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The surprising, ancient origins of TB, humanity's most deadly disease

The surprising, ancient origins of TB, humanity's most deadly disease

23 June 2021

New developments in a 10,000-year-old cold case have upended our ideas about how and when tuberculosis began infecting humans – and offered hope for a better vaccine


Prisoners eating

Is research in jails the way to end wars over dietary guidance?

14 June 2018

US researchers say studies in prisons could firm up evidence on salt intake and health. The doubters will still doubt, say Mike Lean and Alastair Campbell


23andMe's breast cancer test may create false sense of security

23andMe's breast cancer test may create false sense of security

7 March 2018

Genomics firm 23andMe is the first to receive approval for direct-to-consumer cancer gene tests in the US, but will recipients misunderstand the results?


Blood test

There may be five kinds of diabetes, not just types 1 and 2

1 March 2018

Researchers propose splitting diabetes into five subtypes instead of the current type 1 and type 2 diagnoses. It may help, but we need to know much more


CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing complex

Calm down – China is not racing ahead with human CRISPR trials

25 January 2018

Despite treating 86 people since 2015, China's approach to CRISPR genome-editing in humans is basic and risky


People with diabetes seem to be protected against migraine

People with diabetes seem to be protected against migraine

9 January 2018

Doctors' hunches that people with diabetes get fewer migraines have finally been backed up by good evidence and it could help us treat migraines


Number 8

Why a nasty surprise lurks 100 years on from the lethal 1918 flu

1 January 2018

As the centenary of the great flu epidemic looms, we are right to be pessimistic – especially with H7N9 bird flu virus quietly circulating in China


Anti-vaccination protest

Anti-vax views must not derail France's compulsory vaccine law

12 December 2017

The nation is about to make 11 childhood vaccines mandatory, but unless anti-vax echo chambers are tackled, the law may not fulfil its promise, says Laura Spinney


Setting up blood artwork

Bloody exhibition is only for the brave and the bold

20 October 2017

A room is coated in the red stuff in Blood: Life Uncut, a queasy, seductive exploration put together by the team behind the forthcoming Science Gallery London


Girl collecting water in refugee camp

WHO launches bold plan to slash cholera deaths by 90 per cent

4 October 2017

The global health agency pledged to reduce the death toll – now running at 95,000 a year – by improving sanitation and strategically deploying an oral vaccine


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