Trend in Alcohol-Related Deaths Is Higher in Women
Among some groups, the pandemic fueled an upswing in drinking. For women, the trend in heavy drinking, as well as liver damage and other related health effects, extends back at least two decades. From...
View ArticleIn Afghanistan, a Quiet Epidemic of Mass Psychogenic Illness
Interviews with physicians, sociologists, and people experiencing diagnosed conversion disorders indicate that the condition is widespread in Afghanistan — a quiet epidemic that, since at least 2004,...
View ArticleOn the Hudson River, a New Model of Environmental Stewardship
As with so many of the environmental problems that humanity faces, the challenge of enhancing and restoring the Hudson River’s ecosystem demands a new kind of science — one that is interdisciplinary...
View ArticleBook Review: A Riveting History of Plastic Surgery in World War I
“The Facemaker,” by historian Lindsey Fitzharris, is an unflinching biography of Harold Gillies, the intrepid doctor who jump-started the field of facial reconstruction surgery during the First World...
View ArticleFor Creatures of the Night, a Growing Threat in Artificial Light
Nighttime lighting functions similarly to roads, fences, and walls — physical barriers that biologists have long understood pose a threat to sensitive species. During habitat restoration, the effects...
View ArticleCompanies Challenge Ban on Mexicans Crossing Border to Sell Blood
A year ago, the U.S. blocked Mexicans from crossing the border to donate blood using short-term tourism and business visas. Some pharmaceutical companies claim these donations account for 10 percent of...
View ArticleFor Many Indian Women, Lack of Toilet Access Poses Health Risks
For millions of low-income residents across India, bathroom schedules are dictated not by biological need, but by inadequate toilet infrastructure. This situation leads to negative health effects and...
View ArticleThe Hidden Dangers of Pathologizing Grief
In March, the American Psychiatric Association officially recognized prolonged grief as a mental health disorder. But, as it is currently defined, the new diagnosis could reinforce a harmful myth that...
View ArticleBook Review: Helping Water Find Its Own Level
In “Water Always Wins,” Erica Gies demonstrates how “water detectives” are seeking to slow and reshape the movement of a vital resource, from Peru to San Francisco, to help mitigate the ravages of...
View ArticleIf Insects Feel Pain, Should They Be Protected in Research?
Some countries already legally protect select invertebrates, such as octopus, squid, crabs, and lobster. But there’s disagreement over whether other invertebrates — a diverse cast of animals — also...
View ArticleSexual Health Clinics Struggle to Fight Monkeypox
With 1,971 monkeypox cases reported since May in the United States — and about 13,340 around the world — doctors warn the epidemic may have grown too large and diffuse for them to contain. Sexual...
View ArticleThe U.K. Advises Coming off Antidepressants Very, Very Slowly
Antidepressants can help alleviate anxiety and depression, but some people experience debilitating symptoms when trying to come off these medications. Researchers are learning more about how to...
View ArticleOn the Delicate Topic of Youth Suicide, Journalists Are Faltering
A string of recent coverage has grappled with the worrisome rise in suicides among American youth. But many of the stories flout evidence-based reporting guidelines aimed at curbing the...
View ArticleBook Review: A Global History of the Black Death
In “The World the Plague Made,” historian James Belich argues the plague’s impact in Europe was equal to that of the Enlightenment, the Reformation, the Industrial Revolution, and the Renaissance — and...
View ArticleMexican Farmers and Scientists Share a Mission: Saving a Wetland
Local farmers and researchers are joining forces to protect the fragile wetlands and canals of Xochimilco, combining Indigenous agricultural knowledge and scientific expertise to encourage sustainable...
View ArticleHow Polio Returned to the United States
Nationally and globally, there are signs that the pandemic has opened up new vulnerabilities to diseases long in retreat. To monitor polio outbreaks, U.S. public health agencies generally wait for...
View ArticleEp. 63: For Deep Ocean Mining, Questions Abound
This month: Some regions of the deep ocean contain vast amounts of key minerals, like cobalt and nickel, that are needed to power clean energy technologies. But some scientists warn that mining them...
View ArticleOne of the Best Tools to Manage the Opioid Crisis Already Exists
The pandemic showed us how loosening regulations on methadone access can help patients and prevent overdoses, but it isn’t enough. If the U.S. wants to save lives, they should release methadone from...
View ArticleThe Animal Worlds That Lie Beyond Our Perception
Three recent books seek to reveal the rich sensory worlds of other animals, breaking down our human-centered perspective by pointing out our sensory blind spots and using various strategies to...
View ArticleLocked-in Syndrome and the Misplaced Presumption of Misery
The general public tends to overestimate rates of depression among LIS patients while underestimating their quality of life. This mismatch has implications for clinical care, experts say:...
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