While U.S. policymakers have attempted to lower lead exposure among children since the 1970s, new research finds that kids living near airports are still being exposed to dangerous levels of the heavy metal. “Across an ensemble of tests, we find consistent evidence that the blood lead levels of children residing near the airport are pushed…  read on >  read on >

While the origins of smallpox has remained a mystery for centuries, researchers now believe that it dates back 2,000 years earlier than previously thought. Until recently, the earliest genetic evidence of smallpox, the variola virus, was from the 1600s. And in 2020, researchers found evidence of it in the dental remains of Viking skeletons, pushing…  read on >  read on >

Despite routine use of a childhood vaccine, the United States still sees outbreaks of mumps. Now, a new study reinforces the belief that it’s due to waning immunity post-vaccination. Mumps is a viral infection best known for causing puffy cheeks, a swollen jaw, fever and general misery. While it’s usually relatively mild, mumps occasionally causes…  read on >  read on >

Gas stoves could face new emissions standards or even be banned because of their link to indoor air pollutants and childhood asthma, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The federal agency will open public comment on gas cooking stoves and their hazards sometime this winter, Bloomberg News reported. “This is a hidden…  read on >  read on >

Could a simple letter prompt doctors to prescribe opioids more safely? Yes, claims new research that found reminding doctors to check a prescription database before doling out opioids increased their engagement with the program, having the potential to create more informed prescribing. The study enrolled clinicians in Minnesota who prescribed opioids with benzodiazepines or gabapentinoids,…  read on >  read on >

Older women who don’t stick to a set sleep and wake schedule may be more likely to struggle with feelings of depression and anxiety — even if they get a normal amount of zzzs. What’s more, a postmenopausal woman who goes to bed very early and wakes up very early (an “early bird”) or goes…  read on >  read on >