Discover a broad spectrum of topics, from fundamental anatomy to the latest in medical research and treatments, all aimed at enhancing your understanding of health, wellness, and our bodies. Our resources are meticulously curated to offer precise and pertinent information to students, professionals, and anyone interested in learning more about the medical sciences. Dive in to stay informed, make well-informed health decisions, and explore the intriguing world of medicine.
Hours of research by our editors, distilled into minutes of clarity.
Reproductive AI technologies are already here, from processing vast amounts of data to helping clinicians identify the healthiest embryos for implantation. It could be a boon to the fertility industry, and help mitigate the shortage of experienced embryologists.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)—the superbug version of staph infection—is responsible for more deaths than any other superbug, killing more than 120,000 people globally each year. The bug is leading cause of hospital infections, and is harmless on the skin but causes severe symptoms once inside the body.
This natural phase—which broadly encompasses perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause—means a woman has stopped ovulating and can no longer get pregnant. The clinical definition requires a woman to go a whole year without bleeding or spotting to know she has hit menopause.
With imaging data on a person's anatomy, external prostheses and implants, such as cranial plates or hip joints, can be custom-printed to better match a patient's body. Fabrication of porous structures can promote bone growth, leading to longer-lasting implants.
Skin prick tests and blood tests, the two most common allergy tests, both detect the presence of allergen-specific antibodies. But just because the body has those antibodies doesn’t mean that a person is “allergic” to a substance or that they will develop symptoms of an allergy when encountering the substance. Allergists work with families to interpret the results and sometimes combine that data with approaches including exposure challenges—giving someone a tiny bit of the food or substance they may be allergic to—under medical supervision.
Margaret Talbot spotlights the rise of DIY biology in community labs, where amateur scientists—often outside formal institutions—create everything from insulin to prosthetic prototypes. These grassroots biohackers challenge traditional science by pursuing open, accessible innovation, raising questions about credibility, ethical oversight, and acceptance by mainstream researchers.
In 1928, Alexander Fleming returned from vacation to find mold contaminating a petri dish of bacteria. Around the mold, the microbes had died—an accidental observation that led to the discovery of penicillin.
Modern stroke treatment is a delicate balance between obtaining an accurate diagnosis and delivering treatment quickly. Each stroke has its own cause, and the appropriate treatment must be paired with the correct diagnosis to prevent further harm. Typical treatments pair emergency surgery to relieve the affected area and long-term regimens to avoid recurrence.
While bidets are a typical household essential in Europe, Asia, and South America, they remain uncommon in the US. Associations with infertility, the aristocracy, and brothels helped fuel their unpopularity in the states.
Experts widely rank penicillin’s discovery among the most important advances in medicine. It launched the antibiotic era, transformed once-deadly infections into treatable illnesses.