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 >

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 >

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 >

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 >

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 >

Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 grow more effective in the months after a person gets the Pfizer COVID vaccine, according to a new study. In sheer numbers, antibody levels did decline over the months after vaccination. However, the new findings showed that antibodies that remained became steadily stronger and more precisely targeted against the virus. That means…  read on >  read on >