archive

Monday, August 27, 2012

Shots - Health News

Lack Of Sleep, Genes Can Get Sleepwalkers Up And About

Though scientists have identified sleepwalking triggers, the condition is still a bit of a mystery.

August 27, 2012 Sleepwalking is common among children, and for many, it persists into adulthood. Though it's still not well understood, scientists have identified several factors that can trigger episodes of sleepwalking.

Transcript

On Morning EditionPlaylist

Friday, August 24, 2012

Shots - Health News

Hospitals Bank 'Liquid Gold': Human Breast Milk

Ashley Beecher, 29, and her daughters Annie (on lap) and Charlie. After feeding Annie, Beecher donates her extra supply to the human milk bank at Texas Children's Hospital.

August 24, 2012 KUHFHuman breast milk has health benefits for infants, but many mothers can't nurse their babies. Donor milk banks in some hospitals are looking to improve infant health by distributing breast milk donated by other nursing mothers.

Summary

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Shots - Health News

Tattoo Ink Linked To Serious Skin Infections

Along with a tattoo, this person got an infection.

August 23, 2012 Federal and state health investigators have identified outbreaks of skin infections linked to tattoos in four states. At least 14 people in New York were infected by ink that was apparently contaminated during manufacturing.

Summary

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Shots - Health News

Kids Of Older Fathers Likelier To Have Genetic Ailments

Older dads add more genetic mutations to the family tree.

August 22, 2012 Icelandic scientists have found solid evidence that older men have more random mutations in their sperm cells. They're warning that can cause autism, schizophrenia and a long list of other genetic diseases in their offspring. Their findings are reported in the journal Nature.

Summary

Wednesday, August 08, 2012

Shots - Health News

Energy-Efficient Lightbulbs May Have Dark Side When It Comes To Health

Scientists say energy-saving compact fluorescent (left) or light-emitting diode (right) light bulbs can have unsavory health effects.

August 8, 2012 Scientists have learned that compact fluorescent light bulbs could give off ultraviolet radiation if their inner coating cracks. Light-emitting diodes, another eco-friendly lighting option, won't give you a sunburn, but they do have the potential for other mild health effects.

Summary

Monday, August 06, 2012

Shots - Health News

In British Emergency Room, 'There's No Card To Show; There Are No Bills'

The Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games included a paean to the National Health Service, the U.K.'s socialized healthcare system.

August 6, 2012 If the London Olympics opening ceremony's tribute to the National Health Service is any indication, Brits are pleased with their health care system. But what would greet an American at a hospital in the U.K.?

Summary

Shots - Health News

An Anthropologist Walks Into A Bar And Asks, 'Why Is This Joke Funny?'

Megan Lutz, left, and Justin Chun react to amateur comedian Robert Lynch at the Metropolitan Room in Manhattan, N.Y. Lynch is an anthropologist researching what laughing reveals about us.

August 6, 2012 Graduate student Robert Lynch is on a quest to deconstruct our built-in instinct for humor, and find out why making people laugh could be important to the way we've adapted to survive.

Transcript

On Morning EditionPlaylist

Friday, August 03, 2012

Shots - Health News

The Science Behind Olympic Six-Pack Abs

Swimmers Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte deploy their muscles to win medals for the United States at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

August 3, 2012 Athletes train for years to get their bodies in top shape for the Olympics, and muscle definition is an attractive benefit. But for some people, chiseled abs just might not be in the cards.

Summary

Thursday, August 02, 2012

Shots - Health News

The Science Of Ritual: Why We Seek Help And Healing In Repetition

Devotees take part in rituals and offer gifts in celebration of Yemanja Day, in Salvador, Bahia state, Brazil, in February.

August 2, 2012 Psychologists are learning why we rely on rituals when there's something we want but don't know how to get. In a new paper, they say we're more likely to believe a ritual will work if it involves repetition and lots of steps.

Summary

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Shots - Health News

Tie My Shoes, Please: How Persuasion Works

Can You Help Me Tie My Shoe? Researchers found that when study participants were asked an unusual request, they were more likely later on to perform a favor.

July 24, 2012 Scientists have long studied why some requests seem to be met with a yes while others get a no. Now, there's a new development: A study finds that asking for unusual favors can be very effective in getting people to comply.

Summary

Shots - Health News

How To Make Condoms For Women Fashionable

At the International AIDS conference, a female condom fashion show raised awareness about the rising need for more female condoms. Olwin Manyanye of Zimbabwe shows off one of the dresses decorated with a second-generation female condom, called "FC2."

July 24, 2012 How do you get women to rethink condoms made for them? Advocates are trying a fashion show and the world's longest chain of paper dolls at the international AIDS meeting in Washington. Female condoms are the only contraceptive initiated by woman that protects against HIV infection.

Summary

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Shots - Health News

How You Move Your Arm Says Something About Who You Are

Researchers studying brains want to know what's happening in an area called the premotor cortex — the place in the brain that gears up for something the body is about to do, like swimming. Above, Michael Phelps dives off the starting blocks in the final heat of the men's 400-meter individual medley during the 2012 U.S. Olympic Swimming Team Trials in Omaha, Neb., on June 25.

July 19, 2012 A part of the brain called the premotor cortex does some pretty complicated work. It's where the brain plans and strategizes about how to take action, and it may also reflect a person's personality.

Transcript

On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

Shots - Health News

How HIV Hijacks The Immune System

A 3-D model of HIV peeled back to show its layers. HIV's genetic material sits inside a spherical shell (gray matrix) studded with spikes (dark gray and orange). The sphere pops open when a T cell tugs on a spike.

July 19, 2012 HIV is like a jack-in-the-box. When the viruses bump into particular cells in the immune system, the viruses' shells pop open and their genes enter the cells. Experimental therapies for HIV could stop the virus from getting in.

Summary

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Shots - Health News

Gene Mutation Offers Clue For Drugs To Stave Off Alzheimer's

A PET scan of the brain of a person with Alzheimer's disease.

July 11, 2012 The mutation is rare but it appears to protect some people from developing the disease. The finding is an encouraging sign for drug researchers looking for medicines that have a similar effect in the brain.

Transcript

On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

Shots - Health News

Will Medicaid Bring The Uninsured Out Of The Woodwork?

Texas Gov. Rick Perry is the latest state executive to say no to an expansion of Medicaid.

July 11, 2012 As governors weigh whether to participate in an expansion of Medicaid under the federal health law, some worry the change could attract people who don't qualify for a special subsidy. Adding them to Medicaid rolls could strain states' budgets.

Transcript

On Morning EditionPlaylist

NPR thanks our sponsors

Become an NPR Sponsor