Author: Adam Taylor, Professor of Anatomy, Lancaster University

MDV Edwards/Shutterstock Whooping cough, medically known as pertussis, is a highly contagious bacterial infection that affects the airways. It gets its common name from the “whoop” sound that some infected children make when they take a deep, gasping breath after a severe coughing fit. The infection is caused by the bacterium bordetella pertussis, with research […]

Fibroblast, collagen and elastin fibres. Olga Zinkevych/Shutterstock Collagen has become a staple of skincare advertising and social media wellness trends. But it is not just a buzzword. It is the most abundant protein in the body and helps support structures throughout the body, including skin and bone. For women, collagen loss can become especially noticeable […]

Postpartum pre-eclampsia can affect as many as 27% of mums. antoniodiaz/ Shutterstock During pregnancy, a mother’s body undergoes vast structural and functional changes. But what many might not know is that the after-effects of these changes can last long after giving birth – and can even result in the development of new health conditions. Here […]

When missiles and drones strike populated areas, the images that follow tend to show destroyed buildings and burning streets. What they rarely capture is what happens inside the bodies of those nearby, including people who walk away apparently unharmed. The injuries caused by modern explosive munitions are wide-ranging, often hidden, and can develop hours or […]

Those who have tried the viral 'hack' say it does make push-ups easier to do. Microgen/ Shutterstock Push-ups can be a challenge for the best of us. But many women struggle to do them, even after months of training in the gym. So when a so-called “women’s push-up hack” started trending on social media, it’s […]

The sports featured at the Winter Olympics defy gravity and physics. Many competitors move at breakneck speeds down steep, snowy inclines or careen across icy surfaces in a bid to set world records and earn their place on the podium. But as exciting as these events are for spectators, they also place competitors at serious […]

Nicoleta Ionescu/Shutterstock.com For most people, cold weather is an inconvenience, requiring an extra layer of clothing or the thermostat to be turned up. For others, exposure to cold can trigger an allergic reaction severe enough to cause them to collapse. Cold urticaria is a rare but potentially dangerous condition in which contact with cold temperatures […]

Toa55/Shutterstock.com You’re relaxing on the sofa when suddenly your eyelid starts twitching. Or perhaps it’s a muscle in your arm, your leg, or your foot that begins to spasm – sometimes for a few seconds, sometimes for hours or even days. It’s an unsettling sensation that affects about 70% of people at some point in […]

Miridda/Shutterstock For some women, pregnancy is a time of profound loss. Not all pregnancies progress as expected. One serious complication is ectopic pregnancy, a condition in which a fertilised egg implants somewhere other than the uterus. The uterus is the only organ designed to stretch, supply blood and safely support a developing pregnancy. When implantation […]