Loneliness has been a major concern in America, particularly in the wake of the social isolation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. But friendships are not in decline in the United States, a new study has found. An American adult has an average of four to five friends, similar to numbers reported in previous research from…  read on >  read on >

Three out of five young people who die by suicide don’t have any prior mental health diagnosis, a new study finds. People are missing the telltale signs that children, teens and young adults are troubled in ways that put them at risk for suicide, researchers said. “Our findings point to the critical need to increase…  read on >  read on >

Losing someone close to you can make you age faster, a new study finds. People who lost a parent, partner, sibling or child showed signs of older biological age compared with those who hadn’t experienced such a loss, researchers reported July 29 in the journal JAMA Network Open. “Our study shows strong links between losing…  read on >  read on >

Paris officials said Sunday they are confident the Seine will be clean enough for Olympic triathletes to swim in the storied river this week, despite the fact that officials had to cancel a practice run Sunday over worries about water quality. The men’s triathlon is scheduled for Tuesday, while the women are set to compete…  read on >  read on >

Bad news for Olympians headed to Paris — high levels of ozone pollution and grass pollen are likely during the upcoming games if hot, sunny weather prevails, researchers said. Ozone levels in Paris and its environs tend to exceed World Health Organization (WHO) recommended thresholds about 20 days per month between July and September, according…  read on >  read on >

Older people who avail themselves of the newest shingles vaccine could reap a hidden benefit: A significant drop in their odds of developing dementia. One expert applauded the new findings. “Dementia isn’t an inevitable part of aging; it’s caused by diseases like Alzheimer’s,” said Dr. Sheona Scales, director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK. “Finding…  read on >  read on >

Wildfires raging in several states and Canada are triggering air quality alerts and evacuation orders across the western parts of the United States. Smoke and haze have filled the skies in California, Oregon, Arizona, Washington and several other western states: As of Wednesday, there were 79 large, active wildfires that have burned over 1.4 million acres…  read on >  read on >

Medicare Advantage plans are touted as a great alternative to traditional Medicare, offering seniors easier access to doctors, hospitals and prescription drugs. But access to a good Medicare Advantage plan relies heavily on where a person lives, a new study finds. People are less likely to find a five-star Medicare Advantage plan if they live…  read on >  read on >