Pria Anand sees a “vast liminal space” between wellness and illness David Degner The Mind ElectricPria Anand (Virago (UK); Washington Square Press (US)) From House to Grey’s Anatomy, there is good reason why the medical profession has inspired so many popular series. A patient’s journey through the hospital system can mirror the time-honoured structures of…
Jeffrey Lawson was born prematurely in February 1985. Shortly afterward, the newborn had to undergo heart surgery without anesthesia. He remained awake throughout the procedure, given only Pavulon, a muscle relaxant, to prevent movement. He died five weeks later. After Jeffrey Lawson’s death, his mother was told that her son had been too young to…
A restless mind is one of the most common barriers to sleep Andrii Lysenko/Getty Images Perhaps it’s age or the hot weather, but sleep is becoming a rare commodity in my household. Between my husband’s insomnia, my children’s high spirits and my racing mind, it feels as if our nights are often as lively as…
Sometimes, when the sex is really good, the colors come. As Holly approaches orgasm, a pastel filter descends over her vision, lasting through her climax and into the afterglow. She tends to see just one or two hues in the form of blurry orbs: seafoam green, bright yellow, black and red, hot pink or white….
“All hell will break loose, politically and morally, all over the world.” So said James Watson, the Nobel prize-winning co-discoverer of DNA’s double helix, on the possibility of human in vitro fertilisation in 1974. Four years later, Louise Brown, the first successful IVF baby, was born. Today, more than 12 million people have been conceived…
Kids have so much to manage during the school year. Social pressures, schoolwork and the myriad activities before and after school, like sports, music and clubs, are all sources of big emotions and confusing behaviors. On top of this, many are dealing with depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges. Three out of four high…
Gastric bypass surgery is generally used for weight loss, but it may have other benefits Portra/Getty Images A common form of weight-loss surgery may cut the risk of colorectal cancer by altering levels of molecules called bile acids in the blood and small intestine. The findings could lead to new treatments for bowel cancer. Gastric…
Scientists Used Prehistoric Tools to Build a Canoe, Then Paddled Across 140 Miles from Taiwan to Japan Researchers and expert seafarers teamed up to re-create an ocean journey from more than 30,000 years ago By Nora Bradford edited by Andrea Thompson Expert paddlers in the dugout canoe recreating the ancient journey from Taiwan to the…
Destroyed buildings in Jabalia, Gaza, in February 2025 Imago/Alamy Around 75,000 people in the Gaza Strip – 3.6 per cent of the population – died from violent causes between 7 October 2023 and 5 January 2025, according to an independent study based on a household survey. That is higher than the estimate of 46,000 violent…
This week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is meeting to review and vote on several vaccine recommendations. Just in the past week, however, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., added additional items to the agenda, including a discussion of thimerosal—a mercury-containing compound that is…
