A vaccine against Epstein-Barr virus, researchers hypothesize, could potentially prevent MS

Epstein-Barr virus—the cause of 'kissing disease' mononucleosis—may be the leading cause of MS

A Harvard study with data from more than 10 million US military personnel found that people that contracted Epstein-Barr virus had a roughly 32-fold increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis. The work, published in 2022, found that Infection of the virus preceded MS onset by a median of five years, raising questions about better Epstein-Barr virus management and potential disease prevention.

Lack of Vitamin D seems to be one major factor fueling MS risk

Researchers believe that a combination of factors can elevate MS risk, including a lack of vitamin D exposure in different locales, genetic history, cigarette smoke exposure, and Epstein-Barr virus infection.

MS can damage the brain up to 7 years before symptoms appear

Recent research scouring blood samples from 134 people with MS, both before and after their diagnosis, found that about seven years before these patients were diagnosed, there was a spike in a protein called myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein—indicating disease-associated damage to the protective myelin around nerve fibers.

Using mosquitoes to vaccinate bats could curb the spread of deadly diseases

Researchers in China tested a transmissible rabies vaccine in the lab by feeding mosquitoes blood containing the vaccine and observing what happened to bats when they were either bitten by the mosquitoes or fed on them. The bats developed antibodies against rabies and survived subsequent rabies infection. (Some users may encounter a paywall.)

Learn how monoclonal antibodies, which mimic the body's antibodies, can fight diseases like Ebola.

Learn how monoclonal antibodies, which mimic the body's antibodies, can fight diseases like Ebola

Monoclonal Antibodies mimic the antibodies produced naturally by the immune system. These molecules target specific parts of the virus, preventing them from entering cells or interfering with their ability to cause harm or infection.

There are multiple types of multiple sclerosis—they differ by attack patterns

When your immune system targets the nervous system, this can cause new or worsening symptoms and the development of scarring or damage within the central nervous system. Relapsing-remitting MS is the most common type of the disease—it includes progressive bouts of attacks that occur months or years apart.

What are universal vaccines?

As viruses mutate and develop, vaccines have to adapt, leading to regular recommended injections like flu shots. Researchers are working to develop universal vaccines that aim to protect against multiple virus variants if not entire virus families. These vaccines work by creating broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) that target aspects of viruses that don't typically mutate and are integral to the virus' survival.

An Ebola vaccine was developed during the 2018 west African Ebola outbreak

A study found that Merck's rVSV-ZEBOV Ebola vaccine (called Ervebo) was 84% effective against infection during the 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak in the DRC. This effect was observed for both sexes and among children and adults. The vaccine is approved to help provide protection against one specific species of the Ebola virus. The 2026 Ebola outbreak is with a different species of the virus—not the one that the vaccine is approved to treat.

An Ebola vaccine was developed during the 2018 west African Ebola outbreak, but the 2026 Ebola outbreak is with a different species of the virus, not the one that the vaccine is approved to treat.

Long-term memory issues among West Nile survivors may be from immune response, not virus

Rodent research suggests that long-term neurological complications such as fatigue, weakness, difficulty walking, and memory loss, may be due to the immune system systematically destroying parts of neurons in the brain in response to the infection, rather than due to viral infection itself.

MS Drugs reduce inflammation, helping reduce relapses and slow disease progression

Disease-Modifying Drugs calm the body's inflammatory response to help stave off relapses—when new or existing MS symptoms show up for a day or longer. Avoiding smoking, exercising, reducing stress via mindfulness, checking for vitamin D deficiencies, drinking more water and eating well, all can slow disease progression. [The jury's still out on if HRT around the time of menopause may reduce dementia risk](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanhl/article/PIIS2666-7568(25)00122-9/fulltext) Estrogen can reduce inflammation and support neural growth in the brain, and some research has suggested that beginning hormone replacement therapy around menopause—versus later in life—reduces Alzheimer's disease risk. Still, a recent systematic review concluded that taking HRT didn't affect dementia risk, regardless of when women started taking it, so the science remains unsettled.

Wastewater testing has detected genetic evidence of polio, triggering vaccine boosters

Sampling of wastewater in London in 2022 detected fragments of polio virus, suggesting a vaccine-derived version of polio may be circulating. No one became ill, but the finding did trigger calls for a renewed booster inoculation campaign.

Shingles vaccine may slow biological aging in older adults

Research published in 2025 that analyzed data from thousands of older adults found that those who had received the shingles vaccine exhibited signs of slower biological aging, such as lower levels of inflammation and slower epigenetic aging, than those who had not been vaccinated.

The oral, live virus vaccine is the most robust but carries more risks

The live virus vaccine, delivered via oral drops, induces the best protection in the body. Because it includes a live, weakened form of the virus there's an extremely small risk it can sicken recipients and potentially cause paralysis. Recipients also shed the virus in their stool, which can rarely lead to vaccine-derived cases of the virus if the virus mutates. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

How autoimmune diseases, which attack your own tissues and cells, work in the body

These diseases remain some of medicine's thorniest problems because the immune system can mistakenly attack almost any tissue in the body, resulting in myriad diseases, including lupus (numerous tissues affected), Hashimoto's (thyroid), and MS (the nervous system).

Experimental hantavirus vaccines and therapies, still under development, have long been funded by the US military.

Scientists have struggled to pin down Ebola's natural reservoir species for decades, but the available evidence suggests that it's very likely fruit and insect-eating bats found in Africa.

