Mihika Basu

What’s impact of rising temperatures on people with MS? It may worsen symptoms, send more to hospital: Study

During periods of anomalously warm weather, people with multiple sclerosis had a 4% increased chance of having an emergency department visit compared to periods of normal weather, shows analysis

2y ago

Cannabis may not give relief from migraine and may even lead to rebound headaches, says study

People using cannabis are six times more likely to have medication overuse headache than those who did not use it

2y ago

Covid-19 vaccine acceptance lowest among pregnant women and mothers of young kids in US, says global survey

Pregnant women who were reluctant said they had concerns about exposing their baby to possible harmful side effects, the vaccine being rushed for political reasons and lack of safety and data

2y ago

Birth weight of 2.5 kg or more linked to risk of developing type 2 diabetes in adulthood, says report

It is associated with lower levels of key glucose regulator hormone

2y ago

How much and what food to eat for a longer life? Study suggests daily servings of 2 fruits and 3 vegetables

Eating more than five servings is not associated with any additional benefit

2y ago

J&J’s Covid-19 vaccine gets nod, Fauci urges Americans to accept any of the 3 'highly efficacious' shots

Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have shown higher efficacy rates as compared to Johnson & Johnson but experts have advised against direct comparison and say all three provide strong protection

2y ago

Is decline in US Covid-19 cases stalling? CDC warns ‘not the time to relax restrictions' as new variants spread

The shift may be a sign that new, highly transmissible variants of the coronavirus are beginning to take hold, according to public health experts

2y ago

Gulf Stream weakest in 1,000 years, US East Coast may see more flooding if climate change worsens: Study

Scientists warn that if global warming continues unabated, it will weaken further, and could reduce by about 34% to 45% by the end of this century, bringing it closer to a 'tipping point'

2y ago

Should teachers get vaccinated before schools reopen? 59% Americans say it's vital to fight Covid-19: Survey

61% also believe that students falling behind academically should be a top consideration in school reopening

2y ago

What is 'Snow Moon'? Here's how you can see February's full moon that draws its name from the heavy snowfall

On average, February is the snowiest month in the US, according to data from the National Weather Service

2y ago

Is B.1.526 dangerous? New Covid-19 variant identified in New York may weaken efficacy of vaccines, say experts

According to the team, this discovery also highlights the need for a concerted national surveillance program to track and contain the spread of novel coronavirus variants

2y ago

New York News

Were US diplomats in China asked to take anal swab tests for Covid-19? Beijing denies allegations

‘As far as I know, China has never asked US diplomats in China to conduct anal swab tests,’ said Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian

2y ago

Was there a hidden message on Nasa's Mars rover parachute? Internet decodes 'dare mighty things' within 6 hours

The outer rings of the pattern also feature a set of coordinates, denoting the location of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, which manages the mission for the agency

2y ago

California News

How many Americans identify as LGBT? It’s a record 5.6% of US adults with ‘Generation Z’ driving growth: Poll

Women far more likely than men to consider themselves as LGBT

2y ago

How safe is J&J’s single-shot Covid-19 vaccine? FDA says it's effective and meets ‘favorable safety profile’

Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine is 85% effective at preventing severe cases of coronavirus, reveals analysis

2y ago

Can people with depression and anxiety develop Alzheimer’s at a younger age? Study says it may be possible

Those with anxiety who develop Alzheimer’s may start experiencing dementia symptoms about three years earlier than those who do not have the condition

2y ago

People who like staying up late twice as likely to underperform at work compared to early birds, claims study

Morning chronotypes or 'larks' tend to do better early in the morning, evening-types or 'owls' later in the evening, while intermediate types have no strong preference, says the study

2y ago

What role do teachers play in Covid-19 spread at schools? CDC warns they could be ‘central’ drivers

9 Covid-19 transmission clusters found in US schools involved less than ideal physical distancing, and 5 involved inadequate mask use by students

2y ago

Can life from Earth survive on Mars? Some microbes may, posing new challenges to space travel: Study

Microorganisms were launched into the Earth’s stratosphere, and the black mold Aspergillus niger could be revived after it returned home

2y ago

Anthony Fauci blames Trump and political divide in America as US Covid-19 deaths cross 500,000

He said mixed signals from the White House under the Trump administration were not helpful in the fight against coronavirus

2y ago

Is Milky Way teeming with ‘Earths’? All planets may have been formed by the same building blocks, study says

According to researchers, this suggests that other planets may not just have the same amount of water and oceans but also the same amount of continents as on Earth

2y ago

Who is Katherine Johnson? Cygnus spacecraft honors ‘Hidden Figures’ Black mathematician to reach ISS

She joined National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), now known as NASA, in 1953. Her calculations helped put the first Americans in space

2y ago

Did Andrew Cuomo’s nursing home policy cause over 1,000 Covid-19 deaths? It may have led to spike, says report

According to researchers, each facility outside of New York City and its suburbs that accepted coronavirus patients averaged 9.33 additional deaths than those that did not

2y ago

New York News

What is the pulse oximeter? FDA says key medical device used in Covid-19 fight may not work on Black patients

Pulse oximeters that measure the percentage of oxygen in the blood are more likely to be inaccurate for people with dark skin

2y ago

NASA's Perseverance and missions from China, UAE set to reach Mars in February, here’s what they want to achieve

After nearly 300 million miles, Perseverance completes its journey to the Red Planet on February 18, 2021

2y ago

What’s 2020 SO? ‘Mini-moon’ to bid farewell to Earth on February 1 as it moves into new orbit around the Sun

