There are plenty of reasons to be thankful that you don't live in the early 1900s (child labour laws, air conditioning, what have you), but just in case you've been feeling nostalgic for simpler times, new research from the University of Detroit Mercy should put those wistful fantasies to rest. After chemically analysing several dozen patent medicines from around the dawn of the 20th century, chemist Mark Benvenuto found that many of these completely unfounded "miracle cures" contained toxins such as lead, mercury, and even arsenic. Read More >>

Last month was the 100th anniversary of the first cars made by William Morris (1877-1963). The Morris-Oxford Light was a small car with a 1018cc four-cylinder side-valve engine, made in 1913. But William Morris wasn't just a titan of the British car industry; he was also a philanthropist who manufactured and donated over 5,000 iron lungs to hospitals across the UK. Read More >>

A team of US scientists has identified a link between a chemical called carnitine, found in red meat, and increased risk of heart disease. Read More >>

Diagnosing genetic disorders and devising personalised therapies just got a lot easier, or at least quicker. Panasonic and Belgian research lab IMEC have created a small chip that tests DNA in under an hour. Read More >>

After a difficult birth, women are sometimes separated from their newborns because the babies are placed in the neonatal intensive care unit, and the mothers are recovering elsewhere in the hospital. Cedars-Sinai in LA is providing iPads for "BabyTime," though, so families can stay connected. Read More >>

The next time you wake up with morning breath, you can take pride that though it smells bad, no one else's is quite like yours. According to a recent study, you've got a "breathprint" that is not only unique to you, but could also predict diseases. Read More >>

Have you ever had one of those days where you thought to yourself "Boy, I sure wish I didn't have this sexy yet expensive cocaine addiction"? Fortunately for you, there could be a new solution on the horizon, and all you have to do is fry your brain with lasers. Equally sexy. Read More >>

While doctors have experimented with 3D-printed prosthetics in the past, none has been quite as prominent or incredibly detailed as Eric Moger's newest addition: a prosthetic, 3D-printed face. Read More >>

Blood poisoning is the number one cause of death among critical care patients in the US, killing more than 200,000 people annually, And it's estimated that there are over 30,000 severe cases of sepsis in the UK each year. However, a radical new treatment option could transform the way we treat sepsis and save thousands of lives every year. Read More >>

Vaccines beef up your immune system by giving it a little taste of a weak—but still alive—version of diseases. Now researchers over here in the UK have developed an alternative approach: rip out a virus's insides and let your body crush its hollow husk. Read More >>

Going to a therapist in itself already makes a many people uncomfortable, but what if their wise and licensed confidant was actually just a fancy, upgraded Sim? Well, we may not have to wait too long to find out—a new computer program is already planning to be your depression-diagnosing assistant shrink. Read More >>

Optical microscopes are limited by a phenomenon known as the diffraction barrier, wherein the microscope can't differentiate two objects separated by less than half the wavelength of light used—roughly 200 nm on average for the visible spectrum. But by combining powerful optics and cutting-edge rendering algorithms, GE's new DeltaVision OMX Blaze is bringing this hidden realm's drama to light. Read More >>

Poop has been around for as long as there have been animals to produce it. It's a constant, brown, smelly presence in all of our lives. But over the long stretch of history, humanity has come up with some brilliant and clever uses for it. Advance apologies for spoiling your lunch. Read More >>

We've got plenty of devices that track stats on the outside of our bodies and send the numbers to our phones, but how about one that goes under your skin and bathes in blood? A chip developed by a team of Swiss scientists does just that; it's a Fitbit for under your skin. Sorta. Read More >>

Liver transplantation has become a victim of its own success with far more recipients registered to waiting lists — roughly 30,000 in the US and Europe — than there are available donor organs. What's more, a staggering 2,000 viable livers must be discarded annually because they didn't survive the journey from donor to recipient. However, this new organ transporter will keep livers warm, oxygenated, and active during its trip, potentially saving thousands of lives yearly. Read More >>