Health in a Heartbeat

Remember those “butterflies” you felt in your stomach before giving a big presentation? Or how you might trust your gut when making a decision? Increasingly, science says your brain and...

Feeling unwell? Your doctor might recommend a “green prescription.” New research from the Chinese Academy of Sciences is exploring the idea of prescribing time in botanical gardens as a source...

The first time you’re gazing at something and notice a speck that shouldn’t be there, it can be extremely disorienting. Weird, even. They are called “floaters.” Tiny dots or squiggles...

This eye medication is alive. Anyone with a corneal injury or chronic ocular surface disease knows how annoying medicated eye drops can be. It’s easy to forget that it’s time...

An American presidential campaign of the 1990s proclaimed, “It’s the economy, stupid” as its guiding slogan. It was a constant reminder that for many voters, the health of their bank...

Every time a heat wave is on the way, alerts go out, warning that high temperatures can overtax our hearts. But a new study shows that cold weather hurts our...

The human body has been fine-tuned over millions of years of evolution. Like all living things, our species adapted to the environment. Those changes to human physiology usually occurred over...

The biggest threat to your heart is invisible. Cholesterol, a term that doesn’t mean anything to you until it does, has no true visual or physical indicators. You can look...

Those of us with four-legged roommates might be sharing more than a couch with them. A new study from researchers in England mapped feline cancer genetics and found that key...

That friend of yours who starts her day with a challenging crossword puzzle might be onto something. In the late 1990s, nearly 3,000 older adults received brain training as part...

We all know that older adults face an increased risk of osteoporosis, a disease characterized by weak, brittle bones. A new study by American and Chinese researchers, however, has found...

Your understanding of aging might start with an absolute: Over the years, as our bodies and brains undergo wear and tear, we experience a gradual physical and cognitive decline. But...

Turning to chatbots for emotional support is becoming more commonplace. But new research suggests that artificial intelligence “counselors” could provide more emotional distress than clarity, all while violating the ethical...

Becoming a centenarian is a big deal. It vaults you into a select group that few reach. Just imagine: If you were born in 1926 and were celebrating your 100th...

How many bones did you break as a kid? Some of us emerged from childhood unscathed. Others might have fond — and itchy — memories of casts getting signed. Maybe...

Imagine you go to the doctor because you suspect something is off-kilter: You keep outgrowing your shoes and your rings no longer fit. Now imagine that before you see the...

Despite its increasing antiquity, PAC-MAN’s 8-bit graphics — and gameplay — continue to grip imaginations across generations. The sphere-shaped protagonist consumes dots and fights pesky, pixelated ghosts. Now, keep that...

Humanity has sought an effective treatment for tinnitus since ancient Egypt. Luckily, few survive to the present day. One ancient remedy worked on the assumption that the ear is inhabited...

Is there anything sweeter than being 16? Whether it’s slurping on soda slushies, glugging boba tea or downing energy drinks, teens have plenty of access — and love — for...

Where do all the fit people live? We’ll admit up front that states don’t go to the gym or sit like a couch potato in front of the television for...

All of us sleep. It’s a biological imperative. But do we all need to hit the snooze button five times when the morning alarm goes off? Snoozing involves setting consecutive...

How nice would it be to make a healthy change to your diet without realizing it? Two new research studies show how tiny, almost unnoticeable changes could lower sodium levels...

If we’re lucky, most of us will notice our bodies aging gracefully. But new research suggests we might have more factors to contend with than just the ravages of time....

If you experience osteoarthritis, you’re in good — and widespread — company. By 2050, millions of people are slated to experience joint pain. The privilege of growing older and wiser...

An obsession can be a bad thing, even if it masquerades as something laudable. And that is what makes orthorexia nervosa one of the trickiest eating disorders to contend with....