Health, features and articles | Educational Science

Jul 31, 2014

MERS Virus Doesn't Spread Easily in Households, Study Suggests

The deadly virus called Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, or MERS-CoV, spreads among people within households at a lower rate than seasonal flu viruses, a new study suggests. The researchers tested the family members of 26 MERS patients, and found that only 12 of the 280 relatives living with the...

Jun 30, 2014

Ecstasy Leads to Rare Aneurysm in College Student

A college student who took Ecstasy was fortunate to survive a ruptured aneurysm in an artery near his spinal cord, but his case is a reminder of the dangers of using this street drug. Florida neurologists diagnosed the young man with a posterior spinal arterial (PSA) aneurysm, which is a...

Jun 30, 2014

How Justin Bieber's Bangs Could Save Teens' Skin

Bangs that sweep across the forehead may be more than fashionable — the hairstyle that celebrity Justin Bieber brought back can provide doctors with a unique opportunity to talk to teens about sun protection, experts say. Doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital recently made in interesting discovery in some of their...

Jun 30, 2014

Could Smallpox Come Back?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now running tests on the six forgotten vials of smallpox that were recently discovered in an unsecured laboratory, to see if any live virus remains in them. The sealed vials were found in a lab at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)...

Jun 30, 2014

Harsh Thoughts: Cynicism Linked to Stroke Risk

Middle-age and older people who are highly stressed, have depression or who are perhaps even just cynical may be at increased risk of stroke, according to new research. In the study, more than 6,700 healthy adults ages 45 to 84 completed questionnaires about their stress levels, depressive symptoms, feelings of...

Jun 30, 2014

Ten Things You Didn't Know About Fat

Understanding fats (Image credit: Yukari, CC BY-SA)This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. Our understanding of fats – including which ones are actually good for us – is evolving. We know for example that red meat...

Jun 30, 2014

Your Skin Can Heal by 'Sniffing' Aromas

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. Humans have about 350 different types of olfactory receptors in the nose, which detect odors and start a signalling process that then messages the brain. These receptors work together...

Jun 30, 2014

Natural Arm Swing Saves Runners' Energy

Swinging your arms when you run helps save energy, researchers say. People naturally swing their arms back and forth while running. Prior research suggested that swinging the arms helps keep the body balanced during running by counteracting the motion of the swinging legs. However, it was unclear whether swinging the...

Jun 30, 2014

What is Bikram Yoga?

Bikram yoga is a form of yoga popularized by Bikram Choudhury in the 1970s in California. The patented practice involves repeating the same 26 poses in set cycles over a 90-minute class. Bikram yoga instructors go through a nine-week training program in which they learn the set practice and dialogue....

Jun 30, 2014

Risks of Flu Research Demand Openness From Labs

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. The danger of reporting findings before peer review is that scientists often can’t talk about the details of their research, which can lead to hype or fear in the...

Jun 30, 2014

Acetaminophen Doesn't Reduce Lower-Back Pain, Study Suggests

Acetaminophen, the drug found in Tylenol, works no better than a dummy pill at reducing lower-back pain in some people, nor does it help these patients get better any faster, a new study finds. The study involved more than 1,600 people in Australia who experienced sudden (acute) lower-back pain, and...

Jun 30, 2014

Erectile Dysfunction in Military Males Is Triple the Norm

Men age 40 and younger who are enlisted in the U.S. military are three times more likely to have erectile dysfunction (ED) than civilian men of similar age, but few military men report receiving treatment, according to a new study. The study, one of the first assessments of sexual-functioning problems...

Jun 30, 2014

Should You Trust Health Apps on Your Phone?

Personal health is becoming increasingly mobile, and there are now thousands of apps aiming to address everything from lifestyle issues to chronic diseases. But can you trust these apps, the same way you trust your prescribed drugs and medical devices? Medical devices are generally regulated by the U.S. Food and...

Jun 30, 2014

Stopping Deadly Ebola Outbreak Will Be a 'Marathon,' CDC Says

The deadly Ebola outbreak in West Africa is not showing any signs of slowing down, prompting U.S. health officials to issue more warnings for their staff in the region, encourage U.S. doctors to collect information about sick patients' travel histories and take more actions in the affected countries to bring...

May 31, 2014

Most Oral HPV Infections Are in Men

CHICAGO — The majority of people who have infections of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) in their mouths are men, a new study suggests. The researchers looked at more than 9,000 U.S. men and women who tested positive for an oral HPV infection, and found that 78 percent of them were men....