Category: Health

Microplastics are a big environmental issue. They’ve been found in oceans, drinking water, seafood, the air we breathe, and increasingly throughout the human body, from the placenta to the brain. A new study by researchers in Italy, published in the European Heart Journal, adds another organ to that growing list: the heart’s own blood supply. […]

Julien-images-videos-93/Shutterstock.com Bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics are linked to millions of deaths a year – a number set to grow dramatically. From hospital wards to farms, resistance is being driven by how, and how often, we use antibiotics. Dr Sam Willcocks, director of the Antimicrobial Innovations Centre at Brunel University London, answers key questions […]

Skorzewiak/Shutterstock.com Melatonin is best known for helping us sleep. But a new study suggests it might have another surprising use: easing muscle and joint pain. Produced naturally by the pineal gland in the brain at night, melatonin helps regulate the body’s sleep-wake cycle. That’s why this hormone is widely used as a treatment for insomnia […]

Song about summer/Shutterstock.com The risk of dementia rises as the brain ages. One reason is that connections between brain cells weaken over time. Diseases of the brain, such as Alzheimer’s and stroke, can speed this up, eventually leading to dementia, a loss of mental abilities and a loss of independence. Scientists can now estimate a […]

yucelyilmaz/Shutterstock The UK Space Agency and space startup Vast just signed an agreement to send Paralympic sprinter and below-knee amputee John McFall into orbit as early as 2027. Most coverage framed it as a victory for inclusion. As a space health researcher, I think something far more interesting happened. For 70 years, spaceflight has assumed […]

Sebw/Shutterstock “I think you always believe it’s never going to happen to me.” That is how one parent described learning that their newborn baby had been identified as being at possible risk of a rare genetic condition through routine newborn screening. Known as the newborn blood spot test, or heel prick test, this involves taking […]

On football pitches across the UK, thousands of people in their 50s, 60s and 70s are proving that the beautiful game does not have to end with age. Walking football is a variation of running football (or soccer) mostly targeted at older people. But what’s it like to play football later in life? According to […]

Thousands of students heading to university or residential college this autumn will be eligible for a free meningococcal group B (MenB) vaccine, following an outbreak in Kent earlier this year that was linked to two deaths. From July 20, participating pharmacies across England will offer MenB vaccinations to eligible students. Here’s what you need to […]

Marharyta44/Shutterstock.com The heatwaves of late May and June killed an estimated 2,700 people in England and Wales, according to a recent analysis – around 550 in May, when west London hit 35.1°C, and 2,200 in June, as East Anglia reached 37°C. Both events broke records that had stood since 1944 and 1976, and researchers estimate […]

Metabolic syndrome is linked to higher risk of many health problems – including those that affect the brain. Belight/ Shutterstock An estimated one in four adults worldwide has metabolic syndrome. While metabolic syndrome is most often thought of as a warning sign that diabetes or cardiovascular disease may be on the horizon, my team’s new […]