Ed Cara, Author at Gizmodo | Page 125 of 152

Stop Brushing Your Teeth With Charcoal Toothpaste

Trendy toothpastes made with charcoal are likely a worse option for your teeth than traditional toothpaste, according to some British dentists. In a new paper, they argue that the claims behind these products, like better whitening, are completely unproven, and that they might even speed along tooth decay and other dental problems. Charcoal has become…

Health Ed Cara May 10 '19

Meditation Really Freaks Some People Out, Study Finds

One of the most stereotypical relaxing things to do—meditation—may actually cause distress for some people, according to the findings of a survey released this week. It found that more than a quarter of regular meditators have had bad experiences related to their meditation. Plenty of research has looked into the potential benefits of meditation and…

Health Ed Cara May 10 '19

These Are the U.S. Counties Where Measles Could Strike Next

Like every single live-action Disney movie out this year, measles is making the comeback no one asked for. Already, there have been more than 700 cases of the viral and vaccine-preventable disease reported in the U.S. this year—a record high since it was eradicated in the country nearly 20 years ago. Things could get much…

Health Ed Cara May 9 '19

Yet More Research Links Appendectomies and Parkinson’s Disease

New research has found a perplexing, though relatively small link between the devastating neurological illness Parkinson’s disease and having your appendix removed. But it’s still unclear just what exactly this could mean, and it’s definitely not a reason to avoid an appendectomy if you need one. Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that currently afflicts…

Health Ed Cara May 9 '19

Stop Trying to Make Your Own Cat Food

People who use homemade cat food—based on recipes from books and the internet—to feed their precious felines may be inadvertently harming them, suggests a new study out this week. The study’s authors found that all of the nearly 100 recipes they examined had at least one glaring dietary flaw. In some cases, they even contained…

Biology Ed Cara May 8 '19

Coca-Cola Can Terminate Health Research It Funds, Investigation Finds

The bounty of research funding provided by companies such as Coca-Cola to universities and elsewhere may come with some major strings attached, according to an investigation out Tuesday. The paper’s authors describe evidence of Coca-Cola crafting research agreements with universities in the U.S. and Canada that allowed the company to end studies at its whim,…

Health Ed Cara May 8 '19

Is Science Broken? Major New Report Outlines Problems in Research

A new report released this week by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is weighing in on a contentious debate within the science world: the idea that scientific research is fundamentally flawed, rife with published findings that often can’t be reproduced or replicated by other scientists, otherwise known as the replication and reproducibility…

Tech News Ed Cara May 7 '19

FDA Study Finds that Sunscreen Chemicals Reach Our Bloodstream, but the Health Risks Are Unclear

Researchers at the Food and Drug Administration have found that people who regularly use certain sunscreens may be absorbing higher-than-safe levels of active ingredients into their bodies. But the scientists caution that it’s still unclear whether these products could be posing any health risks. And importantly, they recommend that people continue to use sunscreen. Sunscreens…

Health Ed Cara May 6 '19

Using Neurostimulation to Treat ADHD Isn’t as Scary as It Sounds

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration cleared the Monarch external Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (eTNS) system, a medical device that provides mild brain stimulation to treatment attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children ages 7 to 12. Judging by the comments and reader emails Gizmodo got about our article on the device, it’s clear there are…

Health Ed Cara May 3 '19

These Scientists Want to Redefine Alzheimer’s as a ‘Double-Prion’ Disease

Researchers this week say their work should upturn the conventional narrative of how Alzheimer’s disease happens. They argue the progression of Alzheimer’s is driven by a very specific form of two proteins that play a crucial role in the disease, and these forms should be considered prions—potentially infectious proteins that self-replicate by turning their brethren…

Health Ed Cara May 3 '19

Narwhal Genome Reveals Another Way That Narwhals Are Weird

One of the most recognizable animals of the sea, the narwhal, is even more unique than their looks would suggest, according to a new study of their genetics released this week. It found that the genetic diversity of these horned whales is astonishingly low compared to similar animals living in the arctic waters. Yet, despite…

Biology Ed Cara May 2 '19

Intriguing New Drug Therapies May Boost Social Skills in People with Autism

New research seems to show encouraging progress in helping treat the complex neurodevelopmental disorder autism. Two unrelated clinical trials, involving men and children with autism, suggest that using drugs to interact with a hormone called vasopressin could improve the social functioning of people living with the disorder, though one approach may be better than the…

Health Ed Cara May 1 '19

Sleep Drugs Like Ambien Will Get a New FDA Warning About Potentially Fatal Side Effects

The Food and Drug Administration is forcing certain sleep drugs to carry a deadly serious warning about the rare, frightening side effects they can cause. The side effects, which have reportedly caused serious injuries and even deaths, include sleepwalking and other intricate behaviors done while a person is sleeping or not fully awake, like driving…

Health Ed Cara Apr 30 '19

Researchers Say They’ve Created a Blood Test for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Researchers at Stanford University and elsewhere say they’ve taken an important step in potentially helping people with a barely understood ailment that’s long been viewed skeptically by the public and even some doctors. They claim to have created a blood test that may be able to readily identify people who have myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known…

Health Ed Cara Apr 30 '19

Peanut Immunotherapy May Actually Increase Your Risk of Serious Allergic Reactions

A promising therapy for certain food allergies may be riskier than hoped, according to a new review. It found that patients with a peanut allergy given oral immunotherapy—a treatment that exposes them to small doses of the food over time—were more likely to experience life-threatening allergic reactions like becoming unable to breathe and other serious…

Health Ed Cara Apr 26 '19

How Much Worse Could This Measles Outbreak Get?

