While the COVID-19 pandemic is “over”, the virus still exists and public health officials have kept vigilant on the virus’s mutations. Public health experts worldwide are closely monitoring the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant, NB.1.8.1, which has sparked alarm due to its rapid global spread. The World Health Organization designated this strain as a...

Bitter melon, also known as bitter gourd or Momordica charantia, belongs to the squash family. This tropical vine produces oblong, green fruits with bumpy exteriors that resemble cucumbers. The plant grows naturally in India and other Asian countries. People cultivate it globally for its fruit, which is a staple in many types of Asian culinary...

For decades, the idea of regenerating damaged organs felt like science fiction. The idea was reserved for Star Trek episodes where a single pill could grow a new kidney. While scientists at Scripps Research faced many setbacks, that vision is finally inching toward a reality. Researchers have made breakthroughs in regenerative medicine: “tricking” the body’s...

For thousands of years, indigenous civilizations have burned sage to heal bodies, cleanse spaces and remove negative energy. Indigenous tribes like the Lakota, Chumash, and Cahuilla have practiced smudging rituals in North America for millenia. These practices were meant to purify the air, safeguard their communities, and connect ceremonies to ancestral wisdom. Tribes used white...

Scientists have identified a concerning new coronavirus in Chinese bats that could pose a pandemic threat. Researchers from the Wuhan Institute of Virology discovered HKU5-CoV-2 during a comprehensive study of bat populations across China’s southern and eastern regions. The virus belongs to the lesser known relative of COVID, the merbecovirus family. This family includes the...

Scientists have long believed that leprosy was an import from European settlers in the Americas. However, a recent study published in Science reveals that the disease existed on the continent centuries before Europeans set foot on American soil. This discovery shifts the premise of medical textbooks that credited European colonizers with bringing leprosy to the...

Since its inception in 2022, people have progressively become dependent on OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Users would prompt it to do almost anything in their daily lives: from job applications to recipes to cook. During the period of its launch, ChatGPT was poised to overtake Google’s search engine as the most used search engine. However, many people...

Minnesota health officials issued an urgent warning after an unvaccinated child with measles visited Mall of America while infectious. The child from Dakota County spent time at the mall’s theme park on May 24 between 5 pm and 9 pm. Thousands of visitors may have been exposed to this highly contagious viral disease during this...

Overgrown with scandalous rumors, assumed occult practices and conspiracy theories, the Bohemian Grove has its controversies. This private campground for the rich is infamous not only for the influential and powerful men that attend, but for its heavy secrecy. In July, wealthy and powerful men congregate among the redwood trees in Monte Rio, California.  The...

Levothyroxine is a synthetic hormone used in treating hypothyroidism or an underactive thyroid. Marketed under various brands including Synthroid, it is the second most prescribed medication, especially among older adults, in the United States. Millions of Americans rely on levothyroxine to manage symptoms and prevent complications resulting from thyroid irregularities. However, new research has uncovered...

Scientists have discussed using hydrogen as a possible green energy source for centuries. As climate change ravages the planet scientists are in desperate need of alternative, renewable sources of energy. According to the World Economic Forum, 0.1% of all the world’s hydrogen is currently considered “green”. With all the pressure to switch to renewal energies...

You are shampooing your hair, and while you are lathering your locks, you come across a bump on your scalp. You might be filled with dread or panic, but skin conditions are more common than you think. While scalp bumps may be a symptom of several different health conditions, they usually do not raise cause...