Temporarily captured by our planet since November 2020, this artificial mini-moon or space debris from the Surveyor 2 lunar mission will soon leave our neighborhood

2y ago

Is porn the new sex ed? Young Americans find it ‘most helpful source’ of information on how to have sex: Study

Most free, online pornography is not there to teach you what you are supposed to do when you are having sex, warn experts

2y ago

What is ‘global gag rule’ on abortions? Here’s what Joe Biden’s move to reverse the policy means for women

The rule banned federal funds going to international aid organizations that perform or promote abortions or provide information about them

2y ago

How many Covid-19 deaths in New York nursing homes went underreported? 'As much as 50 percent,' report suggests

The initial analysis is based on a survey of 62 nursing homes, a roughly 10 percent sample of total facilities across New York state

2y ago

New York News

How dangerous is South African Covid-19 variant? First two US cases of virus strain detected in South Carolina

Like the UK and Brazilian variants, preliminary data suggests this variant may spread more easily and quickly than other variants, noted the CDC

2y ago

How does Moon affect sleep? People go to bed late and nap less on nights before a full moon, says study

Women’s menstrual cycles also temporarily synchronize with moon cycles

2y ago

What’s pushing North and South America further apart from Europe and Africa? Study identifies geological event

An upsurge of matter from deep beneath the Earth's crust might be responsible

2y ago

Spike in student suicides forces LA school district to reopen for in-person learning amid rising Covid-19 cases

The Clark County School District in Nevada has seen 18 suicides in nine months since it closed schools in March 2020 as compared to 9 in 2019

2y ago

What is a ‘Wolf Moon’? Here’s why the wonderful spectacle takes place and when to watch it

Other traditional names for the January moon denote the season’s coldness: Cold Moon, Frost Exploding Moon, Freeze Up Moon, Severe Moon and Hard Moon

2y ago

Do dark personalities prefer dark characters? People who like fictional villains may share some traits, says study

Individuals who score high for psychopathy and Machiavellianism are more likely to report that they enjoy, identify, and empathize with villainous characters, suggests analysis

2y ago

1 in 5 Americans suffer from sexually transmitted infections, about half the cases among 15 to 24-year-olds: CDC

There were an estimated 67.6 million prevalent and 26.2 million newly-acquired sexually transmitted infections in the US in 2018 alone

2y ago

iPhone 12 must be kept 6 inches away from pacemakers and other medical implants, says Apple. Here's why

iPhone contains magnets as well as components and radios that emit electromagnetic fields, which could interfere with pacemakers and defibrillators

2y ago

What’s TOI-178? 5 planets found in strange rhythmic dance around a star 200 light-years away baffle scientists

It challenges theories about how planets form and change over time

2y ago

What is P.1? US confirms its first case of contagious Covid-19 variant from Brazil in Minnesota patient

A resident of Twin Cities metro area, the person with the Brazil coronavirus variant recently returned to Minnesota after having traveled to Brazil

2y ago

Minnesota News

69% Americans approve of Joe Biden’s Covid-19 response, but nearly one-third oppose US rejoining WHO: Poll

Results show 34% are against the US recommitting to the Paris Agreement on climate change

2y ago

How many Covid-19 vaccines does the US have? White House blames Trump administration for lack of data

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky says that efforts to accelerate vaccination may be hindered by supply constraints

2y ago

US to undo Trump's order and impose Covid-19 travel restrictions on South Africa, UK and Brazil to fight new strains

This will impact the entry of non-US citizens from the UK, Brazil, South Africa and 26 countries in Europe where new and more contagious coronavirus strains have emerged

2y ago

Over 85% of dams in US operating at or beyond life expectancy, study shows why they are a growing threat

Older dams combined with poor maintenance represent a higher risk to public safety, particularly for downstream areas

2y ago

Is B.1.1.7 Covid-19 variant more deadly? It may be associated with increased risk of death, suggests report

However, the evidence is preliminary and more studies are needed to make firm conclusions, say experts

2y ago

60% of Americans don’t know when to get Covid-19 vaccine, 55% unaware where they can get the shot: Poll

Black and Hispanic adults, as well as low-income households, are among the groups least likely to say they have enough information

2y ago

Is ‘tech elite’ a class for itself? World’s richest have distinct views setting them apart from others: Study

They believe in meritocracy and deny a connection between democracy and money

2y ago

Joe Biden's 'wartime' Covid-19 plan includes more mask-wearing, vaccination, scientific data and help for schools

The national strategy includes restoring public trust as well as increasing supplies of PPE, testing materials and vaccines through the Defense Production Act

2y ago

What are radio galaxies? Scientists discover 2 giants that dwarf the Milky Way and are 62 times its size

Among the largest giants known, the findings suggest that giant radio galaxies may be more common than previously believed

2y ago

Pfizer vaccine effective against infectious Covid-19 variant, Moderna shot also offers protection: Reports

The B.1.1.7 lineage is a rapidly spreading variant that carries a larger than usual number of genetic changes with 10 mutations located in the spike protein

2y ago

Highly infectious UK Covid-19 strain was probably spreading in US weeks before England detected it: Study

Researchers found that clusters of the B.1.1.7 variant had emerged in California by November 6 and by November 23 in Florida

2y ago

California News|Florida News

Mihika Basu

Mihika Basu has spent a decade and some reporting on education, health, science, and the environment. She is Senior Editor with MEA Worldwide. Mihika loves watching horror movies and stalking cats on Instagram in her spare time. Write to her at mihika.b@meawwworld.com