Author: healthadmin
WASHINGTON — Senate health leader Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) slammed President Donald Trump’s nominee for a key role in the pandemic response during his Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday over past comments that questioned vaccines. “Why do you keep repeating such egregious lies? Because it undermines trust,” Cassidy said at one point, clapping his hands on stage to candidate Sean Kaufman. The senator was referring to a now-deleted LinkedIn post first reported by STAT in which Kaufman raised a common talking point used by vaccine skeptics. Kaufman’s post claimed that hepatitis B vaccine doses given at birth may be linked to an…
The Black Sea lies between Europe and Asia, is connected to the Mediterranean Sea through a series of waterways, and is known for its dark waters. But each spring and summer, large areas undergo a surprising transformation, turning a vibrant turquoise color. On June 22, 2026, NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosols, Clouds, and Marine Ecosystems) satellite captured this colorful seasonal display using the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI). Scientists believe this striking turquoise color comes from blooms of coccolithophytes, microscopic phytoplankton covered with plates of calcium carbonate. When these creatures multiply in huge numbers from late spring to early summer, their reflective…
Humans perceive infrasound through a unique electrical mechanism in the inner ear, rather than the mechanical processes used for normal hearing. This finding provides evidence to explain why certain environmental noises, such as the noise of ventilation systems, are felt to be physically intense and increase rapidly in volume. The results of this study were recently published in the journal scientific report. Carlos Jurado of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and Torsten Marquardt of University College London led a study to understand how the human body detects infrasound. Infrasound refers to sound waves with frequencies below 16 hertz.…
A Republican-led effort to end a ban on hydraulic fracturing in the Delaware River Basin failed Tuesday after an amendment to the Water Resources Development Act failed to make it to a congressional committee, allowing long-standing restrictions to remain in place for the time being. The amendment, authored by Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pennsylvania, would strip the Delaware River Basin Commission, an interstate regulator, of its authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing in the 330-mile watershed that stretches from upstate New York to the mouth of the Delaware Bay, an area that provides drinking water to millions of people. The measure would…
Archaeologists working at the Oxyrhynchus ruins in ancient Egypt have made a surprising discovery. It was a papyrus containing a line from Homer’s poem. Iliad It was discovered inside a Roman-era mummy from about 1,600 years ago. Researchers say this is the first time in archaeological history that a Greek literary text was intentionally incorporated into the mummification process. The discovery was made by the Oxyrhynchus Archaeological Mission, directed by Maite Mascourt and Esther Pons, through the Institute of Ancient Near East Research (IPOA) at the University of Barcelona. It originates from Al-Bafnasa, a modern town located on the ancient…
Although many young people use cannabis, its relationship with mood disorders characterized by intense positive emotions is poorly understood. A recent study of college students found that higher risk for bipolar spectrum disorder was associated with more cannabis-related disruptions in daily life, while experiencing higher levels of natural positive emotions was associated with less frequent cannabis use. These results were published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. Bipolar spectrum disorder is a mental health condition defined by severe mood swings. People with these disorders experience manic or hypomanic episodes. This condition is characterized by an abnormally elevated mood, increased energy,…
The good news is: Deaths from ischemic heart disease, which clogs coronary arteries, were cut by more than half in the United States from 1990 to 2023 thanks to better control of up to 12 risk factors. What remains controversial is that nearly nine out of 10 recent deaths could have been prevented if these risk factors had been better controlled. Much of the progress recorded since the inception of the Global Burden of Disease Study, published Wednesday in JAMA Cardiology, is due to deaths caused by smoking (33.3% decrease) and particulate air pollution (74.9% decrease). However, in the final…
Written by Walker Livingston, Carolina Public Press July 15, 2026 In rural Western North Carolina, mountainous landscapes, tree patterns, and other ecological phenomena can make it difficult to keep the power on. But when Tropical Storm Helen struck nearly two years ago, the power grid across the region was destroyed, leaving some areas without power for weeks. After Helen, sustainability advocates and state and local agencies came together to find ways to bring back greener buildings and prevent such widespread losses of power and water access from happening again. (Subscribe for free to Carolina Public Press’ Daily, Weekend, Election 2026…
Colorful pet geckos, which are unusually prone to developing cancer, could become an important new tool for researchers studying how tumors form and spread. Scientists say this naturally occurring cancer in animals could provide valuable insight into why some species are so vulnerable to the disease, while others are markedly resistant. The research was led by the University of Nottingham. BMC biologyidentified genetic changes associated with tumors in a special type of leopard gecko. Many of these changes involve the same genes and biological pathways associated with human cancer, raising the possibility that this reptile could help advance cancer research.…
BUNIA, Congo — The number of confirmed Ebola cases in Congo has reached 2,011, of which 754 have died, according to government data released in the evening. Officials say this is the fastest growing outbreak on record. Medical workers at Bunia General Hospital, the region’s largest medical center, went on strike on Wednesday, becoming the latest group to quit their jobs in the epicenter over payment issues. Medical professionals and other front-line workers barricaded hospital entrances, saying they were not being compensated for working in difficult conditions. The World Health Organization has announced that more than 100 healthcare workers have…