Planets & Transits
New Moon in Leo August 12, 2026
The New Moon arrives in Leo August 12 at 8:36 PM UTC, and with it comes a singular...
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- Written by: Stephanie Desmon, Johns Hopkins University
Asthma patients who live near major Pennsylvania fracking sites are as much as four times more likely to suffer attacks than those farther away, a new study shows.
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- Written by: Suzie Ferrie, University of Sydney
A recent article in The Guardian said coffee stunting kids' growth is just a myth promoted by 19th-century manufacturers of a coffee substitute. So does this mean the long-thought wisdom that coffee is bad for kids is a lie?
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- Written by: Senaka Ranadheera, Victoria University; Duane Mellor, University of Canberra, and Nenad Naumovski, University of Canberra
Most of us know eating fruit daily is a great way to try to stay healthy, with the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating encouraging us to eat two serves a day.
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- Written by: Chris Hammond, King's College London and Katie Williams, King's College London
Over the last century, myopia (short-sightedness) has risen to epidemic proportions. In South-East Asia nearly 90% of school leavers are now affected. In the West the figures are not as dramatic, but it appears to be similarly increasing.
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- Written by: Nicola Jones, University of Warwick
A study of 12,000 people found that those who started eating more fruits and vegetables felt much happier.
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- Written by: Chris Hamlett, Nottingham Trent University
It is one of the distinct sounds of summer: the noise of people tapping the tops of their cans of fizzy drink before opening them. But does this widespread ritual really stop a can of beer or pop from gushing over?
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- Written by: Lewis Mitchell, University of Adelaide
Since its public launch 10 years ago, Twitter has been used as a social networking platform among friends, an instant messaging service for smartphone users and a promotional tool for corporations and politicians.
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- Written by: Vardhman Rakyan, Queen Mary University of London
The most exciting recent development in human genetics research has been the ability to perform large-scale systematic studies of genetic variation in thousands of people.
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- Written by: Mike Williams, Rice University
What you say when a doctor asks how you feel is as good—or perhaps even better—than any test to predict long-term illness or death.
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- Written by: Richard Steed, University of Copenhagen
Being overweight and not getting enough exercise are considered major contributors to insulin resistance and, ultimately, type 2 diabetes. But new research suggests specific imbalances in gut bacteria play a role, too
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- Written by: Alex Jones, Swansea University
Our facial appearance influences how we feel about ourselves – and other people’s faces influence who we choose to approach or avoid and who we’d like to form romantic relationships with.
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- Written by: Gretchen Tietjen, and Monita Karmakar, University of Toledo
Child abuse and neglect are, sadly, more common than you might think. According to a 2011 study in JAMA Pediatrics, more than five million U.S. children experienced confirmed cases of maltreatment between 2004 and 2011. The effects of abuse can linger beyond childhood – and migraine headaches might be one of them.
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- Written by: Timothy Woodman, University of Bath
If you’ve ever tasted a really hot chilli you’ll know just how potent the effects can be. The burning heat sensation on the lips, on the tongue – and if you are not careful, on other more sensitive areas, such as the eyes – can be severe and last for a painfully long time.
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- Written by: Troy Rohn, Boise State University
You have forgotten where you put your car keys, or you can’t seem to remember the name of your colleague you saw in the grocery store the other day. You fear the worst, that maybe these are signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
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- Written by: Matthew Solovey, Penn State
Experts say there are two bedtime habits that may help babies get more sleep and avoid gaining weight too quickly: earlier bedtimes and self-soothing.
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- Written by: Rob Jordan, Stanford University
A new study backs up concerns about exposure to the chemical Bisphenol A, or BPA, from food cans and jar lids.
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- Written by: Lisa Lewtan
When thinking about our health, most of us will only consider our weight and fitness level, but our lives are made up of so much more. When you understand what is actually going on in your life, you may develop clues as to why you eat and live the way you do.
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- Written by: Dimitra Blana, Keele University and Andrew Jackson, Newcastle University
Something as simple as picking up a cup of tea requires an awful lot of action from your body. Your arm muscles fire to move your arm towards the cup. Your finger muscles fire to open your hand then bend your fingers around the handle.
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- Written by: Krishna Ramanujan-Cornell
Chronic fatigue syndrome, a condition where normal exertion leads to debilitating fatigue that isn’t alleviated by rest, has long mystified scientists. There are no known triggers, and diagnosis requires lengthy tests.
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- Written by: ristina Sauerwein, Washington University in St. Louis
Moms who eat high-fat, high-sugar diets may be putting future generations at risk for metabolic problems, even when their offspring eat healthy diets, a new study with mice suggests.
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- Written by: Allison Hydzik, University of Pittsburgh
Potent doses of broccoli sprout extract activate a “detoxification” gene and may help prevent cancer recurrence in survivors of head and neck cancer, according to new research that confirms preliminary results released last year.
