Plenty of men worldwide are carrying the human papillomavirus, or HPV, new research has found. The study estimates that about one in three men currently have at least one strain of genital HPV, while one in five have a strain known to increase the risk of certain cancers in both men and women. Many of the worst types…
An existing medication for multiple sclerosis could possibly be retooled into a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, new research suggests. A team of scientists has found evidence in mice and human brain tissue that the drug ponesimod can reduce the inflammation and toxic amyloid plaques found in those with Alzheimer’s.…
New research out this week is the latest to show that psilocybin—the active ingredient in magic mushrooms—can be a viable treatment for depression. The randomized Phase II trial found that a single dose of psilocybin combined with therapy significantly reduced people’s depression symptoms when compared to placebo over…
An outbreak of meningococcal disease in Virginia has sickened dozens of people and killed at least five, local health officials reported this week. Though severe cases are typically rare, the state has seen a noticeable increase over the past year. The bacterial infection is vaccine-preventable, and most cases during…
Surgeons at New York University have reportedly reached another milestone in making pig-to-human organ transplants a reality. They now claim to have transplanted a genetically engineered pig kidney that has survived inside a human body for six weeks and counting—the longest period yet. It’s likely that larger clinical…
The U.S. federal government is taking a significant step closer to becoming tolerant of cannabis. On Wednesday, a leaked letter from the U.S. Health and Human Services revealed that the agency has endorsed the rescheduling of the drug from a Schedule I to Schedule III controlled substance, a more lenient designation.…
The world is covered with plastic pollution. That breaks down to become microplastics—tiny bits of plastic smaller than 5 mm.
Alcohol’s effect on men’s dating attitudes might be more complicated than we think, new research this week suggests. The small study found that young men’s perception of a woman’s attractiveness didn’t change once they started drinking. But, when under the influence, the men did become more willing to try meeting…
Here’s some extra material for your nightmares: In a case report out this week, a group of scientists say they’ve found a new species of roundworm that’s capable of infesting our brains—one that normally plagues snakes. The discovery was made when they extracted a living worm from an Australian woman’s head during…
