The US Environmental Protection Agency’s retreat from science endangers the health of people and the planet: Andromeda stock/Shutterstock Pollution causes more illness and early death than any other environmental threat, accounting for one in six deaths worldwide. For decades, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) has driven many of …
UK to lower voting age to 16 – a once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure the future health of British democracy: The UK government has announced that the voting age will be lowered to 16 at the next election as part of a wider effort to restore trust in and “future-proof” democracy. Votes at 16 has grown …
Eating wild meat carries serious health risks – why it still happens along the Kenya-Tanzania border: Pastoralist communities, their livestock and diverse wildlife species coexist within a biodiversity-rich landscape stretching along the Kenya–Tanzania border. However, at this wildlife-livestock interface, local communities face mounting challenges. Shifts in land use, prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall patterns and increasing …
Sugary drinks, processed foods, alcohol and tobacco are big killers: why the G20 should add its weight to health taxes: By 2030, non-communicable diseases will account for 75% of all deaths annually. Eight percent of these will be in the global south. Most of these diseases are what we call silent killers: type 2 diabetes, …
Insect trafficking poses a risk to wildlife and human health: Rhino beetles are just one insect species being traded illegally. Lightboxx/Shutterstock Four men were recently arrested and fined for attempting to smuggle more than 5,000 ants out of Kenya. Aiming to sell them as part of the exotic pet trade, these ants were being stored …
Killers with severe mental health issues are perceived as monsters – a terrible failure of academics like me: According to an investigation by Hundred Families, a charity that supports and advocates for families affected by mental health homicides, each year an average of 65 mentally ill people carry out killings. Between 2018-2023, 390 mental health …
Bacteria in your mouth may hold clues to your brain health and dementia risk – new study: Could the bacteria in your mouth predict whether you are at risk of dementia? Emerging research suggests that the bacteria living on your tongue and gums may affect how the brain works and how it changes as we …
Mpox in the DRC: residents of the slum at the centre of Kinshasa’s epidemic have little chance of avoiding this major health crisis: Walking through the crowded streets of the Pakadjuma neighbourhood in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, I am struck by the vibrant atmosphere around me. Children play happily in puddles, …
Yoga has many health benefits as you age – but is it also the secret to longevity?: Yoga has many benefits to our overall health. Nomad_Soul/ Shutterstock Yoga has been linked to numerous health benefits. But is it also the secret to a long life? This is what Daisy Taylor, a centenarian from Chelmsford, England, …
Why bovine colostrum supplements could be a health gamble: Alena Prylepa/Shutterstock From Kim Kardashian Barker to Gwyneth Paltrow, wellness celebrities are extolling the benefits of taking bovine colostrum supplements. Social media influencer Sofia Richie Grainge has even launched her own bovine colostrum-laced smoothie. The supplement, they claim, offers a wide range of health benefits, including …
Better ways to recover metals needed for technology from electronic waste could benefit the environment and human health: Korawat photo shoot / Shutterstock Our increasing reliance on technology is placing pressure on the global supply of materials that are essential for manufacturing electronic devices. Raw materials are being mined to cover the demand for smartphones, …
Antifungal resistance is not getting nearly as much attention as antibiotic resistance – yet the risks to global health are just as serious: TopMicrobialStock/Shutterstock Fungi are known for causing superficial infections of the nails, skin and hair, but they can also cause systemic infections that can have much more serious health implications. Indeed, over 6.5 …
Mpox in the DRC: children are at high risk – health expert explains why: The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that children, pregnant women and people with weak immune systems are at higher risk from the mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Reports confirm that children under five account for 39% of …
Burnout and bias can lead to poor care during childbirth – we created a project in Kenya that helps health workers: An estimated 800 women die every day across the world as a result of pregnancy-related complications. Most deaths (95%) occur in low- and middle-income countries. Two-thirds are in sub-Saharan Africa. For every woman who …
The global food system is owned by an ever smaller number of companies – it’s damaging our health, our communities and the planet: creativeriver/Shutterstock Across the world, over 800 million people spend their days hungry. More than 2 billion have limited access to food. Yet today’s global food system produces enough to feed every person …
The bacteria in your mouth play an important role in your health – here are four diseases linked to your oral microbiome: Another good reason to take care of your smile. evgenii mitroshin/ Shutterstock Your mouth is one of the most diverse habitats in the human body. It contains over 700 known species of bacteria, …
How England’s scrapped Sure Start centres boosted the health and education of disadvantaged children: Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock The Sure Start programme was launched in 1999, with centres set up in communities across England to offer support to the most disadvantaged families. These centres had significant investment and a broad remit that focused on improving the lives of …
How food preferences are linked to cognition and brain health – and why a balanced diet is superior: shutterstock Jon Coyle/Shutterstock From the crispy crunch of fresh veggies to the creamy indulgence of decadent desserts, we all have different food preferences. Our palates develop uniquely, shaped by genetics, culture and personal experiences. Food preferences play …