Baaad news? Global Warming Now Shrinking Sheep

Living Alone Increases Odds of Developing Dementia

Losing a partner through divorce or death in middle age may triple the risk, study shows

Obama Turns Focus to War in Afghanistan

A new offensive in the Helmand province is the first test of a new counterinsurgency strategy.

Cancer Endangers Some Wildlife Species

Effective conservation can help reduce threat, expert says

Kids With Type 1 Diabetes Often Overweight

Study explores weight problems faced by youngsters with the disease

Obama's Housing Rescue Expands: 6 Things to Know

Under new rules, additional "underwater" borrowers would qualify for help.

Odd Behaviors on Ambien Linked to Brain Circuitry

When the sleep aid shuts down one set of neurons, another set wakes up: study

Discuss Leslie Gelb's Power Rules: How Common Sense Can Rescue American Foreign Policy

CFR President Emeritus Les Gelb speaks with <i>U.S. News</i> about his latest book.

Concerns Over Bisphenol A Continue to Grow

New studies of plastics chemical measure effects, exposures.

Activists Work to Show Gays Are Not Anti-Religious

A recent poll shows many gay Americans lead robust faith lives.

North Korea Launches Test Missiles

Each missile flew about 60 miles before splashing into the sea between North Korea and Japan.

C-Section Stress Could Alter Baby's Immune Cells

And that might raise odds for diabetes, asthma later on, researchers say

Cystic Fibrosis Treatment May Cause Hearing Loss

Ear evaluation urged for youngsters taking common antibacterial medication

Why Swine Flu Differs From Seasonal Flu

Pandemic virus affects lungs and stomach, whereas seasonal flu doesn't, researchers say

Unemployment Reaches 9.5 Percent, Highest in 26 Years

The increase keeps the country on track to hit 10 percent unemployment by year's end.

Health Buzz: Complex Genetics Behind Mental Disorders and Other Health News

Dealing with fear of crowds and other anxieties; an economist's view of health reform, medical costs.

10 Worst States for Top Nursing Homes

Most of the states with the lowest percentages of homes with the top rating are in the South.

10 Best States for Top Nursing Homes

Half of the states with the largest percentages of homes with a 5-star rating are in New England.

America's Best Nursing Homes: How We Decide

Finding a good, caring home is no trivial matter. We've taken government data and made it easier to use

If 2 Painkillers Are Banned, What Next?

Other options, available and in the pipeline, could plug a Percocet-Vicodin gap, experts say

Health Highlights: July 2, 2009

Embryonic Stem Cells—and Other Stem Cells—Promise to Advance Treatments

Adult stem cells may reach patients first, and induced pluripotent stem cells have greatest potential.

How Some Bad Nursing Homes Get Special Treatment

And why you'll probably want to steer clear of these 'Special Focus Facilities.'

Obama Launches First Major Offensive in Afghanistan

Thousands of U.S. Marines storm a river valley in the biggest military offensive of Obama’s presidency.

Most Iran Election Historical Analogies Are Misleading and Dangerous

Situation in Tehran does not simply mirror 1950s Hungary or 1980s Poland … or even 1979 Iran.

Michael Jackson's Wax Figure Heads to D.C.

Pop king Michael Jackson, or his wax version, is making a surprise stop at the Madame Tussauds museum.

Why the June Jobs Report Is So Depressing

The Labor Department data show lower wages, lower hours, and more job cuts.

Multaq Sanctioned for Heart Rhythm Disorders

Atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter

Obama Launches First Major Offensive in Afghanistan

Thousands of U.S. Marines storm a river valley in the biggest military offensive of Obama’s presidency.

Best Nursing Homes: the U.S. News Honor Roll

The homes on this elite list rated a perfect five stars on all four key government yardsticks.

Making Sense of 'Cash for Clunkers'

Is what's good for the car companies good for the consumer?

Clinical Trials Update: July 2, 2009

Poll: More Americans Consider Extramarital Affairs Wrong Than Polygamy

A recent poll asked Americans what they consider morally wrong. The first of two parts.

Another Genetic Link to Testicular Cancer Is Found

Discovery may help explain why disease runs in families

Study Casts Doubt on Low IQ's Role in Early Death

Adjustments for behavior dampen the negative effect, study finds

Health Tip: Straining the Hamstring

Who's at greater risk

Health Tip: Controlling Asthma

Candidates for daily medication

Monthly Pet Pill Could Kill Fleas, Ticks

An alternative to topical treatments might work better on certain cats and dogs, researchers say

Is the Public Option the Key to Healthcare Reform?

