All Stories by Lindsey Konkel
-
Health & MedicineHow to find the next pandemic virus before it finds us
Wild animals carry viruses that can sicken people. Monitoring those viral hosts that pose the greatest risk might help prevent a new pandemic.
-
EnvironmentDecades-long project is linking our health to the environment
Started in 1959, this California study is one of the oldest ongoing research projects in the world.
-
Health & MedicineStudy links chemicals in ‘BPA-free’ plastics to obesity in kids
Scientists have linked exposure to chemicals found in BPA-free plastics and cans with obesity in kids and teens.
-
Environment‘Biodegradable’ plastic bags often don’t break down
Biodegradable plastic bags are supposed to break down more quickly than ordinary plastics. But that may not happen, a study finds.
-
EnvironmentDon’t flush your contact lenses
One in five people who wear contact lenses flush their used eyewear down the sink or toilet. That plastic pollutes the environment and can harm wildlife.
-
MicrobesBacteria are all around us — and that’s okay
Scientists may have identified less than one percent of all bacteria on Earth. But there’s a reason to keep up the hunt. These microbes could help us understand and protect our planet.
-
Health & MedicineStudy links weight to when the school bell rings
Teens and preteens who started school earlier in the morning were slightly heavier than those who started later, in a large study of Canadian students.
-
Chemistry‘Thirdhand’ smoke can hitchhike to non-smoking sites
Harmful “thirdhand” smoke — the type that attaches to surfaces — can hitch a ride on airborne particles or clothes and travel into non-smoking buildings.
-
Health & MedicineTeens with eating disorders can find themselves bullied
In some kids, unhealthy eating behaviors may heighten their risk of being bullied and developing depression.
-
EnvironmentRestaurant diners may ingest extra pollutants
People who dine out have higher levels of certain potentially harmful pollutants in their bodies than do people who eat home-cooked meals, new data show.