Health, features and articles | Educational Science

Aug 31, 2019

Why Don't Newborns Have Tears or Sweat?

Upon entering the world, a newborn lets out a loud, distinct cry — a sign of health and vigor. It's a cry that new parents will quickly become used to in the coming days and weeks. But if you look closely, you'll see that a newborn's cry is a bit...

Aug 31, 2019

12 Children with Autism Were Conceived from One Donor's Sperm. Is There an 'Autism Gene'?

A single sperm donor is the biological father of at least 12 children who all developed autism — an extraordinary case that prompted one woman to sue her sperm bank, according to news reports. The case came to light when the woman, Danielle Rizzo of Illinois, was researching treatments for...

Aug 31, 2019

Woman Swallows Engagement Ring in Her Sleep

A woman's engagement ring was lost and found ... in her intestine, according to the woman's viral Facebook post. Jenna Evans of San Diego wrote on Facebook that she swallowed the ring in her sleep. She said she had a vivid dream in which her fiancé told her to swallow...

Aug 31, 2019

Why Do Babies Lose Their Hair?

The first weeks and months of a baby's life are full of big changes. But what new parents may not have expected are the tiny hairs left on their newborn's mattress. After a few months, their baby's once-full head of hair has become thin and patchy — or nearly bald....

Aug 31, 2019

Woman's Rare Blood Disease Triggered by Cold Weather

Cold winter temperatures are uncomfortable for most, but for one New York woman, frigid weather triggered a rare immune condition, according to a new report of the case. The 70-year-old woman lived in upstate New York, which is known for its cold and snowy winters. She went to the doctor...

Aug 31, 2019

'Trippy' Bacteria Engineered to Brew 'Magic Mushroom' Hallucinogen

Scientists have transformed a common bacterial cell into a psychedelic drug factory capable of pumping out copious quantities of psilocybin, the chemical famously found in magic mushrooms, according to a new study. Psilocybin can be found in more than 100 'shroom species, most notably in one called Psilocybe cubensis, which...

Jul 31, 2019

John Dillinger's Corpse to Be Dug Up and DNA-Tested to Settle Conspiracy Theory

The body of infamous Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger — or, at least, the body of whoever is buried in Dillinger's Indianapolis cemetery plot — is going to be exhumed, DNA-tested and reinterred on Sept. 16, cbsnews.com reported. This grim reaping could finally smother the flames of a conspiracy theory that's...

Jul 31, 2019

The Circulatory System: An Amazing Circuit That Keeps Our Bodies Going

The circulatory system, also known as the cardiovascular system, is a vast network of organs and blood vessels that acts both as a delivery and waste removal system for the body. Nutrients, oxygen and hormones are delivered to every cell and as these necessities are provided, waste products such as...

Jul 31, 2019

Why Do We Bend Our Arms When We Run?

When you're walking or running, your legs are doing most of the work, but your arms are involved, too. And how they move depends on your gait. As we walk, our arms usually hang naturally at our sides and are mostly straight. But when we run, our arms typically swing...

Jul 31, 2019

A Doctor Tested a New Treatment on Himself. Now, It May Help Others with This Rare Disease.

A doctor's quest to understand his own rare disease led him to test an experimental treatment on himself, and it may have worked. The physician, Dr. David Fajgenbaum, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine, has been in remission ever since he first used himself...

Jul 31, 2019

Muscle Spasms and Cramps: Causes and Treatments

Muscle spasms are the sudden, intense and uncontrollable contraction of muscles. They're painful and frustrating, and can stop athletes in their tracks or jolt someone awake in the middle of the night. Also called a muscle cramp or charley horse, a muscle spasm happens when the muscle is fatigued and...

Jul 31, 2019

Why Is Mold Fuzzy?

Editor's Note: This story was updated on Monday, Sept. 16 at 12:30 p.m. E.D.T. The green, furry tufts of mold that pop up on bread and cheddar cheese aren't very appetizing. Their mere presence raises the questions: Why is mold so fuzzy, and is this fuzz dangerous? The short answer...

Jul 31, 2019

What Is HPV?

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nearly 80 million people — about 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. — are currently infected with HPV, and 14 million people become newly...

Jul 31, 2019

Doctors Find Bizarre Mass of Bone, Teeth & Hair in Teen's Stomach. It Was Her Own Twin.

A teenager in India was discovered to have a bizarre mass of bone, teeth and hairy cheesy material in her abdomen, according to a new report of the case. It was her own twin growing inside her, the result of an extremely rare condition called fetus in fetu. The 17-year-old...

Jun 30, 2019

Woman Contracts Horrifying Leg Infection from a Hot Tub

An Indiana woman's vacation took a grim turn when she developed a serious leg infection after spending time in the hotel's hot tub, according to news reports. The woman, 26-year-old Taylor Bryant, went on vacation with her family to Tennessee over spring break, according to local news outlet RTV6. After...