Explainer: the A, B, C, D and E of hepatitis
Jul 28, 2016 02:12 am UTC| Health
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. While we usually think of hepatitis A to E viruses, anything that causes inflammation or damage to the liver can be considered as a form of hepatitis. Hepatitis A, B, C, D and...
Even presidential candidates need sleep
Jul 27, 2016 09:05 am UTC| Health Politics
The demands of being a presidential candidate take a toll on sleep. And the demands are not likely to lessen for whomever is elected. President Obama says he schedules six hours of sleep a night but that is not always...
Fentanyl, the anaesthetic that may have been used as a chemical weapon on Chechen rebels
Jul 27, 2016 07:35 am UTC| Health
Fentanyl is a synthetic analgesic (pain relieving) drug in the same class as morphine. It is used to treat acute or chronic pain, including for epidurals given to women during childbirth. It is thought that in 2002...
The Olympics won't spread Zika around the world
Jul 26, 2016 06:23 am UTC| Health
The opening ceremonies of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro are just days away. But this year, fears of Zika have cast a shadow over festivities. The Zika virus is the cause of an ongoing epidemic of birth defects...

What causes asthma? Clues from London's Great Smog with implications for air pollution today
Jul 26, 2016 06:20 am UTC| Health Nature
Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition with no known cure. It impacts people of all ages through episodic constrictions of the airways, which may be even worse than it sounds. Approximately 334 million people worldwide...

What your pee and poo colour says about your health
Jul 25, 2016 06:33 am UTC| Health
Out of the blue I passed bright red pee. I freaked, thinking it was a sign of terminal disease. Then I remembered the roasted beetroot tarts served at the party the night before so delicious Id eaten three! Beetroot,...
Is the end of Zika nigh? How populations develop immunity
Jul 22, 2016 06:15 am UTC| Insights & Views Health
The Zika outbreak, arriving on the heels of Ebola and just in time for the Rio Olympics, has challenged global health agencies to respond rapidly and effectively. Determining the appropriate response is far from...