Science could be well on its way to a cure for type 1 diabetes, as researchers hone transplant therapies designed to restore patients’ ability to produce their own insulin, experts say. At least one patient — a 64-year-old Ohio man named Brian Shelton — can now automatically control his insulin and blood sugar levels without…  read on >  read on >

Headphones have a much greater impact on listeners than external speakers because they put voices “inside your head,” a new study explains. “Headphones produce a phenomenon called in-head localization, which makes the speaker sound as if they’re inside your head,” said study co-author On Amir, a professor of marketing at the University of California, San…  read on >  read on >

An increase in telemedicine during the pandemic and easier access to prescription drugs to end a pregnancy may help explain why more than half of U.S. abortions are now done with a combination of medicines instead of surgery, researchers report. The percentage of abortions done with U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved mifepristone pills rose from…  read on >  read on >

Extreme heat from climate change is making it harder for people with mental illness and drug addiction to cope and adding to pressure on pandemic-stretched U.S. emergency rooms. During these severe summer temperature spikes, Americans with depression, anxiety, mood disorders and drug addiction are increasingly flocking to hospital ERs for help, a new study finds.…  read on >  read on >

Add better brain health to the growing list of protections your beloved pet may provide you: New research suggests that older adults with a furry companion showed slower mental declines than those without one. “Prior studies have suggested that the human-animal bond may have health benefits like decreasing blood pressure and stress,” said study author…  read on >  read on >

Dozens of different spray products — deodorants, shampoos, sunscreens, athlete’s foot treatments — have been recalled in recent months due to contamination with the cancer-causing chemical benzene. Most recently, six Brut and Sure aerosol antiperspirants faced recall last week due to benzene contamination. But that’s just the latest in a string of benzene-related recalls that…  read on >  read on >

Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to treat and beat, but new research suggests that commonly prescribed high blood pressure drugs may boost survival in patients. Known as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), those who took them saw slight bumps in survival. Folks with pancreatic cancer who took an ARB had…  read on >  read on >

Updated criteria to guide COVID-19 restrictions will be announced by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention later this week or early next week, according to a CDC scientist involved in the process. Currently, the agency’s guidance on measures such as mask use and social distancing is based on the number of new cases…  read on >  read on >