Health

A Vaccine for Birth Control?

In its ideal form, a contraceptive vaccine could prevent pregnancy without the messy side effects of some hormonal birth control.

No One in Movies Knows How to Swallow a Pill

There are two kinds of pill takers in this world. Which kind are you?

Will COVID’s Spring Lull Last?

Things look calm right now. They may even stay that way—but we won’t know for sure for a good long while.

A Teen Gender-Care Debate Is Spreading Across Europe

Doubts have now come to the Netherlands, where the most-contested interventions for children and adolescents were developed.

Long-Haulers Are Trying to Define Themselves

Disability can be a scary word for many people with long COVID.

We’ve Had a Cheaper, More Potent Ozempic Alternative for Decades

New weight-loss drugs are getting all the hype, but bariatric surgery is still the “gold standard” for treating obesity.

Long COVID Is Being Erased—Again

What was once outright denial has morphed into a subtler dismissal.

Nutrition Research Forgot About Dads

When it comes to their influence on kids’ eating habits, dads are far less studied than moms. But they may leave just as big a mark.

Adult ADHD Is the Wild West of Psychiatry

The Adderall shortage exposed a troubling gap in how doctors care for the disorder.

Seltzer Is Torture

Soda hurts me, and I’m not alone.

Medicine Has a Rat Problem

It’s stranger than you think.

Nutrition Science’s Most Preposterous Result

Studies show a mysterious health benefit to ice cream. Scientists don’t want to talk about it.

The Moms Who Breastfeed Without Being Pregnant

Hormones and pumping are allowing some parents to induce lactation—and rewrite the rules of caring for a baby.

Quit Your Bucket List

Trying new things is great—but only until you find the ones you love.

The Flu May Never Be the Same

Scientists haven’t spotted one of influenza’s most mysterious lineages for more than three years. Is it truly gone?

Ozempic Is About to Be Old News

A “huge explosion” in obesity drugs is on the horizon.

Hiccups Have a Curious Connection to Cancer

Because hiccups can seem innocuous, they remain mysterious and surprisingly understudied.

Childbirth Is No Fun. But an Extremely Fast Birth Can Be Worse.

“It felt like being hit by a truck and dragged along behind,” one mother said.

The Woolly-Mammoth Meatball Is an All-Time Great Food Stunt

Wouldn’t you love to try it?

There’s No Such Thing as a Casual Interaction With Your Doctor Anymore

Many calls and messages now count as a “visit” that you could be charged for.