Health
Understanding how the body works — and what happens when things change — is paramount to improving the health and wellbeing of every person on the planet. Our team of expert health writers and editors are here to demystify the latest medical advances, explain how the latest health news affects you, and help you understand which exercise equipment can really help improve your fitness. Whether you're after facts about the human body or the secrets to extreme longevity, our health articles and features aim to leave you better informed, up to date with the latest discoveries, and even more curious about human health.
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![close up photo of a person handing a joint to a second person to smoke](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/i72UTKnbzCftCftStfuARC-320-80.jpg)
Cannabis use linked to head and neck cancer risk
By Nicoletta Lanese published
A new study that looked at 20 years of medical data from millions of people found a link between cannabis use and specific cancers.
![An older man clutches his chest in pain](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ptbGokjgsfr3vmQDXfVGGe-320-80.jpg)
Heart attacks fell dramatically during the pandemic — and they're still dropping
By Michael Schubert published
Better prevention is driving down heart-attack rates in the U.S., but the sharp drops seen at the height of the pandemic were likely caused by people avoiding medical care.
![A Black woman holds a baby close to her chest](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tyXEcmLLMobKSnJk7qAPjS-320-80.jpg)
Newborns are colonized with antibiotic resistant bacteria
By Kirsty Sands, Edward AR Portal, Owen Spiller, Timothy R Walsh published
Babies in Nigeria are testing positive for bacteria resistant to colistin, though it's not clear whether they pick it up in utero, from their mothers, or from somewhere in the hospital.
![Male nervous system, computer artwork.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Sz3Bbu8Uy8VpPfCiJinvX6-320-80.jpg)
6 ways an athlete's brain differs from an average person's
By Emily Cooke published
Sports mastery is about much more than physical capability — it shapes the brain, too.
![Top-half of a female runner shown with her hands on her face against a blurred background. She looks completely exhausted. She is wearing a black vest, red watch and white baseball cap, as well as blue nail varnish.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VETaNEi2kC3PmZuQSFFDt8-320-80.jpg)
What happens when you 'hit the wall'?
By Emily Cooke published
Experts tell Live Science what it means to "hit the wall" while exercising and how to avoid it.
![Close-up of a patient applying a bandage over their chest after having a double mastectomy.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fcpqZ2HdzJwFzeMZGsVARW-320-80.jpg)
Double mastectomies don't increase cancer survival, study suggests
By Emily Cooke published
Other types of surgery besides double mastectomies are equally good at lowering death rates in women with cancer in one breast.
![A woman clutches her belly in pain while sitting in bed](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kU2cBYSUebnbwxr8Y67VnD-320-80.jpg)
Polycystic ovary syndrome: Symptoms and treatment
By Maureen Salamon last updated
![Medical illustration of blue neurons against a black background. Signaling between the neurons is shown as "lit-up" glowing portions that are red or yellow in color.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HnfbZc2No55PgtjXhBWigD-320-80.jpg)
Some people recover from ALS — now, we might know why
By Emily Cooke published
A rare gene variant may explain why a subset of patients with ALS recover from the deadly disease.
![Microbiologist Karin Hjort sitting in a lab with stacks of petri dishes](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RCnLNhRTaAx94bxbTNUBrn-320-80.jpg)
Bacteria that switch antibiotic resistance on and off are going undetected. Microbiologist Karin Hjort is on a mission to find out how they do it.
By Kristel Tjandra published
Microbiologist Karin Hjort discusses what heteroresistance is and how it could change the way we treat bacterial infections.
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