Death, features and articles | Educational Science

Nov 30, 2005

A Myth that Rocks: The Premature Death of Paul McCartney

From the January-February issue of Skeptical Inquirer magazine. Did you know that Paul McCartney, the ex-Beatle, never actually left the band because . . . he died in 1966 and was then replaced by a lookalike? It sounds bizarre, and it is. The Paul is dead myth is one of...

Jan 31, 2006

Risk of Death Can Soar When Spouse is Sick

When a person over 65 is debilitated, the odds of dying within a year can increase dramatically for the spouse, a new study shows. If a man is diagnosed with dementia, for example, the risk of death skyrockets 28 percent for his wife over the next year. If it's the...

Apr 30, 2007

Mystery Deaths Plague Coroners

WASHINGTON—Edge-of-your-seat story lines ripped from the headlines and saturated with mind-taxing scientific clues are the hallmarks of forensic shows such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. While the coroners’ sleuthing can typically hone in on a cause of death by the show’s end, real medical examiners across the country are puzzled...

Sep 30, 2008

Death Rituals Reveal Much About Ancient Life

Cultures around the world and through time have had wildly varying ways of dealing with the dead. And since death weighs so heavy on a culture and is ultimately so mysterious, records of these practices, or deathways, are often more abundant than other ancient cultural accounts and provide illuminating windows...

Mar 31, 2016

Drug Overdose Deaths Increased 70-Fold in These US Counties

Some U.S. counties have seen a 70-fold increase in drug overdose deaths in the last few decades, a new study finds. However, the areas with the highest increases in drug overdose deaths are not always the places with the most drug trafficking, as identified by the government, the study found....

May 30, 2013

Self-Harm Linked to Earlier Natural Death

People who intentionally hurt themselves are known to be at an increased risk of committing suicide, but a new study finds they are also more likely to die young from natural causes. Researchers analyzed information from more than 30,000 people living in the United Kingdom who visited emergency departments for...

May 30, 2013

Methadone Blamed for 1 in 3 Painkiller Overdose Deaths

The painkiller methadone accounts for nearly one-third of all prescription painkiller overdose deaths in the United States, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2009, methadone was involved in 31.4 percent of the nearly 3,300 U.S. deaths involving opioid painkillers, the report said....

Jun 12, 2013

Restless Legs Syndrome Linked to Higher Risk of Early Death

Men who suffer from restless legs syndrome may not live as long as those without the condition, according to a new study. The study found that men with restless legs syndrome (RLS) were nearly 40 percent more likely to die over the eight-year study, compared to men without RLS. When...

Aug 12, 2013

Near-Death Experiences May Be Triggered by Surging Brain Activity

Near-death experiences could be caused by a surge of electrical firing in the dying brain, new research in animals suggests. In the study, rats whose hearts were stopped showed a surge of brain waves associated with consciousness, according to a new study published today (Aug. 12) in the journal Proceedings...

Oct 7, 2013

Death Rates Higher in Booming Economy

Death rates among middle-age and older people are higher when the economy is growing than when it's sliding into a recession, a new study finds. The researchers looked at 19 developed countries, and compared the historical figures of gross domestic product (GDP) — an indicator of national economic well-being —...

Oct 16, 2013

Life After Death? New Techniques Halt Dying Process

NEW YORK — The line between life and death is not as clear as once thought, now that developments in the science of resuscitation have made it possible to revive people even hours after their heart has stopped beating and they are declared dead, medical experts say. Historically, when a...

Dec 16, 2013

Neanderthals May Have Intentionally Buried Their Dead

Are modern humans the only species that has ever dug graves? New research suggests the answer is no: Neanderthals also may have intentionally buried their dead. The new findings are further evidence that Neanderthals might have possessed complex forms of thought — enough for special treatment of the dead, scientists...

Jan 7, 2014

Polar Vortex: Can a Person Freeze to Death?

With the polar vortex barreling down from the Arctic, bringing frigid air and record-setting cold temperatures across much of the U.S., the health risks of exposure to cold are real. A number of record lows for this date were set today (Jan. 7) in eastern U.S. cities, including 3 degrees...

Feb 19, 2014

Countries With the Most and Least Car-Crash Deaths

The rate of car crash fatalities varies across different countries, and a new report highlights which nations have the deadliest roads and the safest ones. The global average is 18 car-crash deaths per 100,000 people per year. (The United States is in the middle of the pack, ranking 97th with...

Feb 19, 2014

Countries with the Deadliest Roads Revealed

The nations with the most car-accident deaths have been highlighted in a new report. On average, 18 out of 100,000 people on the planet die in car accidents each year, but that fatality rate varies widely across different countries. Namibia has the highest car-accident death rate, with 45 people killed...