No, COVID mRNA Vaccines Won’t Damage Your DNA
You have a “better chance of becoming Spider-Man” than being harmed by DNA from COVID vaccines
Stories by Tanya Lewis
Tanya Lewis is a senior editor covering health and medicine at Scientific American. She writes and edits stories for the website and print magazine on topics ranging from COVID to organ transplants. She also co-hosts Your Health, Quickly on Scientific American's podcast Science, Quickly and writes Scientific American's weekly Health & Biology newsletter. She has held a number of positions over her seven years at Scientific American, including health editor, assistant news editor and associate editor at Scientific American Mind. Previously, she has written for outlets that include Insider, Wired, Science News, and others. She has a degree in biomedical engineering from Brown University and one in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
How to Avoid Holiday Hangovers
The holidays are a time for indulgence, but there are ways to drink alcohol without suffering the painful effects.
New Class of Antibiotics Discovered Using AI
A deep-learning algorithm helped identify new compounds that are effective against antibiotic-resistant infections in mice, opening the door to AI-guided drug discovery
The Biggest Health and Medicine Stories of 2023
From new uses for weight-loss drugs to the first CRISPR gene editing therapy, these were some of the most impactful health stories of the year
A New Type of Heart Disease is on the Rise
Problems with the heart, kidneys and metabolic health are all connected
COVID Caused a Baby Bump when Experts Expected a Drop. Here’s Why
During the COVID pandemic, the U.S. initially saw a drop in births followed by a bump
How the War in Gaza Has Devastated Hospitals
The Israel-Hamas war has disrupted hospitals’ access to electricity, fuel and medicine. A physician from Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières explains why health care is so vulnerable during war
Why Childhood Vaccination Rates Are Falling
Fewer kids got their routine childhood vaccines since before the pandemic. Are lack of access and a loss of trust in science to blame?
Quick Naps Are Good for Your Brain
Daytime naps of about 30 minutes really improve your thinking and may spark creativity.
Doctors Complete First Successful Face and Whole-Eye Transplant
Surgeons transplanted part of a face and an entire eyeball into a man with severe electrical burns. He is not yet able to see out of the eye, but preliminary evidence suggests it may retain some function
How New Advances in Organ Transplants Are Saving Lives
Advances are increasing the supply of organs. But this isn’t enough. Enter the genetically modified donor pig
What Are Ultraprocessed Foods, and Are They Bad for You?
More than half of our diet consists of foods that have been industrially processed in some way, and they may be harmful to our health
Milestone Pig-to-Human Heart Transplant May Pave the Way for Broader Trial
Surgeons transplanted a genetically modified pig heart into a human for the second time ever, and the recipient survived for six weeks
How to Handle This New COVID Season
The dangerous virus is still here. Here’s how you can stay safe.
Vaccine Scientist Warns Antiscience Conspiracies Have Become a Deadly, Organized Movement
Vaccinologist Peter Hotez explains how the movement to oppose science and scientists has gained power
A Popular Decongestant Doesn’t Work. What Does?
The popular decongestant phenylephrine is not effective, an FDA panel found. Here’s what to use instead.
Should You Get a Blood Test For Alzheimer’s?
Consumers can now get easy tests for Alzheimer’s. But these tests may not really help patients that much—yet.
CDC Recommends Updated COVID Boosters for Everyone This Fall
Here’s what to know about the fall COVID boosters, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended for all people aged six months and older
This Tick Bite Makes You Allergic to Red Meat
The bite of the lone star tick makes people allergic to a sugar found in mammalian products, and many doctors don’t know about it.
When Will the Next COVID Vaccine Be Available, and Who Should Get It?
An updated COVID vaccine will be available soon, but certain groups may benefit more than others
A Pig Kidney Was Just Transplanted Into a Human Body, and It Is Still Working
Xenotransplants could help to solve the organ transplant crisis—if researchers can get the science right.
Hearing Aids Stave Off Cognitive Decline
Hearing aids may help maintain better brain functions in older people and better health overall.
How Wildfires Kill People
The deadly wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii, has killed dozens of people so far. Here’s how fires threaten human health
Red Meat Allergy Caused by Tick Bite Is Spreading—And Nearly Half of Doctors Don’t Know about It
The bite of the lone star tick can cause an allergy to red meat, as well as to dairy and some medications