Health News

More evidence that mass shootings are suicidal acts

Mark Czeisler. Veasey Conway/Harvard Staff Photographer Health More evidence that mass shootings are suicidal acts New research finds national peaks for suicides, gun rampages take place within days of each other in summer Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Writer September 8, 2026 4 min read Research suggests that most mass shootings are at their core suicidal…

Why is yogurt good for us? 

Health Why is yogurt good for us? Genghis Khan supposedly fed it to his troops for strength and bravery. He might have been onto something. September 2, 2026 3 min read Part of the Wondering series A series of random questions answered by Harvard experts. Kerry L. Ivey is a nutritional epidemiologist, clinical dietitian, and…

How to fix U.S. healthcare? ‘Radical action,’ says John McDonough.

Health How to fix U.S. healthcare? ‘Radical action,’ says John McDonough. Chan School expert links soaring costs to broader policy shifts in ‘America’s Wrong Turn’ Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Writer August 18, 2026 5 min read John McDonough.Veasey Conway/Harvard Staff Photographer “What happened in 1980?” John McDonough wondered every time he looked at the numbers.…

Screening newborns for cancer risk

Health Screening newborns for cancer risk Blood samples routinely collected at birth could be used for genetic testing, potentially helping 1,000 children a year, study suggests Mass General Brigham Communications August 18, 2026 5 min read Genetic testing added to routine newborn screening could identify some babies at increased risk of developing cancer before symptoms…

For women in menopause, ‘not all healthy diets are equal’

Tong Xia. Niles Singer/Harvard Staff Photographer Health For women in menopause, ‘not all healthy diets are equal’ Study comparing 11 eating patterns finds two clear paths to curbing weight gain Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Writer August 11, 2026 4 min read A recent study examining how 11 different diets affect weight gain and obesity during…

Total keto or veganism? Daniel Lieberman considers how humans evolved to eat.

Photo by Antonia Prescott Health Total keto or veganism? Daniel Lieberman considers how humans evolved to eat. Excerpt from evolutionary biologist’s new book ‘Fed Up’ August 10, 2026 long read Part of the Excerpts series Works by Harvard-affiliated authors Excerpted from “Fed Up: What Evolution Reveals about Food, Diet, Health, and Eating Well” by Daniel…

Part grueling race, part field study

George Usmanov traverses Wyoming’s Great Divide Basin. Photo by Chad Ament Health Part grueling race, part field study Max Larkin Harvard Staff Writer August 4, 2026 7 min read From a bicycle seat, Harvard postdoc sees roadblocks facing rural medicine George Usmanov did some unforgettable sightseeing this summer. Over 25 days in June and July,…

Coffee refill? Go for it, says American Heart Association, with note of caution.

Health Coffee refill? Go for it, says American Heart Association, with note of caution. Co-author of new guidance explains how many cups a day are safe — possibly even good for you — and why energy drinks are different Anna Lamb Harvard Staff Writer July 29, 2026 3 min read Good news for java enthusiasts:…

The best medicine may be free

Health The best medicine may be free Forest therapy guide explains what a daily dose of nature does for the body Rebecca Coleman Harvard Staff Writer July 28, 2026 6 min read Susan Abookire. Photos by Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer; Illustrations by Liz Zonarich/Harvard Staff If you’ve ever taken a walk outside on a hard…

Almost everyone she knew growing up were laborers. Now she researches inactivity.

Niles Singer/Harvard Staff Photographer Health Almost everyone she knew growing up were laborers. Now she researches inactivity. Epidemiologist I-Min Lee has published hundreds of papers on exercise and heart health in her time with the Harvard Alumni Health Study and the Women’s Health Study Sy Boles Harvard Staff Writer July 27, 2026 5 min read…

Plant-based diets may help lower the risk of chronic constipation

Mediterranean and plant-based diets linked to lower risk of chronic constipation A study published online in Gastroenterology on July 2, 2025, suggests that long-term dietary patterns may play a significant role in the risk of developing chronic constipation in middle-aged and older adults. Researchers followed nearly 96,000 participants over several years to examine how different…

She studies cell lineage in the eye. Now she’s leaving research lineage of her own. 

Health She studies cell lineage in the eye. Now she’s leaving research lineage of her own.  Award-winning biologist Connie Cepko, who advanced work on vision-threatening disease, passes the torch to scientific successors Sy Boles Harvard Staff Writer July 13, 2026 6 min read Veasey Conway/Harvard Staff Photographer Part of the Profiles of Progress series Connie…

NFL players 4 times more likely to die of brain disease, study finds

Health NFL players 4 times more likely to die of brain disease, study finds Despite living longer overall, neurodegenerative mortality risk dramatically elevated Mass General Brigham Communications July 8, 2026 5 min read A new study found that National Football League players are four times likelier to die due to neurodegenerative disease than the general…

Think ‘Shark Tank,’ without the teeth

Health Think ‘Shark Tank,’ without the teeth Jeffrey Smith. Veasey Conway/Harvard Staff Photographer Jacob Sweet Harvard Staff Writer July 7, 2026 5 min read Dermatologist gets advice from investors at Harvard’s ‘Guppy Tank’ on new antibody that could help most sun-sensitive patients Jeffrey Smith has an idea for a drug, but he could use some…

Sunlight is not your enemy

Rowan Jacobsen. Photo by Chris Hartlove Health Sunlight is not your enemy Health benefits outweigh the risks for most of us, according to new book Samantha Laine Perfas Harvard Staff Writer July 6, 2026 5 min read Public health messaging about the sun tends to emphasize skin cancer risk, urging everybody to cover up and…

Why you should care about first new FDA-approved sunscreen ingredient in 20 years

Health FDA has approved the first new sunscreen ingredient in 20 years HMS dermatology professor Hillary Tsibris explains why you should care Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Writer July 20, 2026 8 min read The Food and Drug Administration in June approved the first new general sunscreen ingredient in 20 years: bemotrizinol, or BEMT. Dermatologists and…