Fracking has already raised the ire of environmentalists for its effects on the planet, but new research sends up another red flag: The wastewater produced by the complicated oil and gas drilling process is loaded with toxic and cancer-causing contaminants that threaten both people and wildlife. In fracking, water that contains a number of additives… read on > read on >
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Scientists Report ‘Rogue Antibodies’ Behind Severe Clotting With COVID
“Rogue antibodies” that seem to trigger severe blood clotting and illness in COVID-19 patients have been identified by scientists. Their analysis of blood samples from 244 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 revealed circulating antiphospholipid antibodies, which are autoantibodies that target a person’s own organs and systems. These autoantibodies are more common in people with autoimmune disorders,… read on > read on >
Eagles Are Being Poisoned by Environmental Lead
The national bird of the United States is facing a deadly threat from within: widespread lead poisoning, largely caused by ingesting fragments of hunters’ lead ammunition. The poisoning is slowing the population growth of both bald eagles, the nation’s symbol since 1782, and golden eagles, whose numbers also have been dwindling. Previous research has shown… read on > read on >
Autism, ADHD Raise the Odds for Early Death
Young people with autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have a higher risk of dying early from a range of causes, a new research review suggests. Researchers found that before middle-age, people with autism face higher-than-average rates of death from both “natural” causes, like heart disease, and “unnatural” ones, including accidents and suicide. Meanwhile, unnatural causes… read on > read on >
Mental Health Woes Can Rise in Year After COVID Recovery
COVID-19 can take a heavy toll on the body, but new research shows that patients are also 60% more likely to suffer lingering mental and emotional woes in the year following their infection. These problems included anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, opioid use disorder, illicit drug and alcohol use disorders, sleep disturbances, and problems thinking and… read on > read on >
Had COVID? You’re 5 Times More Prone to Get It Again If Unvaccinated
After you have recovered from COVID-19, getting at least one dose of a vaccine provides added protection against reinfection, Israeli researchers report. Stay unvaccinated after a bout with COVID-19 and you’re five times more likely than someone who has had the shot to get COVID again, the new study found. That’s because the immunity acquired… read on > read on >
Sleepless Children Often Become Sleepless Adults: Study
Young children who struggle with insomnia face a very high risk for more of the same as young adults, a new study warns. Investigators found that 43% of children who suffer from insomnia between the ages of 5 and 12 continue to do so when they hit their 20s and 30s. And that amounts to… read on > read on >
COVID Vaccine Is a Big Stress-Reliever, Too: Study
While getting a COVID-19 vaccine protects against infection, new research confirms that it can also help ease pandemic-triggered stress. “Our study documents important psychological benefits of vaccination beyond reducing the risk of severe illness and death associated with COVID-19,” said lead investigator Jonathan Koltai, from the University of New Hampshire’s department of sociology. There was… read on > read on >
Giving the Heart a Push to Help Ease Long COVID
Could a therapy used to treat chest pain ease the debilitating symptoms of long COVID? Yes, claims a small but promising study that found it helped ease fatigue, shortness of breath and other symptoms in people who can’t shake side effects that haunt them long after their original coronavirus infection. As many as 50% of… read on > read on >
Never Too Late: Starting Exercise in 70s Can Help the Heart
Here are some numbers that could add up strongly in your favor. If you’re in your 70s and get 20 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous exercise, you may ward off heart disease in your 80s, new Italian research suggests. In the study of close to 3,000 Italians over 65, regular exercise was linked… read on > read on >