Research
Plain-language summaries of health and wellness research, studies, and
scientific findings. These pieces explain what studies show and what
they do not — written for general understanding, not as a substitute
for professional medical guidance.
Why Bloodletting Lasted So Long in Medicine
For centuries, one of the most common medical treatments performed by physicians involved deliberately cutting open a patient's veins or…
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Microplastic-Binding Bacteria Research Is Still Preclinical
Laboratory research on bacterial material that binds microplastics is intriguing, but it does not yet support a supplement for removing…
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From Variolation to Vaccination: The History of Smallpox Prevention
Smallpox prevention developed through variolation, Jenner's cowpox experiments and later vaccination programmes; it was not…
How Public Health Campaigns Tried to Change Behaviour
Public health messaging has used posters, broadcasting, policy and community engagement; information alone rarely explains…
Lacunar Stroke Research Points to Small-Vessel Disease
Research on lacunar stroke is examining disease in the brain's small vessels, but findings do…
What Neuroscience Knows — and Does Not Know — About Dreaming
Dreaming is associated with changing patterns of brain activity across sleep stages, but no single…
Clozapine Beyond Its Established Indications: What Observational Research Can Show
Observational studies can generate hypotheses about clozapine use, but they do not expand prescribing indications…