National Geographic Daily News

Health News

  • A man with insomnia (file photo).

    Male Insomniacs Die Earlier?

    Chronic male insomniacs may have a higher risk of early death than "normal" male sleepers, a new study says.

  • A man with a headache holds his head.

    Migraines Linked to Gene

    A genetic variant has been linked to higher risk for chronic migraines, according to a new study of European patients.

  • A woman drinks coffee at a campsite at Sixty Lake Basin.

    "Morning Person" Gene Found in Hair

    Early bird or late riser? The mysteries of your body clock may be unlocked by the hairs on your head, a new study says.

  • Round bacteria in sticky biofilm are seen in an electron scanning micrograph.

    Bacteria Can Smell

    The single-celled organisms can detect the aroma of ammonia, says a new study that suggests the sense of smell evolved earlier than thought.

  • A teenage boy sleeping on Tigertail Beach.

    Dreams Make You Smarter?

    Even during naps, REM sleep—when dreams are most vivid—boosts memory, creativity, and more, experts announced Friday.

  • Delivery of a two-terminal nanoscale electronic sensor into single cells. The device has a three-dimensional and flexible structure with the key nanoscale field-effect transistor element synthetically integratedat the tip of the acute-angle nanowire nanostructure. 3D nanoprobes modified with phospholipid bilayers enter single cells in a minimally invasive manner to allow robust recording of intracellular potential.  Photograph courtesy SCIENCE/AAAS

    Nano "Wiretap" Spies on Cells

    A new transistor smaller than a virus can enter a cell harmlessly and "listen in" on crucial body functions, a new study says.

  • A woman sleeps in an airport.

    Sound-Sleep Secrets Uncovered

    Sleep like a log? You can thank your spindles, rapidfire brain waves that act as blockades against noise during sleep, a new study says.

  • Oil in a core sample taken from Pensacola Beach, Florida.

    Much Gulf Oil Remains, but Hidden

    The "vast majority" of spilled oil is gone, officials say. But some experts counter that much crude remains, out of sight.

  • A researcher wears a sniff sensor.

    Sniff-Controlled Keyboards, Wheelchairs Invented

    A new sniff-driven controller is helping paralyzed people get moving again—and allowed a "locked in" patient to write letters, a new study says.

  • A glass shrimp perches on algae-carpet mussels.

    Prozac Runoff Making Shrimp Reckless

    Shrimp in Prozac-laced coastal waters swim into bright areas, making them more visible to predators, a new study says.

  • Human sperm.

    Sperm Gene Traced to Dawn of Animals

    The gene responsible for sperm in all sexual creatures dates to the beginning of animal evolution—and may be a key to the elusive male birth control pill, a new study says.

  • A sedated juvenile rhesus macaque yields biological samples.

    Humans Brains "Evolve" with Age

    The brain regions that grow the most as we age are the same areas that expanded the most during evolution, a new study says.

  • oil-lurks-beneath-beaches-gulf-breeze-florida--s990x658--p.jpg

    Oil Found Just Under Gulf Beaches

    Experts are finding oil from the Gulf spill hidden under beach sand. The hard-to-remove deposits could pose a long-lasting risk.

  • This picture was taken in the Main Plaza of Avila, Spain, in the Autum of 2008. Two elderly men are having a conversation while two women of similar age walk by in a beautiful October afternoon. 
Avila is a medieval town in the heart of Spain that has kept is ancient charm in its arquitecture, and where its inhabitants are proud of their traditions.

    Longevity Genes Found

    Can you live to be a hundred? Specific sections of your genes might provide the answer, according to a new study.

  • A portion of a diagram shows an engineered lung and the rat it was implanted into.

    Replacement Lung Created in Lab

    Biomedical breakthrough in rats may lead to replacement lungs for humans in 20 years, if a suitable source of stem cells can be found.

  • An Ebola researcher decontaminates himself with bleach and water.

    Ebola Cured in Monkeys

    A new drug successfully wiped out the deadly virus in monkeys, possibly bringing humans a step closer to a cure, scientists say.

  • Petri dish with fly larvae, irradiated with blue light from underneath. Unchanged larvae normally avoid areas exposed to light. The light has a pleasant odor for the modified larvae thus they move towards it. Larvae that appear to be white are discernible on the illuminated surface.

    Blue Light Smells Like Banana?

    Fruit fly larvae with algae proteins in their "noses" will mistake blue light for the scent of mushy bananas, researchers have found.

Most Popular Stories

News Blogs

  • Photo: Reconstructed body silhouette of Baldaur bondac

    Double-Clawed Dino Found

    The "stocky dragon" had several interesting features, and it sheds some light on how and where these dinos developed.

  • Photo: Nebula in shape of a rose

    Space Unicorn's Close-Up

    There's a unicorn in outer space that holds a rose and a star that rings like a bell, and that's no fairy tale.

  • Photo: Bear caught in a camera trap

    The Bear and the Anteater

    Aesop wishes he'd seen this one. Find out what caused these two critters to show up on a camera trap together.

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Gulf Oil Spill News and Pictures

  • Lightning and fire accompany Hurricane Andrew in Homestead, Florida.

    "Firecane" Myth Busted

    Flaming, oily hurricanes and "black rain" are no danger to Gulf residents on Katrina's fifth anniversary—or to anyone, anywhere, experts say.

  • Photo: ship hydrocarbon plume gulf

    22-Mile Oil Plume Found

    A giant plume from the Gulf spill has been confirmed deep in the ocean—and it may stick around, a new study says.

More Gulf Oil Spill Coverage »