Health

Browse Categories

Latest

Person wearing a yellow biohazard suit in a decontamination shower against an industrial background.

How do you decontaminate objects exposed to radioactivity?

By Joanna Thompson published

Can a person or object exposed to high radioactivity just take a shower with soap and water, or is more needed for decontamination?

super close up image of a light pink tardigrade next to some sort of light green material

Tardigrade proteins could help stabilize drugs without refrigeration, scientists say

By Nicoletta Lanese published

Proteins found in tardigrades could be used to stabilize drugs that would otherwise need refrigeration.

sealed packages of raw chicken arranged in a refrigerator at a grocery store

Bacteria from meat may cause a half-million UTIs a year

By Nicoletta Lanese published

A new study estimates that bacteria on meat may be responsible for a significant number of urinary tract infections in the U.S.

Best massage gun being held in tester's hand

Best massage gun 2023: Relieve sore muscles and increase flexibility

By Joanne Lewsley last updated

BUYING GUIDE The best massage gun for aching muscles, tried and tested by Live Science.

BUYING GUIDE
Best electric toothbrushes

The 10 best electric toothbrushes 2023 for a deeper clean

By Joanne Lewsley last updated

Buying Guide Take control of your oral health with the best electric toothbrushes, tried and tested by Live Science.

Buying Guide
Concept of gene editing. Here we see a gloved hand with tweezers pinching out a part of a DNA double helix.

Gene therapy: Everything you need to know about the DNA-tweaking treatments

By Dr. David Warmflash published

Gene therapies treat or prevent disease by tweaking the content or expression of cells' DNA.

close up of a diagnostic test for HIV

You can now get a free at-home HIV test. Here's how.

By Nicoletta Lanese published

A new program will distribute 1 million free at-home HIV tests to U.S. residents and is collaborating with the dating app Grindr to promote the service.

close up of a hand holding package of contraceptive pills

Hormonal birth control slightly increases breast cancer risk, regardless of type

By Rebecca Sohn published

Hormonal contraceptives slightly raise users' risk of breast cancer, regardless of whether they're combination or progestogen-only.

close up photo of two mosquitoes with long thin legs, light tan bodies and dark stripes on their bodies

New invasive mosquitoes descend on Florida, raising concerns of disease

By Nicoletta Lanese published

A species of mosquito from Central and South America has spread to South Florida.

Illustration depicts a thyroid gland being attacked by antibodies

Hashimoto's disease: Causes, symptoms and treatment

By Dr. David Warmflash last updated

Hashimoto's disease, or Hashimoto thyroiditis, is an autoimmune condition affecting the thyroid gland.

An artist's interpretation of what the fungus Candida auris might look like.

Potentially deadly 'superbug' fungus is spreading faster in the US

By Harry Baker last updated

A new study shows that the number of cases and anti-drug resistance of the infectious fungus Candida auris increased between 2019 and 2021.

man making the best meal replacement shake

Best meal replacement shakes 2023: Quick and easy nutrition on the move

By Anna Gora last updated

BUYING GUIDE We've tested the best meal replacement shakes to see how they weigh up for taste, nutrition and ingredients.

BUYING GUIDE
Best humidifiers

Best humidifiers 2023: Relieve dry skin & allergy symptoms

By Sarah Finley last updated

Buying Guide Avoid a dry and uncomfortable home this allergy season with one of the best humidifiers we’ve tested.

Buying Guide
close up of a deer tick on a blade of grass reaching one of its legs towards a bare human leg

Tick-borne parasite is spreading in the Northeast, CDC says

By Nicoletta Lanese published

A tick-borne illness called babesiosis is spreading in the northeastern U.S.

Timothy Ray Brown at a press conference to announce the launch of the Timothy Ray Brown Foundation on July 24, 2012 in Washington, DC.

How are people cured of HIV? Here's everything you need to know

By Nicoletta Lanese published

Only a few people have been cured of HIV, but scientists are working to develop cures that could be accessible to more of those infected.

photo shows a common raccoon dog, which looks like a super fluffy raccoon, peering out from behind a fallen log in the woods

Raccoon dog DNA from Wuhan market supports the idea that COVID came from animals

By Nicoletta Lanese published

Newly-released genetic data suggests raccoon dogs carrying SARS-CoV-2 may have been at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in late 2019.

illustration of dna – pink and blue DNA strands in a helix shape

What is DNA?

By Rachael Rettner last updated

DNA is a molecule that contains the instructions an organism needs to develop, live and reproduce.

image shows HIV viral particles, depicted in pink, attached to the membrane of an immune cell, depicted in purple

1st woman given stem cell transplant to cure HIV is still virus-free 5 years later

By Nicoletta Lanese published

A woman who received a stem cell transplant to treat her HIV is still virus-free more than five years after the procedure and 30 months after she stopped taking HIV medication.

closeup of an adult's hand holding a swab used for STI testing in a sealed package, a sample collection tube, and a piece of paper that reads "chlamydia pcr testing" at the top

Why are sexually transmitted infections on the rise in the US?

By Carissa Wong published

Surging STIs are being driven by a "perfect storm" of factors in the U.S.

photo shows an older woman in a red blouse standing by a window and wearing a blue surgical mask. The viewer is seeing her from outside the building, through the window.

COVID pandemic had 'minimal' effect on mental health, study says. Is that true?

By Stephanie Pappas published

A new study finds that COVID-19 had minimal mental health impacts on the population, consistent with other research suggesting that people are resilient.