There may be something special about team sports in childhood that helps sharpen a kids’ brain, new research shows. Children who were on soccer or volleyball teams scored higher on tests of “executive function” — thinking skills needed to organize, remember details, make decisions and stay focused — compared to kids who didn’t play sports… read on > read on >
A 53-year-old woman from Alabama has a new lease on life after receiving a gene-edited kidney obtained from a pig, living healthily with the new organ for over a month, her New York City doctors announced Tuesday. Towana Looney’s road to kidney failure began with the ultimate gift: In 1999, she donated one of her… read on > read on >
Research out of the United Kingdom finds workers often feel overwhelmed by digital technology and the need to always be connected online. It’s a worldwide issue, the study authors believe. “What we have found in our research is that there is a potential dark side to digital working, where employees can feel fatigue and strain… read on > read on >
Does a crowded neighborhood make you move more? Yes, says new research that found people who live in highly populated areas walk more than people who live in less densely populated areas. Since more walking is connected to better health, generally speaking, the extra steps can make a big difference in terms of promoting an… read on > read on >
A self-administered test can help empower women in identifying risks for cervical cancer. A new study published Dec. 12 in the journal PLOS Medicine shows the self-test for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection accurately identified women who either had cervical cancer or precancerous cells in their cervix. “About 40% of women in our high-risk group had… read on > read on >
Ever wonder why your teeth look the way they do? A group of genes drive the shape of each person’s teeth, including at least one gene inherited from Neanderthals, a new study published Dec. 12 in Current Biology found. There are 18 sets of genes that influence the size and shape of teeth, 17 of… read on > read on >
Taxi and ambulance drivers need to have quick wits and nimble reflexes to cut through traffic effectively. Turns out that these traits might also protect them from Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study published Dec. 16 in the BMJ. “The same part of the brain that’s involved in creating cognitive spatial maps — which… read on > read on >
There’s fungus among us, and it might be making allergies and asthma worse. People with allergy sniffles and asthma have different fungal colonies in their noses than folks who don’t suffer respiratory allergies, researchers report Dec. 16 in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology. “We showed that allergic rhinitis samples displayed a significantly higher fungal diversity and… read on > read on >
Parents of Black teens with autism worry that their kids’ condition might put them at greater risk during interactions with police. A new study published Dec. 16 in the journal Autism shows that behaviors common among children with autism, such as reduced eye contact, might cause police to think they’re acting guilty. Unfortunately, police officers… read on > read on >
Can you literally step away from depression? A new global review of data found that “increasing the number of daily steps, even at modest levels, was associated with a reduction in depressive symptoms.” The Spanish study found that up to a level of about 10,000 steps per day, the odds for depression decline as daily… read on > read on >
