Back in May, a group of experts from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) made waves when they warned that mobile phones may indeed raise the risk for some brain tumors.
Study: For Asthma Patients, Placebos Feel Just as Good as the Drug
Sometimes the mind provides the most powerful medicine of all. A new Harvard Medical School investigation in asthma patients shows that the “placebo effect” — in which patients experience real benefits from sham treatments — can be as effective as standard medical therapy.
Move Over, Alpha Males. Why Being a Beta May Be Better (at Least for Baboons)
It’s stressful at the top, at least for male baboons, according to a new study that finds that alpha males — those at the pinnacle of the social hierarchy — are significantly more stressed out than a group’s No. 2, or beta male.
Hollywood to Kids: Smoking Isn’t Cool
Were they still alive today, John Wayne and Humphrey Bogart might have been given a serious image makeover. The message from Hollywood last year: smoking in movies is not cool anymore.
To Ward off Dementia, Try Staying Healthy From Head to Toe
Heart disease, strokes and other serious health conditions that affect the circulatory system or brain have long been thought to contribute to an increased risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. Now, a new study …
How Funky Foot Odor Could Help Save Lives
Fifteen years ago a Dutch scientist stood in a room, naked, and let himself be swarmed by mosquitoes. The idea was to see which part of the body the bugs were most attracted to. Turns out, it’s the feet — the stinkier the better.
Spock at 65: Five Ideas That Changed American Parenting
Sixty-five years ago today, one of the most revolutionary books in American history was published. True, Dr. Benjamin Spock’s Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care probably didn’t look like much when it first came out in 1946 — just in time for the baby boom. But with his conversational tone and his concise, practical tips on …
Family MattersParenting
A Young Boy’s Murder Has Parents Second-Guessing Their Decisions
Kids can be very persuasive. That must have been the case with 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky, who talked his parents into letting him walk home alone on July 11 from his day camp in Brooklyn. His parents made a deal with him. After …
Dentists, Too, Can Help Battle Painkiller Addiction
When it comes to prescription-drug misuse, you don’t usually think of dentists as the source. No one talks about “dentist shopping” or “dental pill mills.” But a new study shows that in fact dentists prescribe 12% of all …
FDA Warns: ‘Serious Complications’ Arise From Vaginal Mesh Implants
Surgical mesh implants used to treat weakening in the pelvic region, a particularly common problem after childbirth, may actually do more harm than good, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports Wednesday.
Anti-HIV Drugs Help Prevent Infection in Heterosexuals
Two landmark studies confirm that a daily pill containing powerful drugs used to treat HIV infection can also help prevent new infection in healthy HIV-free people.
Almost Every Type of Cancer Kills More Men Than Women, Study Shows
Men die at higher rates than women from almost every kind of cancer, a new study finds.
Study: Siblings of Autistic Kids Show Similar Brain Activity
The genetic roots of autism may reach further in families than previously thought, according to new research.