Author: healthadmin

Critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt and nickel are becoming the “petroleum of the 21st century”, a report from the UN’s water think tank has found, as the scramble for precious metals deepens poverty and sparks a public health crisis in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.A study by the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) concluded that rising demand for lithium, cobalt and nickel, used in batteries and microchips, is depleting water supplies, eroding agriculture and exposing communities to toxic heavy metals.Researchers found that an estimated 456 billion liters of water will be used…

The world is under threat from a “suicidal” model of capitalism that leads to war, fascism and the potential extinction of humanity, Colombia’s president said as he convened 57 governments to tackle the climate crisis.Gustavo Petro accused fossil fuel interests of taking ever more desperate measures to block the transition to green energy. “There is a lethal force and economic inertia in this obsolete form of energy, fossil fuels. Make no mistake, that form of capital has the potential to commit suicide, taking humanity and (other) life with it,” he said. “The question to be asked is whether capitalism can…

Recent research published in journals cross-cultural psychiatry This provides evidence that the personal bonds people form with fictional characters in tabletop role-playing games can lead to marked improvements in their sense of identity in real life. This study suggests that using these games in clinical settings may be an effective way to help patients build self-esteem and process personal conflicts. This psychological growth tends to occur most reliably when gaming environments feel safe and socially supportive. The project was directed by Jeffrey G. Snodgrass, a professor in the Department of Anthropology and Geography at Colorado State University. Snodgrass heads the…

An exhaustive review of more than 8,000 participants reveals how teenage cannabis use can reshape the developing brain, raising urgent questions about long-term risks and early intervention. Research: How adolescent cannabis use reshapes the developing brain – a systematic review. Image credit: aleks333/Shutterstock.com Recent systematic reviews published in frontiers of psychiatry report that adolescent cannabis use is associated with structural brain differences, increased risk of addiction, and a mix of cognitive outcomes. Some evidence suggests that adolescence may be a “critical period” of heightened vulnerability. Increased teenage cannabis use during sensitive neurodevelopmental stages Adolescence is characterized by various developmental changes…

Addgene, a purpose-driven organization that works with scientists around the world to reduce barriers to research and foster innovation, today announced that its strategic growth and service expansion is driving the organization’s revamped brand. Addgene started as a non-commercial plasmid repository. Today, the organization provides plasmids, viral vectors, and recombinant antibodies, as well as world-class educational resources, data, and support on behalf of researchers, including processing materials transfer agreements. From enabling basic CRISPR research to distributing reagents to accelerate COVID-19 vaccine development, Addgene works with researchers driving today’s most innovative discoveries. “For more than 20 years, Adgene has been committed…

A drug that has been around for decades and used to treat several conditions, including chronic parasitic infections, is now emerging as a potential option for patients with another, much rarer disease. Early research results suggest the drug may help people with Bachman-Bupp syndrome (BABS), a life-threatening genetic disease that affects only a small number of people worldwide. This progress is being driven by a new collaboration between Corewell Health, Michigan State University, and Every Cure, a nonprofit biotechnology group focused on finding new uses for existing drugs. “In addition to helping build preclinical studies and retrospective analyses, the Every…

As measles cases surge across the United States, a new study finds that the media people consume and the sources they rely on for health advice may be secretly shaping their views on vaccines in a deeply polarized information environment. Study: MMR vaccine hesitancy in a polarized information ecosystem: Results from a cross-sectional survey of U.S. adults. Image credit:vectorfusionart/Shutterstock.com Vaccine hesitancy is a growing concern as uptake of the highly effective measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine declines in the United States. Research published in journals vaccine We found that there is hesitancy towards the MMR vaccine. It relates to engagement with certain…

It has always been difficult to define where the Milky Way ends, because the Milky Way disk does not suddenly stop, but gradually disappears into space. Now, for the first time, an international team of astronomers has determined the boundaries of a galaxy’s star-forming disk by examining the ages of stars. Their findings show that most star formation in the Milky Way takes place within about 40,000 light-years from the galactic center. To reach this conclusion, the researchers combined measurements of the ages of bright giant stars with sophisticated simulations of galaxy evolution. This approach reveals a distinct “U-shaped” pattern…

A new MIT study shows that carcinogenic chemicals in drinking water contaminated by some pharmaceuticals and industrial activities may pose a far greater risk to children than adults. In experiments with mice, researchers found that young animals exposed to water containing this compound, called NDMA, developed far more DNA damage and cancer than older mice exposed to the same amount. These results may help clarify previous findings linking prenatal exposure to NDMA to increased rates of childhood cancer in people living near a contaminated site in Wilmington, Massachusetts. The study also highlights the importance of studying how potential carcinogens affect…

Water UK called for a stronger application of the ‘polluter pays’ principle in tackling PFAS contamination, arguing that clean-up costs should be borne by those responsible for releasing chemicals into the environment, rather than water customers. The industry body representing water and wastewater companies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland said in a statement on April 28, 2026, that current policy does not go far enough to ensure that the costs of tackling PFAS contamination are fairly shared. Water UK has warned that water companies face increasing challenges in removing PFAS through advanced treatment processes as they continue to…