A massive hurricane, a historic drought, and 16 other major disasters across the US collectively racked up $165 billion in damages and killed at least 474 people in 2022, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) analysis published Tuesday.
NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information track the biggest of the big disasters, each one costing at le…
Read moreIn the largest long-term study of COVID-19 patients yet to be published, researchers in China report in the Lancet worrying results of the disease’s lingering impact on people’s health.
The scientists, led by Dr. Bin Cao from the China-Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing, studied 1,276 people discharged between January to May 2020 from Jin Yin-Tan Hospital in Wuhan a…
Read moreMany are aware of the Cancer Moonshot—an ambitious and hopeful initiative of the U.S. government to reduce cancer-related death rates by 50% by the year 2047. It will take an army to achieve this goal, composed of the brightest minds and biggest hearts in healthcare, science, and technology. Many parties will be involved—the federal government, healthcare providers, researchers, patients, c…
Read moreAustralia will ban the importation of disposable vapes starting Jan. 1, the government announced on Tuesday, citing concerns of young people becoming addicted to nicotine. Plans for an import ban on nonprescription vaping products were first announced in May, as part of a broader set of legislation aimed at cracking down on the vape industry and stamping out recreational vaping, which authoriti…
Read moreThe antiviral drug regimen Paxlovid can be lifesaving for people vulnerable to COVID-19’s worst effects, helping them avoid hospitalization or worse if they catch the virus.
But what about adults who are young and healthy? Is there any reason they should take Paxlovid if they catch COVID-19?
Right now, there’s “no proven benefit” to doing so, and even some potential downside…
Read moreFor years, fossil fuel companies have invested in think tanks and propaganda efforts designed to cast doubt on the science of climate change. But in recent weeks a number of those same companies—and the conservative lawmakers that support them—have joined a push to keep President Donald Trump from withdrawing from the historic international Paris Agreement on climate change.
T…
Read moreEven before Simone Biles threw the Olympics off its axis, Jessica Bartley knew mental health issues were weighing heavily on the athletes in Tokyo. Bartley, a psychologist and the director of mental health services for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, says her team received about 10 requests daily during the Games to support athletes’ mental health needs.
Most of the calls…
Read moreTraditionally, scientists shirk political debate, preferring to stay out of the partisan fray. But in the months since the 2016 election, many in the scientific community have been vocal about their concerns that the Trump Administration is making decisions and budgetary recommendations that could imperil their work. For instance, a $5.8 billion proposed cut to the National Institutes of Health…
Read moreThe pseudo-scientific formula that explains most human bonding is basically time + affection + togetherness = relationship. So what happens to humans and their interconnectedness when two of the key elements—time and togetherness—are removed or increased? Can digital communication replace human to human contact? How do couples cope with stressful events they have never before encoun…
Read moreBrick-and-mortar stores have expanded their bag of tricks — and gotten increasingly bold — as they look to lure shoppers who might otherwise be happy to stay on the couch and pick up gifts while still in their pajamas.The flagship Bloomingdale’s store in New York has held yoga classes, and Nordstrom has displayed Tesla cars near the section for men’s suits.
A number of shops now ply vis…
Read more