Medical Technology1337 articles archived since 1845

Exposed: Medical Imaging Delivers Big Doses of Radiation

Twitter Helped Doctors Tell Patients Where to Get Meds After Japan Earthquake

In the hours after the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and massive tsunami hit Japan in March, essential infrastructure and communication were cut off, leaving many of the disasters' survivors without access to phones, electricity or water...

HIV May Be Culprit in Spread of Measles

Pediatric HIV may be hindering measles eradication efforts

Altered Virus Calls Out Hidden Cancer Cells--and Might Help Fight Them, Too

Most forms of cancer still must be spotted visually to be diagnosed. But if a newly devised virus can do the job, it could track down cancer cells too small or well hidden to be seen in scans...

Reprogrammed Cells Repair Damaged Livers

Proof-of-principle study could point the way to averting the need for liver transplants.

Beyond Mammograms: Research Aims to Improve Breast Cancer Screening

Conventional breast cancer screening tests are far from perfect. The next scans could focus on sound, light, breath and elasticity

Hidden Organ in Our Eyes Found to Control Circadian Rhythms and Emotions

Our bodies adjust to the cycle of day and night thanks to specialized neurons in our eyes. Ongoing study of these cells could lead to new treatments for winter depression and other conditions...

A Cure for Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

Embryonic stem cells may help treat a leading cause of blindness

Cancer Testing? There's an App for That

Physicians are using smart phones to diagnose diseases, check blood cell counts and identify pathogens in drinking water

Did Rapid DNA Analysis Verify Osama Bin Laden's Death?

A few years ago, I worked as a Writing Department Intern for C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation and C.S.I. New York . Seeing producers, writers and real C.S.I.s collaboratively bring a story from pitch to beatsheat was intoxicating...

Forecasting the Future of Cloud Computing

Scientific American examines cloud computing, a network-centric approach to delivering information and services

Forecast for Processing and Storing Ever-Expanding Science Data: Cloudy

Outsourced computing power and an abundance of data storage has researchers looking online for resources to help them tackle tough problems

Bringing Back the "Apparently Dead"

In their August 28th, 1869, issue, Scientific American listed some techniques to aid in restoring breath to "persons apparently dead from drowning." The methods were given by Professor Benjamin Howard and were sanctioned by the Metropolitan Board of Health of the City of New York...

Armadillos Likely Transmitting Leprosy to Humans in Southern U.S.

The only animal besides humans known to harbor leprosy, wild armadillos seem to be spreading a newly identified strain to susceptible people

Protect yourself from the confidence man's moonshine

With the rising popularity of the radio and increased interest in broadcasting, Scientific American began running a section called “Radio Notes,” which appeared monthly.

Life Is Complicated: Systems Biology Untangles Old Mysteries [Video]

Biologists are turning to powerful computers to help them make sense of life's messiest parts

Fast Track to Vaccines: How Systems Biology Speeds Drug Development

Analyzing all the layers of the immune system at once speeds design and may one day deal a decisive blow against HIV

Readers Respond to "Flu Factories" and Other Articles

Letters to the editor from the January 2011 issue of Scientific American

Health care reform in one state may be a harbinger for national effort

Health care reform became law, and within four years, 98 percent of the population was covered by insurance. Only 0.2 percent of all children remained uncovered.

The Orderly Chaos of Proteins

To do their magic in the cell, proteins must fold into rigid shapes—or so standard wisdom says. But a more tangled story is beginning to emerge