The US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, has long been consumed by the neurological condition autism – what causes it, and whether there’s a treatment. This week, Donald Trump took on the cause, making claims about acetaminophen, also known as Tylenol and paracetamol, that were dismissed outright by medical...
What is the impact of vaping on teeth and oral health?
We look at the science behind vaping and the claims it causes tooth decay, gum disease and dry mouth The actor Lily James has blamed vaping for damaging her teeth and driving tooth decay that required her to have her first dental filling. Here we look at what the science...
Friday briefing: The Huntington’s treatment is a ray of light for victims of a brutal disease
In today’s newsletter: A gene therapy trial has successfully treated Huntington’s for the first time – one of several recent groundbreaking medical advances bringing hope in gloomy times Good morning. Few medical diagnoses are as brutal and devastating as Huntington’s disease. For decades, those who inherited this cruel condition faced...
Study of 1m-year-old skull points to earlier origins of modern humans
Skull found in China may be Homo longi, potentially revising understanding of human evolution A million-year-old human skull suggests that the origins of modern humans may reach back far deeper in time than previously thought and raises the possibility that Homo sapiens first emerged outside of Africa. Leading scientists reached...