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Sen. Mike Enzi debate healthcare reform in U.S. News Weekly.

Increasing Alcohol Use Tied to More Hospitalization

Heavy drinkers were affected most, but link holds for even mild use, study finds

Attacks on U.S. Soldiers Show Iraq Is Not Yet Safe

Lt. Col. Tim Karcher was hit by series of roadside bombs with explosively formed projectiles.

Iranian Protests a Direct Challenge to Khamenei

Obama administration officials have urged caution in a response to Iran.

Strategists Worry Obama's Popularity is Dropping

Some worry Obama's honeymoon with the public and the media may be over.

America's New Energy Dependency: China's Metals

A clean-energy economy needs rare-earth metals to succeed. China has a near monopoly.

Pro-Obama Group Says Energy Bill Will Create Jobs

Americans United for Change go to bat for President Obama's energy bill.

Drugs May Not Slow Kidney Damage in Diabetes

Study uncovers possible benefit, though, in stemming vision loss

CPR Survival Rates for Older People Unchanged

Lack of improvement in death rates, experts say, may be because recipients are sicker

With Medicare Plan, Drug Spending May Be Up

Researchers suspect overuse as a cause, but note that other costs are down

Anti-Smoking Drugs Get FDA 'Black-Box' Warning

Reports link Chantix and Zyban to risk of psychiatric side effects, including suicidal thoughts

Shared Race, Social Group Seem to Help People Relate

Brain imaging study sheds light on empathic response

Growth Hormone May Build Muscle in Older Men

Finding shows promise for treating age-related loss of strength, researchers say

A New Role for Religion in Obama's White House

Faith has played a larger role in Obama's White House so far than in any other president's.

Pressure Mounting on South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford to Resign

More and more South Carolina residents are calling for the governor to resign.

Border Patrol Agents to Spot Tunnels With Advanced Ground-Penetrating Radar

Master Stem Cell for Human Heart Identified

Researchers say it may hold key to understanding how to repair the organ

Possible Gene Regions for Schizophrenia Located

Immune function genes also in the same area, researchers say

FDA Tells Patients to Stick With Diabetes Drug Linked to Cancer

There's no conclusive evidence that Lantus causes malignancy, agency says

Uwe Reinhardt: Plain Talk on Health Reform

A prominent health economist talks about high prices, medical insurance, and rationing.

The Iran Election Twitters In a Revolution -- In the Media

In a blur of social networking, news reporting is rebuilt one Tweet at a time.

Mike Rowe: Why Dirty Jobs are Green

The Discovery Channel star explains the nitty-gritty of Dirty Jobs.

Health Buzz: Biomarker CRP Isn't Cause of Heart Disease and Other Health News

Medical pioneers who are breaking barriers; tips to boost--yes, boost--your fitness as you age

Test Before Corneal Transplant May Improve Outcome

Even inactive herpes virus can cause inflammation, transplant rejection, study finds

Obesity Rates Continue to Climb in U.S.

Eight of 10 states with highest number of obese adults are in the South, report says

Clinical Trials Update: July 1, 2009

Health Highlights: July 1, 2009

July 4 Sales You Can't Afford to Miss

Retailers will offer steep discounts throughout the long weekend.

TV Ads Trigger Mindless Eating

Kids watching food commercials consumed 45 percent more snacks, study shows

Health Tip: What's Causing My Neck Pain?

Some typical triggers

Health Tip: Preventing a Kitchen Fire

Precautions you should take

Antibiotics May Boost Risk for Recurrent Ear Infection

Researchers urge more temperate prescribing of amoxicillin in kids

Your Surroundings Mirror Your Beliefs

People find safety in those who think the same way, research contends

Does John McCain Feel Guilty for Choosing Sarah Palin?

If he's not, some of his advisers sure are.

Poll: How Adults 65 and Older Spend Their Days

A recent survey asked adults 65 and older what they did in the last 24 hours. The top five answers:

Study Supports Wider Use of Statins

Data shows reduction in heart attacks, strokes among those without established heart disease

Home Prices Decline, but at Slower Rate

Nationwide, home prices fell 18.1 percent from a year earlier.

Al Franken Wins Minnesota Senate Seat

The state court upheld a decision that Al Franken beat Norm Coleman by 312 votes.

Obama Administration Launches Technology Spending Tracker

The IT Dashboard is a new Web tool for agencies and taxpayers.

