Credit: PixabayHere’s a powerful perspective to motivate yourself or others to quit smoking: each cigarette smoked reduces life expectancy by an estimated 20 minutes, according to researchers. Quitting for just a week could extend your life by an entire day.This updated metric, calculated by researchers from University College London (UCL), builds on a 2000...
Credit: DepositphotosIt’s well known that excessive sitting is harmful, but a new study highlights a critical detail: spending over 10.5 hours a day sitting or lying down may increase the risk of severe heart problems, even with regular exercise.This study adds nuance to our understanding of the balance between the risks of a sedentary...
Credit: DepositphotosFrequent ScienceAlert readers are likely aware of how widespread microplastics are—found in human tissue, ancient rocks, and bottled water—but they may be surprised by the sheer number of these tiny particles hiding in a single tea bag.However, researchers from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) in Spain have discovered that a single tea...
Credit: PixabayA study from Lund University, Sweden, reinforces the link between added sugar and heart disease but reveals a surprising finding: occasional sweet treats may reduce cardiovascular risk compared to a strict "zero-sugar" diet. However, this benefit does not apply to other sugar sources like sweetened drinks or sugary toppings."This surprising contrast highlights the...
Credit: DepositphotosStaying hydrated is widely recognized as essential for health, but a new study delves into the specific benefits of drinking plenty of water—revealing more advantages than you might expect.Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) analyzed 18 prior studies, with a median of 48 participants per study. Most of these studies...
Credit: PixabayPromising cancer drug dostarlimab is advancing toward broader availability after receiving Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA. This designation aims to expedite its development and market approval, potentially cutting years off its timeline if further testing is successful.Dostarlimab (Jemperli), a PD-1-blocking antibody, showed groundbreaking results in clinical trials, eliminating rectal cancer tumors without...
Credit: PixabayA revolutionary fertility technique that uses stem cells to aid embryo maturation outside the human body has led to the birth of the world’s first baby conceived through this method. Gameto, the company behind this breakthrough, highlights that the process is quicker, safer, and more accessible compared to traditional in vitro fertilization (IVF).Since...
Transmission electron micrograph of bird flu virus particles (orange) in kidney cells (green). (NIAID/Flickr/CC BY 2.0)An elderly patient in Louisiana is critically ill with severe avian influenza, marking the first serious human case in the United States. This development, announced by U.S. authorities on Wednesday, has intensified concerns about a potential bird flu pandemic.The Louisiana...
Credit: PixabayFrom vegetarians suddenly craving meat to shifts in sexual preferences, some organ transplant recipients report personality changes that seem to mirror traits of their organ donors.A 2024 study challenges "conventional views of memory and identity," suggesting that organs might carry memories and emotions. These findings spark significant ethical and philosophical debates about transplantation....
Credit: PixabayA previously unidentified disease responsible for dozens of deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo is likely malaria, the African Union's health agency reported on Thursday.First detected in late October, the outbreak has primarily affected the Panzi region, located about 700 kilometers (435 miles) southeast of the capital, Kinshasa. Ngashi Ngongo, Africa CDC's...
