Motorcycle helmet laws save lives and prevent many severe injuries, according to a new head-to-head study comparing two states. North Carolina mandates helmets for all motorcyclists, while South Carolina only requires riders younger than 21 to wear them, researchers said. As a result, North Carolina riders had fewer severe injuries and were less likely to…  read on >  read on >

There’s nothing like the feeling of years of hard work paying off — when you can finally transition to a life of non-work activities, whether it’s traveling, diving into personal projects or even learning a new language.  But retirement in a warm, affordable country may come with an unexpected downside: loneliness. A new study suggests…  read on >  read on >

You aren’t imagining it: The cloud cover isn’t what it used to be, and scientists say it is helping fuel Earth’s hottest temperatures on record. Global temperatures clocked in at roughly 1.5 degrees Celsius above predindustrial averages in both 2023 and 2024.  While climate experts say some of the rise can be explained by a…  read on >  read on >

Many major maladies have been linked to disturbed slumber caused by sleep apnea, high blood pressure, heart problems and diabetes. Add car wrecks to that list, a study published Jan. 21 in the journal Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, says. People with untreated sleep apnea are more likely to wind up in a vehicle crash, researchers…  read on >  read on >

Traffic, delays, disruptions due to storms or wildfires, and other surprises may be part of your next business or pleasure trip. In short: Travel is more stressful (and more expensive) than ever. But you don’t have to submit to the anxiety and upset, Dr. Asim Shah, professor and executive vice chair in the Menninger Department…  read on >  read on >

Just over 300 people have been sickened in norovirus outbreaks on three different cruise ships in December, new government data shows. This is the only month this year in which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported three confirmed norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships. In all, 301 passengers and crew members fell…  read on >  read on >

Watch out for tall, fast-moving cars. The height of a vehicle, not only its speed, determines its potential danger to a pedestrian, new research shows. “Multiple factors — in this case speed and vehicle height—converge to create negative outcomes on the road,” said David Harkey, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Measurements…  read on >  read on >