Stories by Josh Fischman

Supplements, surprising treatments, immunity-boosting vaccines and even exercises can help the immune system do its job

The common pain reliever is safe when used as directed, research shows. But scientists remain puzzled by one aspect: how it reduces pain and fever

China is having a fast-rising chikungunya outbreak in a place that has never had one before.

Experts say the painful infection, spread to people from mosquitoes, can get to many countries if it finds the right hosts

This explorer spacecraft is heading to a rare asteroid with a naked metal core. It could hold clues to how Earth began

As the measles outbreak in the U.S. gets bigger, HHS’s secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., touts nonvaccine treatments. But they generally don’t help and can carry dangers

The detection of bird flu in a sheep is another sign that the H5N1 virus is adapting to hop to new hosts

Some songs get stuck in our head more than others, and scientists have uncovered what makes them so irresistible.

People are really stressed about the U.S. presidential election. A psychiatrist offers several self-help methods to reduce feelings of despair

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to biochemist David Baker, and Google DeepMind scientists Demis Hassabis and John Jumper, for predicting protein shapes and functions— and for creating entirely new ones that can improve health and the environment

Doctors are starting to prescribe vegetables or entire meals to ward off disease.

Cows and at least one person in the U.S. have been sickened by avian influenza. We asked experts about the risk to humans.

The deadly virus was practically eliminated in the U.S., but now it’s infecting more people.

A quick nap can boost your memory, your mood and even your creativity

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), long dismissed by doctors, causes immune system dysfunction and other problems. But treatments are lacking.

Nose-plus-throat swabbing for COVID could increase test accuracy—but could create problems, too

A noninvasive test for genetic material could predict embryo quality in IVF.

When symptoms start, COVID tests may say you’re not infected when you really are.

The holidays are a time for indulgence, but there are ways to drink alcohol without suffering the painful effects.

Problems with the heart, kidneys and metabolic health are all connected

Fewer kids got their routine childhood vaccines since before the pandemic. Are lack of access and a loss of trust in science to blame?

Daytime naps of about 30 minutes really improve your thinking and may spark creativity.

More than half of our diet consists of foods that have been industrially processed in some way, and they may be harmful to our health

The dangerous virus is still here. Here’s how you can stay safe.