What determines how long we live—and to what extent is our lifespan shaped by our genes? Surprisingly, for decades, scientists believed that the heritability of human lifespan was relatively low compared to other human traits, standing at just 20–25%; some recent large-scale studies even placed it below 10%.

Radon is an odorless, invisible radioactive gas. It's naturally released from rocks, soil and water—and it can get trapped inside homes, offices or schools. There's no known safe level of radon. There are no symptoms associated with radon exposure, unlike with carbon monoxide poisoning.

Ascending aortic hemiarch reconstruction offers the same long-term benefits to patients over age 65 with acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) as more complex extended arch reconstruction procedures, according to a study presented today at the 2026 Society of Thoracic Surgeons Annual Meeting.

Chlamydia pneumoniae—a common bacterium that causes pneumonia and sinus infections—can linger in the eye and brain for years and may aggravate Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study from Cedars-Sinai.

An international research consortium, led by scientists at VIB and UGent, has developed a new platform that could change how antibody medicines are tested and brought to patients. The

Two Cambridge-led studies suggest that the psychological distress caused by lockdowns (UK) and experience of infection (US) was reduced among those of faith compared to non-religious people.

An updated report on cystic fibrosis (CF) from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, in partnership with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), highlights the new national guidelines on CF newborn screening that aim to detect affected babies earlier, more accurately and more fairly.

The number of patients diagnosed with cardiomyopathy has increased substantially over the past two decades. This is the finding of a new study from Uppsala University that mapped all cases of cardiomyopathy in Sweden. Despite identifying this increase, it is still unclear whether this is due to more people developing cardiomyopathy or to health care becoming better at diagnosing it.

Imagine being a dentist, and your clients roll their eyes at you, comment that you don't know what you're doing—or even spit at you.

Research on rare diagnoses and the development of precision medicine depend on patients being able to share their health data in a secure and ethical manner. The research study, published in Scientific Reports, in which a digital platform was developed to collect electronic informed consent, shows that many participants want to contribute to research and appreciate the digital solution, but also that the technology needs further development.