archive
Middle East
Tracking Rape In Syria Through Social Media
February 5, 2013 Researchers are using data from Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other social media sites. There are, however, questions about the accuracy of the reports coming from Syria.
Shots - Health News
Experimental Tuberculosis Vaccine Fails To Protect Infants
February 4, 2013 A study in South Africa finds that an experimental vaccine against TB didn't help protect infants very much against either infection with TB or development of disease. The results were a setback, but researchers say the field remains promising.
Shots - Health News
Quick TB Test Builds Up Arsenal Against Drug-Resistant Bacteria
February 1, 2013 Drug-resistant tuberculosis is on the rise worldwide, but identifying the disease has been difficult and time-consuming. Touted as a "game changer" in the fight against TB, a new tool cuts diagnostic times from weeks to hours and doesn't require a lab.
Shots - Health News
Gut Microbes May Play Deadly Role In Malnutrition
January 30, 2013 The bacteria that live in humans' guts influence weight gain and health. By studying twins in Malawi, scientists have found that changes in this microbial community may also turn malnutrition into a fatal condition.
Shots - Health News
Keep Calm And Carry On, Except When It Comes To Cancer
January 29, 2013 That famous stiff upper lip has carried the Brits through tough times, but it can be a risky trait when it comes to health. An international survey finds the British often delay seeking help for serious symptoms of cancer because they're embarrassed or worried about wasting the doctor's time.
Shots - Health News
Ancient Medicines Get A Modern Media Makeover
January 24, 2013 To help the an indigenous community in Central America preserve their culture and traditions, journalism students have built a website exploring how the tribe uses medicinal plants to treat everything from a cold and sunburns to cancer.
Shots - Health News
Scientists Put An End To Moratorium On Bird Flu Research
January 23, 2013 After researchers created versions of the bird flu virus that could spread more easily, critics began to worry that the work could spawn a pandemic if a virus escaped from the lab. After halting their work for more than a year, scientists now say the benefits outweigh the risks, and they are set to restart their experiments.
Environment
Former Anti-GMO Activist Says Science Changed His Mind
January 20, 2013 For years, British environmental activist Mark Lynas vandalized genetically modified food crops. Then, he had a change of heart. He went in front of the world to reverse his position, telling the anti-GMO lobby to "get out of the way and let the rest of us get on with feeding the world sustainably."
Shots - Health News
Inching Closer To The Demise Of A Stubborn Parasitic Worm
January 19, 2013 After a decades-long campaign, Guinea worm remains in only four countries, and eradication is in sight. But health workers say that recent violence in Mali is hindering efforts to stamp out the last few cases there.
Shots - Health News
After Years Of Silence, The Plague Can Rise Again
January 17, 2013 In many parts of the world, like Europe, the plague is thought to have been eliminated. French scientists find evidence that the stubborn bacteria can trigger new outbreaks even after decades of apparent dormancy.
Shots - Health News
'Robogut' Makes Synthetic Poop To Treat Stubborn Infections
January 16, 2013 Canadian scientists have developed a synthetic stool that successfully treated two patients with a severe form of diarrhea. The researchers call the concoction RePOOPulate, and they produce it using a machine that recreates conditions in the colon.
Shots - Health News
After Bringing Cholera To Haiti, U.N. Plans To Get Rid Of It
January 12, 2013 On the third anniversary of Haiti's devastating earthquake, the country is laying plans to rid itself of the cholera epidemic that followed in its wake. Most scientists now think Nepalese soldiers unwittingly spread the pathogen in Haiti when they joined a United Nations peacekeeping force.
Shots - Health News
Despite Billions In Aid, Many Haitians Still Live In Squalid Camps
January 11, 2013 Three years ago, a massive earthquake destroyed much of Haiti's capital city. Aid agencies from around the world pledged billions of dollars to help Haiti rebuild. But since then, many of the grand plans have fizzled, and some 350,000 Haitians still live in makeshift camps.