Many people are carrying potentially harmful genes, research out this week has found. Scientists analyzed the genes of people living in Iceland and found that one in 25 people appear to have genetic variations linked to a shorter lifespan. The most dangerous variants were those tied to cancer.
There’s officially a new and fierce competitor for Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy (semaglutide) when it comes to weight loss. On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration approved the drug tirzepatide, developed by Eli Lilly, as a treatment for obesity. The weekly injectable drug will be sold under the brand name Zepbound.
Viruses are somehow even weirder than we thought. In a recent study published last month, scientists say they’ve discovered two new viruses that hijack the machinery of other bacteria-infecting viruses in order to replicate themselves. One of these vampiric viruses even acts the part, appearing to “bite” and latch…
A UK-based startup is hoping to turn their specialized tampons into a popular test for sexually transmitted infections. The company Daye has launched a new at-home screening service for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and other common STIs. The test is currently only available in the UK but will reportedly expand to the U.S.…
Scientists seem to have found a kink in the armor of super gonorrhea. In a large-scale clinical trial reported this week, the experimental drug zoliflodacin was found to be just as effective as other frontline antibiotics at treating the stubborn bacterial infection. The results will pave the way for zoliflodacin to…
Northwestern University scientists may have figured out why pulling an all-nighter can leave us feeling loopy and downright giddy for days after. In a new study out this week, the researchers found that acute sleep deprivation in mice can trigger a rapid release of dopamine within the brain and boost its plasticity,…
A team of scientists at Northwestern University has developed a synthetic version of melanin that could have a million and one uses. In new research, they showed that their melanin can prevent blistering and accelerate the healing process in tissue samples of freshly injured human skin. The team now plans to further…
The Apple Watch Series 9 is already a solid smartwatch. But Apple plans to add even more health-related features on the next release of the wearable.
A woman’s newly adopted cat may have brought her an unwelcome gift: a bacterial germ that caused her months of diarrhea. In a new case report this month, doctors say that the woman’s bout of recurrent Clostridioides difficile could have been fueled by her cat, who also tested positive for the bacteria. Thankfully,…
Before Marvel Comics became Marvel Comics, the company had a whole host of different iterations and identities over the Golden Age of comics—and did so much more comics mate
