Michael Franco

GLP-1 drugs shown to fight arthritis independent of weight loss

Michael Franco — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 01:35:01 GMT

A new study has shown that the popular GLP-1 weight loss drug semaglutide has the power to halt, and to some extent restore, cartilage in people suffering from osteoarthritis (OA). The finding hints at a possible use of the drug beyond weight loss.

Category: Body and Mind

Tags: GLP-1 receptor agonists, Ozempic, Arthritis, Weight Loss

How living at high altitudes can protect against diabetes

Michael Franco — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 21:09:06 GMT

It's long been known that living at higher altitudes can affect physiology, including reducing the incidence of diabetes. The reason why has evaded scientists for decades. That has changed with a new discovery that was hiding in plain sight.

Category: Body and Mind

Tags: Oxygen, Red blood cells, Diabetes

Intermittent fasting fails to live up to its weight-loss hype in new study

Michael Franco — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 18:03:00 GMT

News about intermittent fasting seems to change as frequently as the apps on your phone need upgrading. Yet another new study about the eating practice seeks to put doubts to rest after rounding up data from 22 randomized clinical trials.

Category: Diet & Nutrition, Wellness and Healthy Living, Body and Mind

Tags: Diet, Fasting, Weight Loss, Nutrition, cochrane

Video: Fire tornado cleans up oil spills

Michael Franco — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 11:29:44 GMT

Oil spills in oceans can spell disaster for ecosystems, but options for mitigating them are limited and can come with their own environmental challenges. A new "fire tornado" from Texas A&M University might soon be able to come to the rescue.

Category: Environment, Science

Tags: Gulf Oil Spill, Oil, Smoke, Texas A&M Universty

Dream control makes the leap from sci-fi to science

Michael Franco — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 12:03:00 GMT

Researchers have shown they can achieve some control over what people are dreaming, bringing a theme that has been frequently explored in sci-fi and horror genres off the page and into the lab.

Category: Body and Mind

Tags: Dreams, Sleep, Mind Control, Northwestern University

Just a few daily cups of coffee or tea linked to lower dementia risk

Michael Franco — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:03:00 GMT

After an analysis of health data from over 131,000 people tracked for up to 43 years, researchers found that drinking coffee and tea daily seems to guard against the development of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of cognitive decline.

Category: Wellness and Healthy Living, Body and Mind

Tags: Coffee, Tea, Dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Harvard, MIT, Mass General Brigham, Caffeine

Flame-treated sunscreen keeps the zinc but cuts the smeary white look

Michael Franco — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 21:03:00 GMT

Zinc oxide remains one of the best forms of sun protection thanks to its ability to block both UVB and UVA rays. However, few really appreciate its thick white look – except, maybe, lifeguards in the '80s. UCLA researchers believe they have a solution.

Category: Wellness and Healthy Living, Body and Mind

Tags: Sunscreen, Sunlight, UCLA, Zinc

AI-boosted stethoscope excels at listening to our hearts

Michael Franco — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 09:03:00 GMT

While AI certainly has its issues – such as rotting your brain and making you stupid – there is little doubt that it excels in medical diagnostics. The technology repeatedly proves itself when it comes to looking at – and into – the human body and predicting disease risk. Some examples of AI's diagnostic prowess include looking at chest X-rays , staring deeply into our eyes to detect diseases, reading MRIs to spot fat around our hearts, and even examining our tongues to detect conditions including asthma and anemia. Now, apparently, it can improve upon the humble stethoscope as well, according to a new study in the journal, Digital Health.

Category: Heart Disease, Illnesses and conditions, Body and Mind

Tags: Medical conditions, Cardiac, Artificial Intelligence, Diagnostic devices

New technique targets 'sweet spot' to destroy bacteria

Michael Franco — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:03:00 GMT

In the front lines of combat between scientists and bacteria, there's a notorious group of bugs that belong to a nefarious organization known as ESKAPE. These bacteria are particularly good at evading the effects of antibiotics, making them a major cause of hard-to-treat infections, often transmitted during hospital stays. The acronym that classifies them consists of the first letters of the six bacteria that belong to the group: Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species.

Category: Biology, Science

Tags: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, Bacteria, Infections, Immunotherapy, University of Melbourne

No more ultrasound goop with new gel pad

Michael Franco — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 16:03:00 GMT

If you've ever had a sonogram you know that, even though the test isn't too hard to endure, the cold glob of gel that goes on your skin before you get "wanded" is pretty unpleasant. Japanese researchers have now come up with an alternative.

Category: Medical Devices, Medical Innovations, Body and Mind

Tags: Ultrasound, sonogram, Medical Imaging, kindai university