Health, features and articles | Educational Science

Jul 31, 2020

Is the Y chromosome dying out?

The sex we're assigned at birth depends largely on a genetic flip of the coin: X or Y? Two X chromosomes and you (almost always) develop ovaries. An X and a Y chromosome? Testes. These packages of genetic material don't just differ in terms of the body parts they give...

Jun 30, 2020

Is it safe to use hair dye?

Dying your hair may be a rite of passage for teenagers testing out their style and a way to cover up grays for older women. But is hair dye bad for your health? There's a lot of controversy in terms of the health risk posed by hair dye, said Dr....

Jun 30, 2020

Is the coronavirus airborne? Evidence is scant, infectious disease experts say

Experts agree that the novel coronavirus behind COVID-19 spreads through direct contact and large droplets that, once sneezed or coughed out, often fall harmlessly to the ground. But a recent letter signed by 239 scientists suggests that the virus may also spread by airborne transmission, lingering in the air for...

Jun 30, 2020

WHO releases new COVID-19 guidance on airborne transmission, but it doesn't change much

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released updated guidance on the role of airborne droplets in transmission of COVID-19, but the institution's stance on the topic remains largely unchanged. Airborne transmission means that the illness might have the potential to spread through particles known as aerosols, which can hover in...

Jun 30, 2020

Heartburn medication tied to higher COVID-19 risk — but don’t panic

Taking a common form of heartburn medication may moderately raise the risk of contracting COVID-19, according to a new study. Based on an online survey of more than 86,600 people, more than 3,300 of whom caught COVID-19, the results suggest that those who take proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) may be...

Jun 30, 2020

Does UV light kill the new coronavirus?

Ultraviolet light has been used to stop pathogens in their tracks for decades. But does it work against SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind the pandemic? The short answer is yes. But it takes the right kind of UV in the right dosage, a complex operation that is best administered by trained...

Jun 30, 2020

Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine shows promise in first published results

An experimental COVID-19 vaccine from the biotech company Moderna showed promising results in an early trial of 45 participants, according to the first trial data from the company to be published in a peer-reviewed journal. After receiving two doses of the vaccine, called mRNA-1273, all participants developed so-called neutralizing antibodies,...

Jun 30, 2020

Contact tracing won't curb COVID-19 spread if testing is too slow

Contact tracing is a key strategy for controlling the spread of COVID-19, but a new study finds that delays in COVID-19 testing will significantly hamper this process. The study researchers found that even the best contact-tracing strategy — where all contacts of an infected person are identified and alerted —...

Jun 30, 2020

Should schools reopen amid the pandemic?

Editor's Note: This article was updated at 4:23 pm ET on July 21 to include results from a large study conducted in South Korea about virus transmission among household contacts. Just a few months ago, Erica Fuhrman would spend her days teaching children with special needs alongside their typical curriculum...

Jun 30, 2020

Woman's migraine medication caused a bizarre 'medieval' disease

A woman's migraine medication caused a rare reaction: a burning sensation in her legs and the loss of one of her toes, according to a new report of the case. Doctors diagnosed the woman with ergotism — also known as St. Anthony's fire — a now uncommon condition that once...

Jun 30, 2020

Breastfeeding appears safe for mothers with COVID-19, if they take precautions

Mothers with COVID-19 appear unlikely to pass the disease to their newborn babies — even if they breastfeed and share the same room — provided they take certain precautions, a small new study suggests. The study found that, out of 120 babies born to mothers with COVID-19, none contracted the...

Jun 30, 2020

XPrize launches $5 million competition for better COVID-19 tests

A new XPrize competition calls on the world's brightest minds to develop faster and cheaper COVID-19 tests, with a $5 million reward for the winner. The competition was launched Tuesday (July 28) by XPrize, the nonprofit organization that runs public competitions to encourage tech innovations that benefit humanity. Dubbed XPrize...

Jun 30, 2020

260 kids and teens infected with COVID-19 at Georgia sleepaway camp

More than 250 children and teens tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a sleepaway camp in Georgia, according to a new report. The young staff and campers took some measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as keeping children in groups based on their cabins, social distancing outside of...

May 31, 2020

Ancient DNA could reveal full stories on the Dead Sea Scrolls

The Dead Sea Scrolls are made up of tens of thousands of manuscript fragments — mostly made of parchment, or animal skin. Now, scientists are analyzing tiny traces of ancient DNA in these fragments to piece together the story of the early text. In the 1940s, the first of the...

May 31, 2020

Hydroxychloroquine doesn't prevent people from catching COVID-19, study finds

Taking the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine did not prevent people from coming down with COVID-19 after being exposed to the disease, according to a new study. The study, published Wednesday (June 3) in the New England Journal of Medicine, is the first of its kind to examine hydroxychloroquine as a way...