Heart & Circulation, features and articles | Educational Science

Oct 18, 2023

What is a heart murmur?

When a doctor listens to someone's heartbeat, they typically hear a characteristic sound: lub-dub, lub-dub. In some people, though, this two-tone heartbeat is accompanied by whooshing or rasping noises, and these unusual sounds are called a heart murmur. But what is a heart murmur, exactly, and what causes it? A...

Jan 4, 2024

1st partial-heart transplant growing with baby 1 year later

A baby became the world's first partial-heart transplant recipient in 2022, and now, more than a year later, the toddler's transplanted tissues still show excellent function and are growing along with his body, doctors report. This publication is proof that this technology works, this idea works, and can be used...

Feb 10, 2024

'Ice printing' tiny sculptures could help scientists engineer blood vessels

Scientists are working to build blood vessels from human cells using tiny ice sculptures — these frigid 3D forms twist and branch like real arteries and can be used as temporary scaffolds that later get melted away, to be replaced by living cells. The researchers demonstrated the first step of...

Feb 12, 2024

What's the rarest blood type?

Different people have different types of blood running through their veins. Humans have four main blood groups: A, B, AB and O. These are defined by which antigens are present on the surface of red blood cells: Type A blood has the A antigen on red blood cells, B has...

Feb 14, 2024

Scientists unveil new 'heart-on-a-chip'

The heart is a near-universal symbol of love and one of the most vital organs in the body. Now, to better understand the inner workings of the heart, scientists have recreated the organ's biology in a device the size of a credit card. The new heart-on-a-chip device, developed by a...

Feb 26, 2024

Extreme exercise can pose risks. A cardiologist explains why.

Exercise has long been recognized by clinicians, scientists and public health officials as an important way to maintain health throughout a person's lifespan. It improves overall fitness, helps build strong muscles and bones, reduces the risk of chronic disease, improves mood and slows physical decline. Exercise can also significantly reduce...

Mar 13, 2024

Never-before-seen cells unveiled in detailed map of developing human heart

Scientists just published the most detailed map of the developing human heart to date. The atlas includes 75 types of heart cells, including cell types in the heart's valves and the muscles that fuel its beats that have never been seen before. It shows how these and other cells organize...