As of this week, there have been 695 cases of measles in the U.S. across more than 20 states this year—the highest annual toll seen since the disease was declared extinguished in the U.S. in 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Given that it’s only April and we’ve already broken a…

Health Ed Cara Apr 26 '19

No Screen Time for Kids Under 2, WHO Says

The World Health Organization is coming out strong against letting young kids watch TV or play with smartphones, and is pushing parents to help their kids stay active and get enough sleep. This week, the global public health agency released its recommendations on the amount of physical activity and sleep children under the age of five…

Health Ed Cara Apr 25 '19

People Born Before 1989 May Need Another Measles Vaccine

The U.S. is in the middle of the worst outbreak of measles since the disease was eradicated from the country in 2000. But while the majority of victims are children whose parents decided not to vaccinate them or people who have chosen to go unvaccinated, even some people who got the measles vaccine as children…

Health Ed Cara Apr 25 '19

Scientists Had Volunteers Get High to See How CBD and THC Affect the Brain Differently

Cannabidiol—the ingredient of cannabis that doesn’t make you high, commonly called CBD—might be the angel to THC’s devil, a new study of people’s brains suggests. The research found that 17 people who smoked cannabis with mostly THC had worse brain function in certain regions than those who smoked cannabis with roughly equal levels of THC…

Health Ed Cara Apr 25 '19

A Common Preservative in Cheese and Bread Could Negatively Affect Our Metabolism, Study Finds

In recent years, scientists have started cautiously warning about the subtle harms that certain food additives might be causing in people. A new study out Wednesday suggests that the common food preservative propionate could be one of these additives to be worried about. In experiments in both mice and people, it found eating propionate could…

Health Ed Cara Apr 24 '19

Ed Cara

Stop Brushing Your Teeth With Charcoal Toothpaste

Meditation Really Freaks Some People Out, Study Finds

These Are the U.S. Counties Where Measles Could Strike Next

Yet More Research Links Appendectomies and Parkinson’s Disease

Stop Trying to Make Your Own Cat Food

Coca-Cola Can Terminate Health Research It Funds, Investigation Finds

Is Science Broken? Major New Report Outlines Problems in Research

FDA Study Finds that Sunscreen Chemicals Reach Our Bloodstream, but the Health Risks Are Unclear

Using Neurostimulation to Treat ADHD Isn’t as Scary as It Sounds

These Scientists Want to Redefine Alzheimer’s as a ‘Double-Prion’ Disease

Narwhal Genome Reveals Another Way That Narwhals Are Weird

Intriguing New Drug Therapies May Boost Social Skills in People with Autism

Sleep Drugs Like Ambien Will Get a New FDA Warning About Potentially Fatal Side Effects

Researchers Say They’ve Created a Blood Test for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Peanut Immunotherapy May Actually Increase Your Risk of Serious Allergic Reactions

How Much Worse Could This Measles Outbreak Get?

No Screen Time for Kids Under 2, WHO Says

People Born Before 1989 May Need Another Measles Vaccine

Scientists Had Volunteers Get High to See How CBD and THC Affect the Brain Differently

A Common Preservative in Cheese and Bread Could Negatively Affect Our Metabolism, Study Finds

Ex-OpenAI CTO Mira Murati Testifies About Sam Altman Allegedly Lying to Her

Michael Saylor’s Bitcoin Treasury Company Posts $12.5 Billion Loss, Boasts That People Are Still Giving It Money

After Sales Stall at the Start of 2026, Lucid Drops Production Target

Every Day Is a Perfect Day to Watch ‘Redline’

Google DeepMind Gets Into Gaming, Purchases Stake in the Company Behind EVE Online

This Experimental Low-Waste Fuel Could Transform Nuclear Reactors

Lower Your Phone Bill With Mint Mobile, Plans Start at $10 per Month With New Promo Code

‘Fantastic Four’ Director Matt Shakman Will Helm Next ‘Planet of the Apes’ Movie

Elon Musk Teams Up With Anthropic, a Company He’s Called ‘Evil’

Alaska’s Famous Fjords Are Becoming a Cruise Ship Nightmare

Samsung Galaxy A57 5G Review: Not Worth It at Full Price

Logitech G G512 X Review: The Tasting Menu of a Pro Gaming Keyboard

Ecovacs Deebot X12 OmniCyclone Review: AI Can’t Save This Robot Vacuum

The Best Tech Gifts for Mother’s Day 2026

Asus’ Dual-Display Gaming Laptop Will Ruin Your Single-Screen Lifestyle

Steam Controller Review: Trackpads Change Everything for PC Gaming

Soundcore Space 2 Review: A Shockingly Stellar Value for Budget ANC Wireless Headphones

Anker’s UV Printer Can Handle Almost Anything… If You Know What You’re Doing

HP’s EliteBoard Keyboard-Computer Proves We Can Stick a PC in Anything

Sleep-Tracking Earbuds Didn’t Fix Me, but They Did Open My Eyes