Health

Public HealthJuly 24, 2026

Is buying lettuce off the table all summer?

Thousands of people have gotten sick from cyclospora. Experts can’t agree whether the end is in sight

Mary Randolph

BiologyJuly 24, 2026

Is it possible to regain a sense of smell? These scientists are working on it

Smell is one of the most complex and least understood senses

Hannah Docter-Loeb

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An illustration of a book cover with orange, yellow and pink hues that look like a sunset.

July 24, 2026

Are we too afraid of the sun? Scientists rethink sun exposure risks and benefits

Could sunlight actually improve your health? New research suggests we may need to rethink total sun avoidance

Rachel Feltman, Rowan Jacobsen, Fonda Mwangi, Alex Sugiura

ReproductionJuly 23, 2026

Doctors got transplanted testicular tissue in an infertile patient to grow sperm

The history of testicular transplants is long and often sordid, but this successful procedure offers hope for survivors of cancer and other diseases that affect fertility

Adam Kovac

A glowing orange organ in the chest cavity.

HealthJuly 21, 2026

This tiny, forgotten organ could help us live longer, healthier

A hormone produced by the thymus helps tamp down age-related inflammation, a new study in mice found

Jackie Flynn Mogensen

A woman prepares for a subcutaneous self-injection with a semaglutide pen

AgingJuly 19, 2026

America is embarking on a risky experiment with GLP-1s and aging

Are GLP-1s for life? What we know about getting older on weight-loss drugs

Liz Seegert

Woman hides under white blanket, only her long curly hair and dark manicured hands are visible

SleepJuly 17, 2026

Permanent daylight savings is bad for Americans’ health—here’s what science says could be better

More sunlight in the evenings doesn’t always equate to better health

Claire Maldarelli

A photomicrograph of a fresh stool sample, which had been prepared using a 10 percent formalin solution and stained with a modified acid-fast stain, revealed the presence of four Cyclospora cayetanensis oocysts in the field of view.

Public HealthJuly 17, 2026

Cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce supplied to Taco Bell

U.S. officials have traced an explosive-diarrhea-causing parasite outbreak in five states to shredded lettuce served at this popular fast-food chain

Claire Cameron

A three-dimensional visualization of thickened arteries and veins in coronary heart disease.

MedicineJuly 16, 2026

FDA approves cholesterol pill more powerful than statins

Most adults have levels of a dangerous type of cholesterol that are above 100, but this new drug can reduce levels to around 50

Claire Cameron

Prepackaged salad sits on the shelf at a Bell Market grocery store on June 19, 2003, in San Francisco, California.

Public HealthJuly 15, 2026

How to avoid getting cyclosporiasis—and why washing lettuce may not be enough

Case numbers of this parasite-caused illness have exploded in the last week. An expert explains how to try and stay safe

Adam Kovac

Erica Schwartz attends her nomination hearing to become Director Of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Capitol Hill July 15, 2026 in Washington, DC.

Public HealthJuly 15, 2026

Trump’s latest CDC chief pick commits to ‘never betray the science’ at Senate confirmation hearing

The White House nominated Erica Schwartz, a former deputy surgeon general, to head the nation’s top public health agency

Claire Cameron

Space ExplorationJuly 15, 2026

See the first x-rays of humans taken in space

Equipping spacecraft with x-ray machines could boost safety for long-duration spaceflights—like a crewed mission to Mars

Claire Cameron