Hormones May Affect Neurological Disease Risk

Women are more vulnerable during certain stages of life, study finds

Analysis: Climate Bill May Spur Energy Revolution

Increasing Dust Speeds Melting of Mountain Snow

Scientists: Silent Tremors May Foretell 'Big One'

NASA Manager Pitches a Cheaper Return-to-Moon Plan

U.S. Doctors Treat Heart Attack With Man's Own Stem Cells

Pioneering procedure aims to repair damaged cardiac muscle, surgeons say

Assessment of Bone Growth Stimulator Is Mixed

It's used more often in spinal fusions, but experts worry about costs and complications

Newer Blood Tests May Not Improve Heart Risk Assessment

CRP, other disease-linked factors don't perform better than standard criteria, study finds

Even After Death, Heart Attack Treatment May Not End

Too often, EMS crews feel obliged to bring unresponsive patient to hospital, study finds

Obama Criticized as Mr. Nice Guy Toward Iran, Congress

Critics argue Obama is too conciliatory in dealing with Iran, Republicans, and other adversaries.

Denise Faustman: To Stop Diabetes, She's Attacking the Immune System

This controversial diabetes researcher thinks she can heal the pancreas in type 1 diabetics.

Boris Kovatchev: Artificial Pancreas Could Help Diabetics

He's adding sophisticated computer instructions to an insulin pump-glucose monitor combination.

C. Ronald Kahn: Is Brown Fat the Good Fat That Can Erase Bad Fat?

Left over from babyhood, this fat burns through the calories in adults. What can brown do for you?

David Holtzman: Attacking Alzheimer's With a New Test for Amyloid Beta

His SILK test quickly reveals whether medication is working to limit the harmful protein amyloid beta.

Mark George: Treating Depression With an Electromagnet

Transcranial magnetic stimulation could have many other medical uses, too, says the neurologist.

Todd Sacktor: Making Memories -- and Selectively Forgetting Them

A memory expert's unusual theory could help patients with post-traumatic stress, Alzheimer's, and more.

Elaine Mardis and Richard Wilson: Taking Cancer's Genetic Measure

It's a faster way to get to "personalized medicine," tailoring treatment to each person's genes.

Anthony Atala: Grinding Out New Organs One at a Time

Give this pediatric urologist 6 weeks or so, and he'll grow a working bladder. Or artery. Or...

Wayne Marasco: A Shot at a Universal Flu Vaccine

Protection from swine flu, bird flu, and other viruses may evolve from a researcher's recent discovery.

Elizabeth Blackburn: Ordering Cancer Cells to Curl Up and Die

An enzyme vital to life could be pure poison to cancer cells, says the molecular and cell biologist.

Chad Mirkin: Standing Tall in a Nanoparticle Universe

Chad Mirkin's nanotechnology could muster impossibly small bits of stuff to fight numerous ailments.

Metabolic Syndrome May Make Breast Cancer More Likely

Study finds increased risk for postmenopausal women

Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire: Gene Therapy to Reverse Near-Blindness

Bennett bred a virus to carry the gene. Maguire injected it into a patient's eye. And there was light.

Online Genetic Testing Appears to Have Benefits

Lung cancer assessment allays some concerns about how patients interpret results, researchers say

FDA Advisers Urge Smaller Doses of Acetaminophen

The concern is that the drug can cause liver damage, even death, if used improperly

14 Medical Pioneers Who Aren't Holding Back

Building hearts, mapping memories, restoring vision -- these researchers aim high and don't give up.

Clinical Trials Update: June 30, 2009

Reading the Brain Without Poking It

New electrodes may help amputees and paralyzed.

Baby Milky Way Modeled

Researchers unveil state-of-the-art simulation of galaxy formation.

Why You Should Outsource Domestic Chores Now

Paying someone to do your housework can make you more productive.

America's Hospitals Can't Afford Healthcare Cuts Obama, Congress Are Considering

They're suffering already.

Obese Get Higher Doses of Radiation for X-Rays

Cumulative effect of that needs study, experts say

Health Buzz: FDA Considers OTC Medication Risks and Other Health News

Risk-taking teens, and diets tips for diabetics

Quiz: Nation's Capital Trivia

Test your knowledge of Washington, D.C.

Obama's Justice Department Renews Civil Rights Fight

Eric Holder has made fighting discrimination a priority.

