Health, features and articles | Educational Science

Jun 30, 2016

Here's How You Can Keep Sitting from Killing You

Exercising for an hour a day may be enough to counteract the harmful effects of sitting for long periods, a new study from Norway finds. The results show that people who sit for more than 8 hours a day, but who also exercise for 60 to 75 minutes a day,...

Jun 30, 2016

What Your Pee and Poo Color Says About Your Health

Out of the blue I passed bright red pee. I freaked, thinking it was a sign of terminal disease. Then I remembered the roasted beetroot tarts served at the party the night before – so delicious I’d eaten three! Beetroot, artificial colours, vitamin supplements and medications can change the colour...

May 31, 2016

Flour Recall: Do You Really Need to Throw It Out?

General Mills is recalling 10 million pounds of flour that may be linked with an outbreak of E. coli. And even though baking would kill the E. coli pathogen, experts say it's still wise to throw out the recalled flour if you have it in your kitchen. I wouldn't want...

May 31, 2016

Eating Fat Doesn't Make You Fat, Study Finds

It seems logical to think that eating a high-fat diet would tip the scale upward, but a new study suggests that might not be the case. What's more, eating more of certain types of fats may help move the scale in the other direction. Men and women in the study...

May 31, 2016

Are 'Hands-Free' Phone Calls Really Safer for Drivers?

Talking on your phone while driving — even if you use a hands-free connection — is still dangerous, a new study from England finds. Conversations of any kind can be distracting if they require a driver to use mental imagery, according to the study. A popular misconception is that using...

May 31, 2016

How Accurate Are Fertility Tracking Apps?

Fertility-focused apps and websites that aim to figure out which days a woman is most likely to conceive may not be very accurate, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed more than 50 popular websites and smartphone apps that offer to predict a woman's fertility window, or the days during...

May 31, 2016

2 Teens Die After Drinking Racing Fuel & Soda Mix

Two teens in Tennessee died in January after drinking a mixture of racing fuel and soda at a party, which appears to have been concocted as a substitute for alcohol, according to a new report. Before the party, one of the teens took a bottle of racing fuel from the...

May 31, 2016

Brain Tumor Risk Linked with Higher Education, Study Finds

People with higher levels of education may be more likely to develop certain types of brain tumors, a new study from Sweden suggests. Researchers found that women who completed at least three years of university courses were 23 percent more likely to develop a type of cancerous brain tumor called...

May 31, 2016

How Long Does Sunscreen Last Before It Expires?

Next time you're heading to the beach, remember to check whether your sunscreen is still effective. Although sunscreen may last longer than milk and restaurant leftovers, it still has an expiration date, experts told Live Science. That date depends on how the sunscreen is stored, said Georgios Imanidis, a professor...

May 31, 2016

Ikea's Dresser Recall: 7 Tips to Prevent Furniture Injuries

A new recall of topple-prone Ikea dressers highlights the hazards that everyday furniture can hold for children, but there are a number of things parents can do to make their homes safer. This week, Ikea recalled 29 million chests and dressers, because they were unstable and prone to tip over...

May 31, 2016

Ayurvedic Herbal Supplements Caused Man's Lead Poisoning

A 26-year-old man in Pennsylvania who took Indian Ayurvedic herbal supplements wound up developing lead poisoning from taking the pills, according to a report of his case. Stomach pain, weight loss, nausea, vomiting and dark-colored stools had sent the man to an emergency room in Philadelphia, where doctors discovered that...

Apr 30, 2016

Is Penis Envy Real?

Known as the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, who would have turned 160 on May 6, founded a branch of psychological therapy that focuses on the conscious mind and the unconscious mind and how the two interact. Among his many attention-grabbing theories and ideas is the concept of penis envy....

Apr 30, 2016

Ancient Plague Victims: Did the Quarantine Help or Hurt?

When plague came to the English village of Eyam 350 years ago, it wasn't rat fleas that infected the majority of people with the deadly bacteria, but rather human-to-human transmission, a new study finds. From 1665 to 1666, the villagers of Eyam heroically quarantined themselves with the hopes of protecting...

Apr 30, 2016

Macklemore Tells Obama About How He Once Abused Prescription Drugs

If you're wondering why prescription drugs containing opioids are so addictive, just ask Grammy Award-winning rap artist Macklemore. This past Saturday (May 14), Barack Obama invited Macklemore to talk about opioid addiction during the president's online weekly address at the White House. I'm here with President Obama because I take...

Apr 30, 2016

Potato-Heavy Diet Linked to High Blood Pressure

Packing potatoes into your diet may put you at higher risk for having high blood pressure, a new study finds, although the researchers acknowledged that the study presents an interesting paradox. People who reported eating four or more servings of potatoes per week were 11 percent more likely to have...