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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Social Networks and Depressive Symptoms in Rural Honduras: Reading a Cross-Sectional Study Carefully

A cross-sectional study in rural Honduras found gender-linked associations between social-network position and depressive symptoms,…

What a TikTok Content Study Found About Illicit Vaping Messages

A content analysis found illicit-vaping TikTok posts were often more entertaining and youth-oriented than educational…

Polyneuropathy After Kidney Transplantation: What a Cross-Sectional Study Found

A Dutch cross-sectional study examined polyneuropathy in kidney transplant recipients, identifying associations without establishing cause…

EMDR on Smartphones: What Early App Research Can — and Cannot — Show

Early studies of EMDR-inspired mobile tools suggest feasibility, but they do not show that a…

Binge-Scrolling and FOMO: What Association Studies Can Tell Us

Research links binge-scrolling, FOMO and problematic device use, but cross-sectional associations do not prove that…