By Helen Rainford, Lead for Primary Care, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Lancashire
As a GP, I know that chest pain is one symptom that makes people worry. The immediate concern is that it’s a sign there’s something seriously wrong – such as a problem with their heart or lungs.
But these aren’t the only reasons that chest pain can happen. For many otherwise healthy people, especially those who exercise regularly, the sudden onset of chest pain may actually be caused by a painful, yet generally harmless, condition called costochondritis.
Costochondritis occurs when the tissue connecting the ribs to the breastbone becomes irritated. This causes pain at the…
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By Adam Taylor, Professor of Anatomy, Lancaster University
The shape of your bottom cannot tell you anything about your hormones, whatever recent social media posts claim. The only way to find out your levels of cortisol, oestrogen or anything else is a blood test.
A heart-shaped bottom, influencers say, signals healthy oestrogen, while an H shape means too much cortisol. In reality, buttock shape doesn’t reflect your circulating hormone…
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By Yashaswini Singh, Thomas J. and Alice M. Tisch Assistant Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice, Brown University
Three times a week, Amber Titus wakes up at 5 a.m. to get ready for the 45-minute drive to the methadone clinic.
Titus, 38, and her husband live with their two young children in Bisbee Junction, Arizona, a rural community near the U.S.-Mexico border. The couple started taking methadone, a medication that treats opioid addiction, in early 2025.
“It’s been a godsend,” she said.
But accessing methadone is not easy. The closest place they can receive treatment is a clinic in Sierra Vista, about 30 miles from their home.
The clinic opens on weekdays…
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By Joscha Abels, Post-Doctoral Researcher, Institute of Political Science, University of Tübingen
While Elon Musk was on stage in Texas advertising a flying Tesla on October 16, his other venture, SpaceX, was reshaping geopolitics in Ukraine.
SpaceX operates Starlink, the satellite communication system that has played a crucial role in Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s full-scale invasion. Its military-grade spin-off, Starshield, has become a backbone of Ukrainian…
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By Benjamin Chrisinger, Assistant Professor of Community Health, Tufts University
Justin White, Associate Professor of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University
Stores in waiver states may need to update their checkout systems and train employees to prevent purchases that are no longer allowed with SNAP benefits – potentially a big burden for retailers.
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By Clin Lai, Postdoctoral Fellow in Artificial Intelligence and Society, Brandeis University
Roger Beaty, Associate Professor of Psychology, Penn State
A recent experiment found that people working with ChatGPT generated fewer unique ideas than those who collaborated with other humans.
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By Jeffrey Tolbert, Associate Professor of American Studies and Folklore, Penn State
He wasn’t a monster. He was just a man who survived a terrible accident. So why won’t western Pennsylvania let go of its ‘Green Man’ legend? A folklorist explains.
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By Alex Hinton, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology; Director, Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights, Rutgers University - Newark
Despite the headwinds that have cratered support for Donald Trump – high prices, the Iran war, corruption – many of Trump’s MAGA loyalists still back him. A scholar who studies MAGA looks at why.
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By Dante Chinni, Director, American Communities Project, Michigan State University
Ari Pinkus, Manager, American Communities Project, Michigan State University
Inflation is causing real economic pain. Worries about healthcare costs have jumped sharply. And 7 in 10 Americans believe the country is in decline.
That is the landscape for the 2026 midterm election, according…
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By Thomas Buchmueller, Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy, University of Michigan
Helen Levy, Research Professor in Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan
Some options that might look like health insurance actually aren’t – and they may leave you stranded with large, unexpected medical expenses.
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