A new study shows how climate change will contribute to the spread of the mosquito-borne West Nile virus
Health
If West Virginia’s Water Isn’t Safe for Pregnant Women, Is It Safe for Anyone?
Absence of evidence of a spilled chemical doesn’t mean evidence of its absence in the water supply
Officials Don’t Really Know How Dangerous the Chemical Spilled in West Virginia Is
Authorities have virtually no way of regulating many industrial chemicals. The latest spill could change that.
Remember That? No You Don’t. Study Shows False Memories Afflict Us All
Even people with extraordinary memories sometimes make things up without realizing it
As the Hajj Unfolds in Saudi Arabia, A Deep Look Inside the Battle Against MERS
For more than a year, Saudi Arabia has struggled to control the new disease MERS. Now, with millions of Muslim pilgrims descending on the country, the challenge will get that much tougher.
Mapping 320,000 New Animal Viruses Crucial to Preventing Global Contagions: Report
Data collected from flying foxes in Bangladesh indicate that many more wildlife-born viruses could pass to humans
You Are Your Bacteria: How the Gut Microbiome Influences Health
The bacteria in our gut already plays an important role in digestion. But new studies indicate that our bacteria could play a major role in whether or not we become obese
Infectious Disease Could Become More Common in a Warmer World — Especially for Plants and Animals
Climate change will make it easier for many infectious diseases to spread. Human beings will be able to adapt — or at least the richer ones will. But biodiversity will suffer as parasites and bacteria find a more welcoming environment
How the Brain Benefits From Being Bilingual
Never mind how well spoken you might be now, you will never again be as adept with languages as the day you were born. Indeed, the youngest person in any room is almost always the best linguist there too. There are 6,800 …
From AIDS to SARS to MERS, Emerging Infectious Diseases Remain a Dire Threat
New viruses like the pathogen that causes MERS are jumping across the species barrier, going from animals to human beings. Can we even eliminate infectious disease?