Health Highlights: June 30, 2009

Nonsurgical Treatment May Ease Rotator Cuff Injury

Ultrasound-guided procedure reduced pain and restored mobility in tendinitis patients, study finds

Comic Strip Aims to Educate Families About Diabetes

Storyline tackles lack of information about the disease in the Hispanic community

Sad Dads May Lead to Crying Infants

More factors should be considered than depression among moms, experts say

Health Tip: Keep Feet Healthy This Summer

Suggested ways to avoid foot injury

Health Tip: Understanding Hay Fever

Pollinating plants can make sufferers miserable

Job Security Trumps Pay in What Americans Want From Their Jobs

A recent survey asked Americans what's in a good job. Here's what they said:

Is This the Beginning of the End for American Troops in Iraq?

Iraqi forces take back control of major cities.

Answers: Nation's Capital Trivia

Test your knowledge of Washington, D.C.

Drug Found Ineffective Against Lung Disease

People with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis gain no survival benefit, research finds

Supreme Court Rules in Favor of White Firefighters

The Supreme Court ruling could make Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation process more slippery.

10 Things You Didn't Know About the Federal Aviation Administration

The FAA works to improve the safety and efficiency of flight.

Violence Spikes as U.S. Troops Withdraw From Iraq's Cities

U.S. forces are leaving the urban centers, but will militants retake control?

Madoff Sentenced to 150 Years in Prison

Bernard Madoff gets the maximum sentence for his Ponzi scheme.

Air Traffic Patterns Predict Swine Flu Spread

H1N1 case rates associated with number of air passengers arriving from Mexico, analysis shows

Younger People Appear More at Risk From New Swine Flu

Not just the infirm should be vaccinated, experts urge

Sporadic Spikes in Blood Pressure Hike Chances of Hypertension

People who have them in doctor's office, for example, at risk, study shows

Don't Discount Contributions and Heroism of Gays in the Military

Bravery in the field, and in coming out of the closet, should not doom homosexual service members.

Is It Time to Repeal the Ban on Gays in the Military?

Advocates say more than a few good men--and women--have been tossed. Foes point to morale, and the law.

Allowing Gays in the Military Would Be Unfair and Hurt Troop Morale

Law protects soldiers and has withstood court challenges. Obama owes it to his troops to leave it be.

6 Tips for Starting a Business After Age 50

Boomers' experience puts them in a better position than most to succeed.

47,000 Elderly Hurt in Walker, Cane Mishaps Each Year

Older women most often the victims of these falls, CDC says

Anxiety-Prone People Find Distractions Hard to Ignore

Trouble concentrating may add to stress levels, researcher says

Talk

Give-and-take conversations speed language development, study finds

10 Great Places for Entrepreneurs to Retire

A jump in start-ups is going to be led by the baby boomers.

Ozone Hole Trims Polar Water’s CO2-Absorbing Power

Simulations also suggest that the dearth of ozone over Antarctica leads to ocean acidification.

Cyber Bullying Affects One in 10 Students

But researchers find supportive parents help keep abusive behaviors at bay

Maybe Men Aren't So Picky After All

Women can be just as selective when choosing mates, study finds

Health Buzz: Diabetes Drug Setback and Other Health News

Getting a brainpower boost from exercise; a new resource for couples in search of an egg donor

Clinical Trials Update: June 29, 2009

Losing Louisiana

Sea-level rise, subsiding lands in the delta will claim 10 percent of state by 2100.

Health Highlights: June 29, 2009

HBO's Shouting Fire Is More Congratulatory Than Analytical on Free Speech Issues

The documentary is more congratulatory on free speech than on analytical. Too bad.

Low Blood Sugar in Hospital Tied to Higher Death Risk for Diabetics

Hypoglycemia likely a sign of additional illness, suggest experts

15 Percent of U.S. Teens Think They'll Die Young

Link between risky behavior and pessimistic outlook surprises experts

Health Tip: When Your Child Needs Glasses

Make sure they're worn

Discovery Points to Regulation of Calcium Metabolism

Researchers may be step closer to preventing kidney stones, osteoporosis

Health Tip: Who's at Risk for Heat Illness?

The young, old and chronically sick

New Drug Promising Against Rheumatoid Arthritis

Golimumab might help where similar drugs failed, research finds

Cardiovascular Disease Over Three Times More Costly Than Smoking to the U.S. in 2009

A new study tallies up what diseases will cost the U.S. in 2009. Here are five of the most expensive:

What Will Michael Jackson Be Remembered For?

Remembrances oscillate between bafflement and praise for the king of pop.

Constipation May Lead to Other Problems

Hemorrhoids, incontinence and more can result, research shows

Eating Well On the Road

Map out a healthy-food plan before leaving on vacation, nutritionist advises