Research has linked heart disease to specific autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Now, a huge study shows that autoimmune diseases as a group increase your chances of developing heart ills. Autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, lupus erythematosus and type 1 diabetes occur when the body engages in friendly fire against…  read on >  read on >

Munching handfuls of microwave popcorn might be perfect for movie night, but your snack could be loading your body with potentially harmful “forever chemicals,” experts warn. Many microwave popcorn bags are lined with PFAS (perfluoroalkyls and polyfluoroalkyl substances), and evidence has shown that these chemicals will leach into the snack during popping. Studies have found…  read on >  read on >

In Washington state, 22 wildlife bridges and underpasses provide animals with a safe way through to search for food or escape predators and wildfires. It turns out the crossings have been benefiting humans, too. In a 10-mile radius around wildlife crossings, there are between one and three fewer collisions a year between vehicles and animals,…  read on >  read on >

Fentanyl, the synthetic opioid that’s driving a surge in drug overdose deaths, kills by stopping breathing even before someone loses consciousness, a new study reveals. To come to that conclusion, researchers ran electroencephalogram (EEG) tests on 25 patients who were undergoing operations lasting two hours or more. Pharmaceutical fentanyl can be used to supplement sedation…  read on >  read on >

A Texas patient who was infected with monkeypox has died, though state health officials said Tuesday it’s too early to say what role the virus may have played in the death. The adult, who died in a hospital in Harris County, was “severely immunocompromised” and had “various severe illnesses,” health officials said. Autopsy results are…  read on >  read on >

Electrically stimulating the brain’s “reward” circuity may hold promise as a treatment for binge eating disorder, a small pilot study suggests. The findings are based on just two patients who received deep brain stimulation (DBS) — a technique used for certain other medical conditions, including epilepsy. But over six months, the approach was able to…  read on >  read on >