During Tuesday night’s presidential debate, President Trump said that Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, was dishonorably discharged from the military for cocaine use. Though The Washington Post reports that his discharge was administrative, not dishonorable, Hunter Biden’s struggle with alcohol…
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Life in a food desert, where fresh produce is 2 bus rides from home
Willie Brown carefully guided his cart of groceries off the Trinity Metro Bus. The cart thumped on the ground, and he slowly pushed it across an empty parking lot toward home. Thirty years ago, that empty parking lot would have…
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Buying emergency contraception is legal but not always easy at small, mom-and-pop pharmacies
About 22 percent of women between the ages of 15 and 44 report having used emergency contraception. But even though the Food and Drug Administration approved levonorgestrel—more commonly known as Plan B—for over-the-counter use for women of all ages in…
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Smoke alarms can save lives in informal settlements, if the design is right
Research published by the Medical Research Council in 2009 found that 300-400 fire-related deaths are reported annually in South Africa’s Western Cape province. This study also found that of South Africa’s metropolitan centers, the City of Cape Town has the…
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Poor bone quality is linked to poor heart health
New research by Queen Mary University of London and the University of Southampton’s Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit (MRC LEU) has found associations between lower bone mineral density and worse cardiovascular health in both men and women. Published in…
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Early birds vs night owls: For diabetics, an early bedtime is best
Conducted by the University of Leicester and the University of South Australia, the study assessed the bedtime preferences (sleep chronotypes) of people with type 2 diabetes, identifying a connection between bedtimes and healthy, active lifestyles. It found that night owls…
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Making gyms safer: Why the virus is less likely to spread there than in a bar
After shutting down in the spring, America’s empty gyms are beckoning a cautious public back for a workout. To reassure wary customers, owners have put in place—and now advertise—a variety of coronavirus control measures. At the same time, the fitness…
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AI beyond the buzz: 'The biggest element is the truth telling'
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already being used in advanced medical settings and it has multiple applications including, wearable technology, precision medicine and virtual clinics. In some cases, it can even interpret test results more accurately than physicians. While most of…
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Medical research is broken: Here’s how we can fix it
Every year, around US$200 billion (£150 billion) is spent globally on health research. Meanwhile, millions of people volunteer their time to be participants in health studies. Despite all the resources that go into creating medical research, though, there is a…
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Minimal SARS-CoV-2 diversity suggests a global vaccine is feasible
Genetic analysis of sequences from more than 27,000 individuals infected with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 reveals that the virus has mutated minimally since December 2019, suggesting one vaccine would be sufficient to combat global infections. The study was conducted…
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