Caucasians are at the greatest risk of developing macular degeneration

LIghter-colored eyes have heightened risks for macular degeneration

People with blue eyes appear to be at elevated risk of developing the disorder, perhaps because more light can penetrate their eyes. But the most significant modifiable factor heightening the risk for macular degeneration is smoking.

Age-related macular degeneration is the primary cause of blindness in older Americans

Around 20 million Americans suffer from macular degeneration, and it's the leading cause of blindness in older Americans. Risk factors for age-related macular degeneration include aging, genetics, smoking, hypertension, obesity, and diet.

Wet macular degeneration affects 10%-15% of those with macular degeneration

This form of molecular degeneration refers to when excess blood vessels form in the back of the eye and damage the macula. If someone with this condition looks at straight lines, they will typically appear wavy or crooked.

Targeting cholesterol metabolism may help address macular degeneration

Research published in 2025, based on human plasma samples and mouse models, indicates that boosting the levels of a molecule called apolipoprotein M in the blood can improve cholesterol processing, helping prevent some cellular damage that contributes to age-related macular degeneration.

World health experts expect more than 240 million global cases of AMD in 2030

The World Health Organization estimated in 2019 that by 2020 there would be roughly 195.6 million cases of age-related macular degeneration and projected that the number would continue to grow. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

There are more than 1,400 listed clinical trials for macular degeneration

The US database of clinical trials listed more than 1,400 macular degeneration trials in early 2026. That doesn't mean every trial is recruiting, but it does indicate there is significant interest in this medical condition.

MS risk is shaped by geography, not just genes

Latitude—and related vitamin D exposure—seems to affect MS risk. People who migrate from a high-risk MS latitude (like northern Europe or the northern US) to a lower-risk latitude (like tropical areas) before age 15 tend to adopt the lower risk of their new country—suggesting there's a critical window for environmental exposure.

Alzheimer's is most prevalent in the South and the East

Risk factors for Alzheimer's can include age, race, education, and income levels, exposure to pollutants, and much more. As of 2023, these factors are seen in higher incidence rates for those above 65, in the southern and southeastern parts of the US.

Nonwhite Lyme patients tend to be diagnosed later and have more severe disease

Peer-reviewed research published in 2025 from Pfizer—a pharmaceutical company working on a candidate vaccine for Lyme disease—examined Lyme data from more than 150,000 Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and found that Black patients, as compared to white beneficiaries, were more likely to have disease that had spread further throughout the body at the time of care. The difference, the scientists wrote, may be partly due to difficulties recognizing the characteristic rash on darker-colored skin.

Stroke risk doubles each decade after age 55

While age is the greatest risk factor, genetics, diet, and overall health play a prominent role in determining individual stroke risk. Prevention focuses heavily on modifiable risk factors. High blood pressure is the single most important controllable risk factor, contributing to both types of stroke.

In 2023, Native Americans had the lowest life expectancy at birth among all racial and ethnic groups

Native Americans and Alaska Natives face significant health disparities linked to chronic underinvestment in reservation health infrastructure, poverty, and multigenerational psychological harm—often called historical or inherited trauma.

The lack of diversity in DNA databases limits their applications

European ancestry dominates genetic research, hindering the usage of genetic databases for precision medicine for other groups, including African Americans, who face higher health risks due to genetic variants. Many Indigenous communities have also resisted genetic research due to past exploitation. (Some readers may experience a paywall.)

Black women offer a solution to racial health disparities

Black women in the US face higher rates of obesity, heart disease and more diseases. This article explores the historical and systemic racism underpinning the disparity, and the solutions Black women are creating.

China reports the highest prevalence of hearing loss and South Africa reports the lowest

This conclusion comes from research published in 2025 that analyzed self-reported hearing loss and hearing aid use from long-term studies that covered 28 countries. Its findings included that the countries with the greatest prevalence of hearing loss (China, South Korea, Mexico, and Brazil) also had the lowest levels of hearing aid use.

US regulators have approved an at-home genetic test looking for BRCA gene mutations

The direct-to-consumer genetic test, approved by US regulators in 2018, examines 3 out of the more than 1,000 known breast cancer-linked genetic mutations. It looks for genetic variations that can increase risk for breast, ovarian, and other cancers. These mutations are most commonly found among Jewish people with Eastern European ancestry.

Twin studies suggest celiac disease is among the more genetically-linked disorders

Genetics appear to play a larger part in this condition's development than many other autoimmune disorders. Research shows a roughly 60-75% genetic probability that if one identical twin has it, the other will too. Celiac triggers a small intestine attack when people eat gluten, a protein commonly found in wheat, barley, and rye.

Calculate your risk of developing cancer

Hosted by the National Cancer Institute, this tool provides interactive charts that display the likelihood of dying from various causes—including cancer—based on factors like age, sex, race, and smoking status. By contextualizing cancer risk among other potential health threats, users can create custom charts.

Inflammaging appears to differ across global populations

Chronic, low-grade inflammation linked to aging is a byproduct of our industrialized lifestyles, according to recent research. The work compared two industrialized populations with two Indigenous, non-industrialized populations in Bolivia and Malaysia, and found that inflammation levels in the Indigenous groups—unlike the industrialized ones—did not seem to differ by age.