Researchers are investigating if nanoparticle treatments could combat allergies

In rodent work, Northwestern University’s Evan Scott (now at the University of Virginia) and his colleagues have been trying to attack allergies with specially designed nanoparticles—miniscule lab-made objects that can penetrate cells. They stud the nanoparticles with a tiny bit of the allergen specific to the allergy (i.e. cashew protein for cashew allergy) and antibodies that shut down allergic response processes.

Researchers are exploring neural links between Alzheimer's and autism

Recent DNA sequencing and molecular biology studies suggest that similarities in genes, neural circuitry and patterns of disease warrant further exploration to potentially better understand both conditions and how to treat them. (Some users may encounter a paywall.)

How to think yourself into health

Can the right thoughts lead to a stronger immune system? Neuroimmunologists like Hai Qi study how drugs targeting the brain, as well as thought exercises, can prompt stronger immune responses to infection. This six-minute video investigates the radical claims.

CRISPR-Cas systems act as genetic memory banks for defending bacterial cells

When viruses called phages inject DNA into bacteria, some bacterial species store bits of this DNA in their own genomes. This allows them to recognize and destroy the same virus if it attacks again.

Vitamin A does not cure measles, but it helps reduce the symptoms

Also known as retinol, vitamin A plays a significant role in supporting the body’s immune system. The virus attacks the immune system, and studies have shown a correlation between vitamin deficiency and severity of measles symptoms. Supplemental vitamin A doses are now a part of recommended treatment for pediatric patients.

A new daily MS pill is seeking regulatory approval in 2026

In clinical trials, Roche's fenebrutinib showed promise treating primary progressive MS and doubling relapse-free time in patients with relapsing MS as compared to existing treatment. But some liver damage and two possible drug-related deaths in the trials may make it difficult for the drug to net approval. (Some users may encounter a paywall.)

Efforts to find Majorana particles may finally lead to reliable quantum computers

Though the particle—which is its own antiparticle—remains theoretical, scientists from Microsoft to Google continue developing systems to mimic this property towards building error-resistant quantum computers. Scientists at UCSB have been attempting to get the particle using just pencil lead and Scotch tape.

Stem cell therapies show promise in treating spinal injuries

Researchers have long hoped to use stem cells in regenerative medicine to help patients with spinal cord injuries restore sensation and movement. A 2024 clinical trial illustrates how stem cells derived from patients' fat tissue could help spur the creation of new cells in the spinal cord.

What is the blood brain barrier?

Every blood vessel is lined with endothelial cells that act as filters between blood and the rest of the body. In the brain, these cells are tightly packed together to keep a close watch on what substances can access the vital organ. This protective measure poses an obstacle to drugmakers looking to deliver drugs to the well-defended brain for conditions like Alzheimer's. Watch a quick overview here.

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

Can microdosing improve mental health?

Animal studies involving microdoses of psilocybin, the psychoactive component in magic mushrooms and ketamine, found it helped to alleviate anxiety and inflammation, an immune response that can cause damage when chronically active. Human studies are ongoing. In at least one double-blind study, where researchers and patients don't know who got a placebo versus the real thing, about half of the participants incorrectly guessed they had been given placebos.

Scientists have unraveled new details about which nerve cells control goose bumps

Research in 2016 revealed that at least eight different types of neurons are associated with the sympathetic nervous system. One finding revealed that goose bumps and nipple erection are caused by neurons specialized to regulate these specific functions by controlling the erectile muscles in those tissues.

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

Read a deep dive on the 'all-purpose healing' peptide BPC-157.

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

Recent research found that the brain doesn't seem to massively rewire following amputation—upending earlier beliefs about the cause of phantom limb pain.

Astronauts have repaired genetic damage in space using CRISPR—a molecular tool that can make precise changes to DNA and is used in single-celled organisms to attack invasive viruses.

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

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

Poison ivy can cause rashes year-round since all parts of the plant contain urushiol, the oil that triggers our allergic response.

As of 2025, the most cited papers in science include a review of graphene, methods to improve image recognition, streamlining electron density calculations, and optimizing protein studies.

In recent years a child anxiety expert has created and tested a novel phobia and anxiety treatment approach for children, focused on changing how parents respond to the fears.

Volcanic activity may have triggered the Black Death by spewing gases that led to crop failures in Europe, thus forcing the import of grain ships with plague-infested fleas.

Elk Cloner, the first computer virus to spread in public, was written as a practical joke by Richard Skrenta, a Pittsburgh high school student.

While atoms are normally made of protons, neutrons, and electrons, exotic ones have been built with antimatter—alternate versions of normal matter that live for fractions of a second and are about a billion times as rare.

Fish populations in the Great Barrier Reef have increased after installing waterproof speakers on the ocean floor that played recordings of sounds from healthy coral reefs.

Some Pokémon have been named after real and fictional organisms, while some real-world species have been named after Pokémon, such as Chilicola charizard and Binburrum zapdos.

Some renewable energy sources may weaken the resiliency of electric grids by removing outage buffers provided by coal- and natural gas-fired plants, which provide the system with more time to find a new power source if a plant goes down.

After her fellow cult members tried to kill her with an LSD-infused hamburger, one member of the Manson Family, the murderous cult led by Charles Manson, decided to testify against the group's leader.

Search a massive database of over 4 decades of clues from the TV quiz show 'Jeopardy!'

The rivalry between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson centered on federalism—the question of how much power the federal government should hold relative to the states.

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