox prevention.
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Even brief exposure to air pollution can push the placenta into an inflammatory state, lab study suggestsA study of human placentas suggests that urban air pollution may push the organ's resident immune cells into an inflammatory state.
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Have you gotten this year's COVID vaccine?Federal guidance about the 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine has raised questions and confusion around the shots. Have you tried to get one this year?
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Breakthrough cystic fibrosis drug that extends life by decades earns its developers a $250,000 'American Nobel'One of this year's coveted Lasker Awards went to three scientists who helped invent a life-saving treatment for cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease.
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'We have basically destroyed what capacity we had to respond to a pandemic,' says leading epidemiologist Michael OsterholmINTERVIEW Live Science spoke with leading epidemiologist Michael Osterholm about his new book, "The Big One," which discusses the next pandemic and how to mitigate its harm.
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Just 1 dose of LSD could relieve anxiety for months, trial findsAn early trial with about 200 people tested the effects of LSD on generalized anxiety disorder and found promising results.
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Formaldehyde-free hair-straightening products may still threaten health, concerning study findsFormaldehyde-free hair-straightening products have been marketed as a safer option, but they may pose a risk to kidney health, a case series suggests.
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First-ever pig-to-human lung transplant attempted in brain-dead person in ChinaIn a first, scientists in China transplanted a lung from a pig into a human so they could see how the host immune system handled the procedure.
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'Minibrains' reveal secrets of how key brain cells form in the wombMiniature models of the brain have revealed a "previously unappreciated" role of microglia, a type of cell found within the organ. The finding could help unpack how disorders such as autism arise.
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If 'pregnancy robots' were real, would you use one?A viral story raised the idea of using robots outfitted with artificial wombs to incubate human babies from conception to birth. If such technology existed, would you consider using it?
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$14,000 pregnancy robot from China isn't real. But is a similar technology possible?A story circulating on social media this week featured a seemingly made-up scientist who is developing an equally imaginary "pregnancy robot." Virality ensued.
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FDA recalls more bagged, frozen shrimp over possible radioactive cesium contaminationThe FDA is warning consumers not to eat certain frozen shrimp products sold at Walmart after other products from the same company tested positive for a radioactive substance.
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A man's preference for 'soft' bacon may have given him brain wormsA man in the U.S. reported worsening migraine symptoms. It turned out that a pork tapeworm had invaded his brain.
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Special protection may help human eggs stay fresh as the body agesA new study suggests that the mitochondria in human egg cells don't accumulate DNA mutations with age, which sets them apart from other tissues in the body.
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Man sought diet advice from ChatGPT and ended up with dangerous 'bromism' syndromeA case report describes an incident in which a man seeking to make a dietary change consulted ChatGPT and later developed "bromism," a rare "toxidrome."
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'These decisions were completely reckless': Funding cuts to mRNA vaccines will make America more vulnerable to pandemicsInterview mRNA expert Jeff Coller spoke with Live Science about the future of mRNA vaccines in the United States in the aftermath of huge federal funding cuts.
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