Scleroderma, which causes skin to harden and scar, has no FDA-approved treatment

It's an autoimmune disease that disproportionately causes worse complications in African American people for unknown reasons. It causes the body to overproduce collagen after the immune system attacks the body's own connective tissue, leading to excess collagen deposits and restricted blood circulation as small blood vessels are damaged. It can damage various organs, including the lungs.

Acrylamide forms naturally during high-heat cooking through the Maillard reaction

While studies have shown it can damage DNA and potentially cause cancer in mice, humans absorb and metabolize acrylamide at different rates, introducing uncertainty in the research's applicability to humans. Some international health agencies have nonetheless recommended avoiding darker roasts when cooking starchy foods.

Each generation’s median income

Discover data about each generation’s income in the US. Generation X currently holds the title of highest earners, with notable wealth for those living in Maryland. Find out which groups tend to succeed and why, while seeing where you stand in comparison.

Examining golf's problems with race

In 1961, the PGA removed the "Caucasian-only" membership clause, marking the last major professional sports organization to desegregate. But unlike other sports, golf didn't see an influx of Black players following the change. This article from The Ringer's Lex Pryor examines golf's complicated history with race and gender, showing both the progress made and the challenges that remain.

Black mold isn’t more worrisome than other colors of mold

Black mold typically refers to Stachybotrys chartarum, a mold that commonly appears in damp or water-damaged areas of the home. Black mold—and other molds—won’t typically make otherwise healthy people ill, and all molds should be treated the same with respect to health risks and removal. If you have mold allergies, mold can cause an allergic response, and it can trigger asthma attacks for people with asthma. If you have a compromised immune system, then black mold exposure can also cause a fungal infection in your airways or elsewhere in the body.

Children under 5 account for 76% of all malaria deaths in Africa

The main hypothesis for why the disease hits this age group the hardest is that children this young have still-developing immune systems. Pregnant women and people with HIV/AIDS are also at higher risk of severe infection.

Tetrachromacy allows humans to observe 10 times the normal amount of colors

Resulting from a mutation on the X chromosome, the rare genetic condition causes individuals to possess an additional type of photoreceptor cell, typically sensitive to the orange range, located between the standard red and green cones. This enables the perception of approximately 100 million colors.

Larger animals like giraffes, elephants, and blue whales have developed a unique defense against cancer, a phenomenon known as Peto's Paradox

Fear or disgust related to clusters of holes and cracks, called trypophobia, may stem from evolutionary processes to help us avoid pathogens.

Alzheimer's can lead to brain shrinkage, with an average of around 2% of volume reduction per year

The first line of 'immortal' human cells, which can divide indefinitely and are used in scientific research, was nonconsensually taken from a Black woman.

Tattoos remain visible on your skin thanks to immune cells called macrophages

Hookworm infection, though risky, may help fight certain autoimmune conditions by tamping down the immune system's inflammatory response.

Studies suggest when you sleep is as important as how much you get, and syncing with your circadian rhythms may lead to less fatigue and improved long-term health outcomes

At the beginning of the 20th century, a group of young men ate standard American food—replete with food additives like borax and formaldehyde—as part of government research to better understand food safety.

Visualize how CRISPR-Cas9—a type of immune system used by single-celled organisms to attack invasive viruses—targets and makes precise changes to a gene's DNA.

The hormonal disorder PCOS was renamed PMOS in 2026, a move designed to improve care and research by shifting the focus to the hormonal causes of this condition that affects 1 in 8 women.

This real-time tracking of the hantavirus cruise ship outbreak in May 2026 offers a unique glimpse into the global reach of the outbreak and whether the virus sickened passengers and their communities around the world.

Poison ivy's characteristic rash is caused by an allergic response to an oily compound in the plant called urushiol.

US housing costs have risen by roughly 175% between 1991 and 2026—but a growing number of Gen Zers are becoming homeowners anyway. In 2025, 4% of homebuyers were Gen Z, up from 3% the year before.

Listen to an in-depth conversation on the links between Parkinson's disease and herbicide exposure and the challenging pace of scientific investigation.

Explore an interactive map built from more than 100,000 survey responses on where people find joy in their lives

Discover the catastrophic consequences of a failure of the US electrical grid—something that is more likely than many Americans think.

Visualize the path of every solar eclipse from 1900 to 2099 and see what each looks like when observed from different locations on Earth.

Firework or sparkler burns, even if they cover a relatively small area of skin, can significantly affect our range of motion.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict is the largest ground war in Europe since World War II in terms of casualties, forces mobilized, and displacement of civilians.

Watch the cumbersome, but necessary, precautions healthcare workers must take to care for and protect themselves while caring for Ebola patients.

See 33 images that became central to huge scandals, including a young Charles and Camilla, Michael Jackson's baby on a hotel balcony, and Hugh Grant's mugshot.

Brandi Chastain, the star of the 1999 US victory over China in the 1999 Women's World Cup, was a last-second choice to take the penalty kick that sealed the victory.

In 1939, baseball star Lou Gehrig delivered his inspirational 'Luckiest Man' speech after retiring due to the health condition that now bears his name.

The Nasdaq's 'Magnificent 7' companies are responsible for roughly 40% of the Nasdaq 100 index's gains, while the remaining 93 companies account for the other 60%.

Despite being favored by 87% of Americans, Congress does not have term limits.