disease

Oops! A New Theory Says Alexander the Great May Have Been Declared Dead Prematurely

Greek leader Alexander the Great had a pretty miserable death. A new theory says he may have been paralyzed—yet still conscious—for six days after he was pronounced dead.

7 Facts About the Measles

The vaccine is about 99 percent effective.

6 Epidemics That Changed History

A mosquito-borne disease might be responsible for the Louisiana Purchase.

David Gregory & Debbie Marshall, Wellcome Collection // CC BY 4.0

11 Facts About Anemia

It makes some people chew ice.

Florida Has Lots of Wild Monkeys With Herpes—and That Number Could Double Soon

The Herpes B virus is deadly to humans.

The CDC Is Here to Ruin the Holidays By Reminding You Not to Eat Cookie Dough

To be fair: Spending the holidays with salmonella poisoning would not be fun, so they've got a point.

14 Facts About Celiac Disease

If you don't have celiac, gluten probably won't hurt you.

Why Does Scratching Make Itching Worse?

Blame your brain.

CDC/Dr. Govinda S. Visvesvara, Wikimedia Commons // Public domain

Brain-Eating Amoeba Kills Seattle Woman Who Used Tap Water in Her Neti Pot

One doctor says these kinds of infections could happen more frequently.

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Discovered on International Space Station Toilet

Drug resistance is a problem on Earth. Now it's happening in space, too.

Birdemic: The Great American Parrot Fever Panic of 1930

Was the outbreak a true epidemic, or an example of mass hysteria?

11 Facts About Eczema

Scratching makes it worse.

A Dr. Dettweiler sputum flask, circa 1910

The Anti-Spitting Campaigns Designed to Stop the Spread of Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis patients were asked to carry their phlegm around all day in a flask.

Antibodies in Llama Blood Might Eliminate the Need for Yearly Flu Shots

A one-size-fits-all flu therapy seems more likely than ever.

Your Showerhead Is Really Gross—and It Might Make You Sick

Time to get out the bleach.

Dogs Are Being Trained to Detect Malaria by Sniffing People's Socks

In one test, they were 70 percent accurate.

A Healthier Michigan, Flickr // CC BY-SA 2.0

Kansas City Police Need Your Help Tracking Down a Giant, Inflatable Colon

The Colon Cancer Coalition needs to raise $4000 to replace it.

12 Facts About Fibromyalgia

Pain ranges from sharp stabbing to a pins-and-needle sensation.

What You Need to Know About Acute Flaccid Myelitis, the Polio-Like Disease That's Spreading in Kids

Doctors don't know what causes it or how to treat it.

Why You Shouldn't Skip the Flu Shot This Year

About 900,000 people were hospitalized for influenza last year. Here's how to avoid becoming one of them this season.

When the French Village of Pont-Saint-Esprit Went Temporarily Mad

The 1951 mass poisoning has been blamed on everything from tainted bread to a CIA experiment with LSD.

The Most Influential Parasite in History

By some estimates, malaria has killed half of everyone who has ever lived—and it almost took down one former president.

Should You Take a Daily Aspirin to Prevent Heart Disease?

A new study raises new questions.

The Surgeon Who Removed His Own Appendix

They call it the "practice" of medicine for a reason.