A steep rise in vaccination rates has dropped COVID-19 from the first to the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, a new analysis shows. The disease was the third leading cause of death for much of 2020, but became the leading cause of death in December 2020 and early 2021, reaching a… read on > read on >
The notion of parents picking out genetically perfect babies may seem like science fiction. But in a new report, a multidisciplinary group of researchers warn that some companies have already started to offer couples going through in vitro fertilization (IVF) the means to pick better embryos through polygenic scoring. Polygenic scores are a “weighted average… read on > read on >
The head of the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday stood by the agency’s latest mask guidance, saying that fully vaccinated Americans need not wear face coverings as the pandemic ebbs. Even so, there are instances where local authorities might set more stringent measures to protect the unvaccinated against the highly contagious… read on > read on >
(Healthday News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s controversial approval of a new Alzheimer’s drug, along with its high price, is now being investigated by two House committees. “We have serious concerns about the steep price of Biogen’s new Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm and the process that led to its approval despite questions about the… read on > read on >
Poor quality sleep can shave years off your life, and these effects may be magnified if you don’t get enough physical activity. That’s the bad news. The good news is that getting more exercise may help counter some of the health risks known to accompany poor quality sleep, new research shows. Folks who scored low… read on > read on >
Want to hold a preschooler’s interest in learning something new? Give them just enough information to make them want to know more, a new study suggests. This creates the perfect mix of uncertainty and curiosity in children, said researchers from Rutgers University, in New Jersey. “There is an infinite amount of information in the real… read on > read on >
The COVID-19 pandemic likely played a role in the 50% increase in deaths from fireworks in the United States last year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says. Many public fireworks displays were canceled last summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That led many people to light rockets, sparklers and firecrackers in their own… read on > read on >
The state of your finances may affect more than your pocketbook. So claims new research that suggests a loss of wealth is associated with an increased risk of heart problems, while a boost in finances is associated with a lower risk. “Low wealth is a risk factor that can dynamically change over a person’s life… read on > read on >
Behaviors associated with eating disorders can make real changes to the brain, new research shows. The findings could help explain why these serious disorders are often chronic — and may also point the way to new treatments. Eating disorders — such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia and binge-eating disorder — can result in severe complications, including… read on > read on >
Is spanking good for parents? Is spanking good for kids? Is spanking good for anyone? No, no and no, according to a big new review of prior research. “Zero studies found that physical punishment predicted better child behavior over time,” said study co-author Elizabeth Gershoff, a professor of human development and family sciences at the… read on > read on >
