New Scientist - Health

Happiness spreads though society like the flu

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:34:00 GMT

It seems happiness – and misery too – spread through social networks, affecting people through three degrees of separation

Tiny 'paddleboat' could ship drugs around the body

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:36:00 GMT

The device is the first artificial microswimmer to move without using chemical propulsion or bending itself into different shapes

First 'placebo gene' discovered

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:14:00 GMT

For the first time, a gene is being linked to increased susceptibility to the placebo effect – the mysterious capacity some people have to benefit from sham treatments

Web test could help beat the blues

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:22:00 GMT

Feeling glum? New software could predict whether your feelings will descend into full-blown depression within the next year – : take the test

Psychopaths have an eye for the underdog

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:52:00 GMT

People with psychopathic behavioural traits seem to steer away from the rich and successful, and focus on more vulnerable people

'Test and treat everyone' to vanquish HIV

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:25:00 GMT

A new calculation suggests testing everyone for the virus and treating those who have it immediately is the fastest way to eradicate HIV

Brains of autistic children slower at processing sound

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:09:00 GMT

A brain scan shows that children with autism respond more slowly to sound stimuli, offering a clue to the condition

Molecular fireworks could produce '30-minute genomes'

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:40:00 GMT

A Californian startup has unveiled a technique that could sequence single person's genome for under $1000

Hands-free phones not risk-free for drivers

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:27:00 GMT

Using a phone headset is more distracting to a driver than having a motormouth passenger in the car

Smart drug implant has batteries included

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:15:00 GMT

A medical implant that doubles as a battery as it corrodes could power targeted drug release

Which virus will birds give us next?

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 10:02:00 GMT

One common form of cold virus turns out to have started in birds – and the discovery is helping to show how animal viruses spread to people

Would eating heavy atoms lengthen our lives?

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 12:30:00 GMT

Radical changes to the make-up of food might keep us younger for longer. investigates

Would eating heavy atoms make us live longer?

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 12:30:00 GMT

Radical changes to the make-up of food might keep us younger for longer. investigates

Down's symptoms may be treatable in the womb

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:14:00 GMT

Fetal mouse pups with a Down's-like syndrome suffered fewer developmental delays when treated with nerve-protecting chemicals – similar treatments might help in humans

Pig organs: Ready for humans at last?

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:05:00 GMT

Problems associated with implanting animal organs in humans had seemed insurmountable, but new research could soon bring about the first clinical trials

Anti-fat pill could help keep the weight off

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:00:00 GMT

A chemical produced when mice and rats eat fatty foods can stop them feeling hungry, but has yet to be tested in humans

Has universal ageing mechanism been found?

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:00:00 GMT

A protein that causes yeast to age seems to have a similar effect in mice too – the finding might lead to drugs to reverse age-related diseases

Solving MRI mystery sets stage for portable scanners

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:01:00 GMT

Physicists have only just cleared up why MRI scans seem to defy established physics, knowledge that could make the devices smaller

Solving MRI mystery sets stage for portable scanner

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:15:00 GMT

Physicists have only just worked out what really happens during an MRI scan - the discovery could lead to sharper scans and portable scanner

Safer fetal test for genetic diseases on horizon

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:49:00 GMT

Using just a drop of the mother's blood, scientists can now tell if the fetus has a disorder like cystic fibrosis – it could soon spell the end for invasive techniques

Brain works better with neurological disease

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:17:00 GMT

The surprising discovery that the deadly neurological disease Huntington's improves sufferers ability at some cognitive tests is aiding our understanding of the illness

Cholera epidemic hits crumbling Zimbabwe

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:00:00 GMT

Zimbabwe is facing an "unprecedented" outbreak of cholera as a result of the deteriorating infrastructure in the country

Booze tax stops people drinking themselves to death

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:07:00 GMT

For the first time, a rise in alcohol tax in a US state has been linked to a reduction in the number of deaths

Celebrity 'blindness' down to brain wiring

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 18:00:00 GMT

People who can't remember faces of famous people or even loved ones lack connections in a key brain area, new research shows

Light opens up a world of sound for the deaf

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:48:00 GMT

Infrared light can stimulate neurons in the inner ear as precisely as sound waves, a discovery that could lead to better cochlear implants