Health

The Mississippi Girl “Cured” of HIV Was Not Actually Cured

In March, 2013, doctors reported that a Mississippi-born child treated early and aggressively for HIV had been effectively cured of the virus. Now, the child’s doctors say the infection has returned. “It felt very much like a punch to the gut,” said Dr. Hannah Gay of the University of Mississippi, who initially handled the child’s…

Climate change creates conditions that increase the risk of disease for both animals and humans. Health officials are especially concerned about the vulnerability of livestock—which accounts for 40% of global agricultural GDP, employs 1.3 billion people, and provides one-third of human protein intake.

The Simplest Way to Track Your Sleep Yet

A lot of us suck at sleep. But exactly how do we suck at it? Do we toss and turn a lot? Snore? Are we roused by outside noises? Well, the new Misfit Beddit Sleep System promises to answer those questions. You might remember Misfit as the makers of the Shine—one of the most attractive…

Smallpox Virus Samples Found In Unprotected Government Fridge

While preparing for move to a new location, researchers at the US National Institutes of Health discovered a cardboard box inside a storage room refrigerator. To their horror, the vials inside were labeled “variola” — the name of the virus that causes smallpox. The virus that was supposed to have been eradicated in 1980 doesn’t…

Cholesterol Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means

Many new studies are complicating our understanding of the role cholesterol plays in heart disease. And last month, a group of researchers published the results of a study showing that what you thought you knew about “bad” cholesterol is probably wrong — or at least far too simplistic. Over at KQED, Liza Gross has the…

A Simple Blood Test Could Predict the Onset of Alzheimer’s

Scientists have developed a new blood test that can predict who will develop Alzheimer’s disease a year after having mild memory problems—and it could be in clinical use within two years. Researchers from King’s College London have developed a test which identifies 10 proteins in blood that can predict who will develop Alzheimer’s. It’s around…

Apple has added on-device step counting to its iOS 8 beta’s Health app—though it almost certainly uses the M7 motion tracking hardware of the iPhone 5S to work.

Now You Can Print 3D Models of Your Internal Organs

The National Institutes of Health has joined the Maker movement with the launch of its 3D Print Exchange, a website that allows users to download, edit and share models of anatomy, bacteria and lab equipment. The goal is to provide a creative commons where people from all walks of life can advance medical research. For…

The Dangers (and Benefits) of Designing Mutant Super Viruses

Take an already deadly flu virus like H1N1—killer of an estimated 284,000 people—and imagine how to make it worse. How about a virus impossible for your immune system to detect? This is not just a thought experiment—a controversial Wisconsin lab known for concocting dangerous mutant viruses has actually created such an immune-evading H1N1 virus. What’s…

If Medical Marijuana Is Legalized, You Can Thank The Tea Party

Politics makes strange bedfellows—except for the Tea Party, which doesn’t sleep with anyone. The Conservative movement has defined itself by its “no compromise” approach toward politics. So, why did Tea Party members of Congress support Democrats on a key vote on medical marijuana? A total of 49 Republicans joined Democrats in supporting legislation, co-sponsored by…

Can Meditation Really Slow Ageing?

It’s seven in the morning on the beach in Santa Monica, California. The low sun glints off the waves and the clouds are still golden from the dawn. The view stretches out over thousands of miles of Pacific Ocean. In the distance, white villas of wealthy Los Angeles residents dot the Hollywood hills. Here by…

This is why you are still alive: How the immune system works

Why are we still alive when our bodies are constantly under attack from bacteria, viruses and more? As this video explains, it is because we have a coordinated army of cells fighting for our cause—and this is thanks to our immune systems. SPLOID is a new blog about awesome stuff. Join us on Facebook

Is Urine Actually Sterile?

There’s a long held myth that urine is sterile: that you can use it to treat jellyfish stings, sterilize a wound or, hell, even drink it in an emergency. But new research suggests it may not be quite as pure as you thought. In fact, the idea that it is sterile stems from the fact…

You May Not Know About One of the Most Important Organs in Your Body

Billions of microbes live in your gut. Together they form a “microbiome,” and they are so important to your health and moods that biologists now call the gut microbiome an internal organ. But what is this organ and how does it work? This video from Youreka Science explains it all for you.

Why Solitary Confinement Is The Worst Kind Of Psychological Torture

There may be as many as 80,000 American prisoners currently locked-up in a SHU, or segregated housing unit. Solitary confinement in a SHU can cause irreversible psychological effects in as little as 15 days. Here’s what social isolation does to your brain, and why it should be considered torture. There’s no universal definition for solitary…

The Weird Pattern On this Girl’s Eyeball Is From an Airbag

Airbags certainly do save lives, but getting hit in the face at 200 mph—even by a bag of air—is not without its consequences. A teenage girl in Michigan got a real eyeful when an inflating airbag actually left its mesh pattern on the surface of her eye. In this case, the airbag inflated so fast…

More Than Two-Thirds of American Youth Don’t Qualify for the Military

Calling it a “national security matter,” the Pentagon says that 71% of Americans aged 17 to 24 would fail to qualify for military service owing to physical, behavioral, or educational shortcomings. Obesity is a big part of the problem, but it’s hardly the whole story. Obesity is the single biggest reason for being turned away.…

How Chilies Can Be Used to Treat Pain

Humans are, essentially, sadomasochists. For more 600 years we have sought out, cultivated, eaten, applied to our skin and even weaponized a chemical capable of making us feel heat and pain. Heat, it seems, is desirable. Whether in the kitchen or the bedroom, we have embraced the volcanic properties of the chili pepper to enhance…

Is Congress About to Reduce Funding for Bioterrorism Vaccines?

In 2004, Congress passed the Project BioShield Act—a ten-year, $5.6 billion fund for purchasing vaccines to use in the event of a bioterrorist attack. But, faced with budget constraints and perceptions of a decreased terrorist threat, Congress is having second thoughts about how it funds the program. Project BioShield established steady, guaranteed funding of $560…

Should Google Be Allowed to Mine Your Health Care Data?

On the heels of the I/O keynote on Thursday, Google cofounder Larry Page spilled his guts to Farhad Manjoo from The New York Times. “Right now we don’t data-mine health care data,” Page said. “If we did we’d probably save 100,000 lives next year.” But is that actually a good idea? Mining health care is…