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Online friendships with strangers linked to greater adult loneliness

A first-of-its-kind study of U.S. adults suggests that all of those strangers you're friends with on social media are not helping you to feel less lonely.

8 May 2026

Cardiometabolic diseases remain leading cause of excess American mortality

Between 1999 and 2022, the US had substantially higher death rates than other wealthy nations, largely due to cardiovascular disease, metabolic diseases (including diabetes), Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and drug and alcohol complications.

8 May 2026

Promising new Hanta virus vaccine under development by University of Bath researchers

A highly promising vaccine for Hanta virus is being developed by researchers from the University of Bath. The team is led by Professor Asel Sartbaeva, Chemistry researcher at the University and co-founder of University spinout company Ensilitech.

8 May 2026

Digital therapy apps improve mental health support for college students

College students with anxiety, depression and eating disorders may be more likely to start and to respond more positively to therapy offered via a digital app compared to referrals to in-person campus clinics, according to a study led by Penn State researchers and published today (May 7) in the journal Nature Human Behaviour.

7 May 2026

Smokers now view e-cigarettes as riskier after lung injury crisis

The study analyzes changing views on e-cigarette risks, noting EVALI's role in shaping public perception and its implications for smoking cessation.

7 May 2026

New blood test predicts illness progression and treatment response

Scientists are developing a test which could one day be used to predict how a patient's illness will progress, and even how well they will respond to treatment.

6 May 2026

Cervical cancer gap will widen without urgent global action

Global modeling reveals that without urgent action, cervical cancer inequalities will worsen, highlighting the need for enhanced vaccination and screening.

6 May 2026

Free book access improves literacy rates in high-poverty schools

Cumulative access to reading materials significantly improves literacy rates in low-income communities.

6 May 2026

Artificial intelligence accelerates discovery of next-generation disinfectants

Chemists and computer scientists tapped AI to find new disinfectants to combat the growing threat of dangerous "superbugs."

5 May 2026

Cruise ship-linked hantavirus cases highlight zoonotic infection risks

The Global Virus Network (GVN), representing eminent human and animal virologists from more than 90 Centers of Excellence and Affiliates in over 40 countries dedicated to advancing research, collaboration, and pandemic preparedness, is closely monitoring reports of a hantavirus cluster linked to a cruise ship traveling in the Atlantic, which has resulted in multiple severe cases and fatalities.

5 May 2026

Stroke incidence rises again with widening ethnic health inequalities

A new study presented today at the European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC) 2026 shows that after decades of decline, stroke incidence is rising again, driven by higher rates in some ethnic minority populations and concentrated among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.

5 May 2026

Poor mental health linked to worse care quality and lower confidence in healthcare system

People with self-reported poorer mental health also report worse quality of care and lower confidence in healthcare systems, according to a study published May 5th in the open-access journal PLOS Medicine by Margaret E. Kruk from Washington University in St. Louis, U.S., and colleagues.

5 May 2026

Telehealth autism tools provide high accuracy for children using short phrases

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down clinics and forced face-to-face interactions behind masks, autism diagnoses for many children came to a halt.

5 May 2026

Dopamine may stretch time perception and shape lasting memories

Ever heard of getting a "dopamine hit" from something you enjoy? These exciting moments also appear to influence memory, although perhaps not in the way you'd expect.

4 May 2026

Scientists find that human embryos are vulnerable to COVID

A University of California, Riverside study reports that cells in the earliest stages of human development could be susceptible to infection by SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, offering new insight into how the virus interacts with developing human tissues and why that may matter for pregnancy research.

4 May 2026