Futurity

While consumers may save a few bucks on groceries at dollar stores, they end up paying a higher price with their health. New University of California, Riverside research shows a link between dollar store food quality and higher rates of obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. Conversely, the study published in BMC Public Health links traditional grocery store access to better health metrics. These results held across the US, even accounting for factors including income an

Wearable sensors coupled with artificial intelligence can generate blood pressure readings nearly as well as the invasive and risky arterial lines relied on in intensive care units and operating rooms, new research demonstrates. Successful initial patient tests suggest the system could become an alternative to arterial catheters and offer hospitals the ability to monitor arterial blood pressure beyond intensive care units. The sensors could also give people with hypertension a way to continuousl

New research digs into why people’s pupils dilate when they’re surprised. When people encounter new information that challenges their expectations, their pupils are likely to dilate. This physiological response is a sign that something is happening in the brain to help the person adapt to the new situation, according to a new study. “Pupil dilation signals a spike in arousal, and our findings support the idea that these rapid fluctuations in arousal are doing something useful i

New research provides fresh insight into how environmental conditions influence black bear hibernation. The findings have implications for wildlife management in today’s environment. The study, led by Brogan Holcombe, a doctoral student in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation in the Virginia Tech College of Natural Resources and Environment, and coauthored by Professor Marcella Kelly and Bernardo Mesa-Cruz, examines how ambient temperature and day length interact to shape hiber

Researchers have found that a simple scheduling change can improve the health and well-being of physicians working overnight shifts. In a recent study, Matthew Robinson, chair of the emergency medicine department of in the School of Medicine at University of Missouri, examined emergency medicine physicians who regularly rotate between shifts. Rather than working their usual 10 PM to 6 AM shift during night rotations, physicians worked from 8 PM to 4 AM. Robinson found that the earlier schedule l

In a new podcast, a doctor explains how cancer immunotherapy uses the microbiome to create an “on-off” switch for tumors. For decades, traditional cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation have targeted tumors directly—often with severe side effects and mixed results. But what if the key to treating cancer was already inside our bodies? Professor Thomas Gajewski, a renowned oncologist at the University of Chicago, is leading a revolution by using the body’s gut microbio

“Always finish your antibiotics” is no longer considered medical best practice for all conditions. Surprised? You’re not alone. A new study has found that almost 90% of Americans believe that it’s always best to take the full course of antibiotics, even when you feel better—consistent with long-running but now outdated health campaigns. The reality is more complicated. Sometimes shorter courses are safer, and sometimes longer courses are best. The survey demonstrates a ne

A new study finds that one side effect of Trump-era trade wars has been cheaper whiskey in much of the United States. But if you live in whiskey hubs Kentucky or Tennessee? Your prices actually went up. In 2018, the Trump administration imposed a series of tariffs, kicking off a trade war with many prominent trade partners. In response, Mexico, the European Union, Canada, and China imposed substantial tariffs on whiskey produced in the US. “Distilled spirits are an interesting sector becau

Researchers found that employees who “doomscroll” at work suffer hidden costs that extend beyond lost productivity. Ian Hughes, assistant professor in the psychological and brain sciences department at Texas A&M University, led the study in Computers in Human Behavior, finding that employees who obsessively consume negative news during the workday are more likely to get stuck thinking about what they just read. As those thoughts linger, engagement with work tends to suffer. &#822

A new study provides an idea of why constipation is a well-known problem for astronauts in space. The researchers have examined blood samples from 52 astronauts who have participated in months long missions to the International Space Station. The study results identified gastrointestinal changes that occur shortly after the astronauts leave Earth and gravity behind. “We see changes in astronauts’ blood samples that indicate that the gut bacteria begin to ferment protein to a greater

In a cohort of nearly 3,000 boys followed from birth into childhood, young boys who were circumcised just after birth did not have a higher risk of autism, according to a new study. Two observational studies published over a decade ago—one in 2013 and another in 2015—suggested a possible circumcision-autism link. Media coverage following comments by administration officials last year resurfaced the earlier research. “We observed no association between circumcision and autism in boys…

Researchers have found that childfree people are more common in some states than others. “We’ve known that childfree adults were a large and growing group in the United States, but not whether they were concentrated in certain places,” says Zachary Neal, professor of psychology at Michigan State University and coauthor of the study. “These new data show that there’s a lot of variation. One in five are childfree in California and Michigan, but only one in ten are chi

A new study shows the promise of new approach to treat lung cancer. The need for more effective lung cancer treatments is paramount given that the disease remains a leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. The new findings by a research team from the Stony Brook Cancer Center highlight a novel therapeutic that is shown to be highly effective in reducing non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumors and appears to halt drug resistance in a laboratory model. The paper appears in the journa

Three minutes of sprinting can do something that 90 minutes of moderate exercise apparently cannot: dramatically reshape the molecular contents of the bloodstream. Rockefeller University researchers comparing different intensities of exercise found that six sets of 30-second, all-out sprints altered nearly a quarter of the proteins measured immediately afterward. Moderate, continuous cycling for 90 minutes altered fewer than one-quarter of one percent. And while moderate running on a treadmill c

New research shows the carbon emissions benefits of electric vehicles are far greater than initially suspected. American drivers have felt the pain of rising gas prices in recent months. There’s evidence this may be fueling interest in greener ways of getting around. Electric vehicles can be cheaper to own and operate than internal combustion engine cars, and they offer considerable sustainability benefits. But, just how much better for the planet are EVs, really? Quite a bit, at least fro

A real-world study provides new insights into the safety of a new Alzheimer’s disease drug. As new Alzheimer’s drugs move from clinical trials into everyday care, families are asking whether these treatments are safe, how long patients can stay on them, and whether they truly slow the disease outside tightly controlled studies. Researchers at Duke Health studied more than 230 patients treated with lecanemab, a new FDA-approved therapy (known as an anti-amyloid therapy) designed to re

Scientists have identified the mushroom behind “tiny people” hallucinations. People in communities thousands of miles apart have described the same strange experience after eating a mysterious mushroom: vivid visions of tiny humans moving through and interacting with the physical world around them. Known as Lilliputian hallucinations—a reference to the 6-inch-tall inhabitants of Gulliver’s Travels—the phenomenon has long been thought to stem from cultural influences rather than

A severe sunburn can be painful and more serious than many people realize. But can one sunburn really be “life-changing”? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. What is a life-changing sunburn? A “life-changing sunburn” is a phrase used to describe a severe sunburn, particularly one that causes blistering, because the damage it causes can have lifelong effects. A sunburn occurs when ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun damages the DNA inside skin cells. “When the body

Researchers are turning a unique variety of corn into an effective natural alternative to artificial food dyes. At University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, scientists are studying a variety of purple colored corn traditionally grown in South America. Its vibrant shades come from anthocyanins, natural pigments that give blueberries, red cabbage and grapes their colors. Unlike artificial dyes, which are petroleum-based and added purely for appearance, ant

Excessive screen time increases suicidal thoughts in college students, a new study finds. Editor’s note: This article discusses suicide and may be distressing for some readers. If you or someone you know is impacted by these issues or is considering suicide, a list of resources, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, is available at the bottom of the story. “We found that both excessive screen time and experiences of online harassment were independently and significantly li