Thursday, 9 February, 2012

Fetal alcohol syndrome causes mental and physical probems in one percent of American babies. Why is alcohol so damaging to young brains, and what can we do about it?

People pray for the health of friends and family. Can science prove these prayers work? Should it try? Random, double-blind studies tread the natural-supernatural schism.

Bird flu is spreading like mad in poultry and wild birds. It’s killed more than 60 people. What can we do if it starts spreading directly between people?

Think people without health insurance still get decent medical care? This study say “think again”: People with insurance were 2x as likely to get a prompt doctors appointment after visiting the ER.

Along with the students, head lice are heading back to school this fall. Researchers say combs are the best way to dismiss an infestation of the little buggers. (The lice, not the kids…)

Farms release airborne, drug-resistant bacteria, and indoor air could be making you sick. More news about the particles we breathe every day.

Where did tattooing and piercing originate, and what do they signify? What are the medical risks?

Losing your sense of smell raises your chance of an accident.

Common influenza infects people around the world. What are the dangers of pandemic bird flu, and what can we do to avoid them? What are the roles of vaccines, international cooperation, and national governments?

Brain damage and dementia in Down’s Syndrome resemble damage from Alzheimer’s disease — study could lead to earlier diagnosis for Alzheimer’s.