Health

Understanding how the body works — and what happens when things change — is paramount to improving the health and wellbeing of every person on the planet. Our team of expert health writers and editors are here to demystify the latest medical advances, explain how the latest health news affects you, and help you understand which exercise equipment can really help improve your fitness. Whether you're after facts about the human body or the secrets to extreme longevity, our health articles and features aim to leave you better informed, up to date with the latest discoveries, and even more curious about human health. 

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Illustration of an early modern man embracing a Neanderthal woman. They appear to be in a forest at night. The moonlight is shining through the trees just behind them
'More Neanderthal than human': How your health may depend on DNA from our long-lost ancestors Neanderthals and humans mated millennia ago, and their legacy lives on in us today. Here's how.
A close-up of grapefruit wedges
How does grapefruit interact with drugs? Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can affect the amount of medication that reaches the bloodstream. But why?
A woman running on a treadmill at home
Best treadmills for home use 2024 These are the best treadmills you can buy in every category, from NordicTrack x22i and Mobvoi Home Treadmill to Peloton Tread.

Latest about Health

Two stylized images showing the amount of gray matter in the brain.

Pregnancy shrinks parts of the brain, leaving 'permanent etchings' postpartum

By Nicoletta Lanese published

A study tracks how the structure of the brain changes during pregnancy, drawing on brain scans gathered before, during and just after one person's pregnancy.

Neuroscience
A black and white photo of an older man clutching his knee, with a red glow around his knee indicating pain

Human knees kind of suck — here's why we haven't evolved better ones

By Michael Berthaume published

It's more difficult than you think to evolve knees that work well for a lifetime.

Health
A computer monitor entirely covered in post-it notes

Why do we forget things we were just thinking about?

By Marilyn Perkins published

When the brain "juggles" information, things can fall through the cracks.

Memory
A black and white photo of Julia Childs with an array of fresh ingredients in the kitchen

Color-blind people may be less picky eaters. Here's why.

By Isabel Gauthier published

Seeing the world with a restricted color palate seems to tone down an emotion-based resistance to new foods.

Mind
Woman is showing cross-legged on the floor by a sofa. She has her eyes closed and is resting the back of her hands on her legs in an open position.

Mindfulness meditation really does relieve pain, brain scans reveal

By Emily Cooke published

A new study suggests that mindfulness meditation influences how the brain perceives pain in ways that are distinct from the placebo effect.

Mind
A young girl blows her nose with a cold while a woman looks after her

Saline nose drops may shorten colds and cut transmission, trial hints

By Michael Schubert published

Giving children saline nose drops at the start of a cold may shorten its duration and reduce the likelihood that they will pass the illness to others, a study hints. But it has some caveats.

Viruses, Infections & Disease
A woman checking one of the best fitness trackers during workout

Best fitness trackers 2024: Measure steps, sleep, calories and more

By Andrew Williams, Anna Gora last updated

Buying Guide These are the best fitness trackers you can buy in every category, from Apple Watch Series 8 and Garmin Fenix 7 to Amazfit Balance.

Buying Guide
A male runner is checking one of the best running watches while exercising

Best running watches 2024: Tried and tested

By Lloyd Coombes last updated

BUYING GUIDE These are the best running watches you can buy in every category, from Garmin Fenix 7 and Coros Pace 2 to Garmin Enduro 2.

BUYING GUIDE
Abstract image showing a neuron up-close against a black background. The neuron looks like a tree with branches. The "trunk" of the neuron is a light blue color, while the tips are yellow. Yellow lines also run through the trunk in places.

New blood test detects ALS with 98% accuracy, offering hope for earlier diagnosis

By Emily Cooke published

Many patients with ALS die within three to five years of their symptoms starting, so early diagnosis of the disease is critical for treatment.

Neuroscience
A small white blob floating on a blue background

Some cells can enter a 'third state that lies beyond the traditional boundaries of life and death.' Here's how.

By Peter A Noble, Alex Pozhitkov published

Given the right conditions, certain types of cells are able to self-assemble into new lifeforms after the organism they were once part of has died.

Medicine & Drugs
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