Two months after a cyberattack on a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary halted payments to some doctors, medical providers say they’re still grappling with the fallout, even though UnitedHealth told shareholders on Tuesday that business is largely back to normal. “We are still desperately struggling,” said Emily Benson, a therapist in Edina, Minnesota, who runs her own practice, Beginnings & Beyond. “This was way more devastating than covid ever was.” Change Healthcare, a business unit of the Minnesota-based insurance giant UnitedHealth Group, controls a digital network so vast it processes ..read more

Analysis of mooring observations and hydrographic data suggest the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation deep water limb in the North Atlantic has weakened. Two decades of continual observations provide a greater understanding of the Earth’s climate regulating system. A new study published in the journal Nature Geoscience led by scientists at University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, found that human-induced environmental changes ..read more

People with a history of cognitively stimulating occupations during their 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s had a lower risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia after age 70, according to a new study from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, the Columbia Aging Center, and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. The findings highlight the importance of cognitive stimulation during midlife for maintaining cognitive function in old age. This is the first study to fully advance this association with objective assessments rather than subjective evaluations.  The results are ..read more

As we celebrate Earth Day 2024, it’s worth a minute to reflect on the fragility and preciousness of our planet. One powerful reminder of this comes from the iconic “Pale Blue Dot” image and the words of the late astronomer and science communicator, Carl Sagan. In 1977, NASA launched the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 probes to explore the giant planets of the solar system. After visiting Saturn, Voyager 1’s path took it “up” out of the plane of the solar system, giving it a unique vantage point.  Sagan, who was part of the Voyager imaging team, had the idea in 1981 to use Voyager 1’s position to ..read more

In 1990, the Voyager 1 spacecraft captured a groundbreaking photograph of Earth from a distance of about 6 billion kilometers (3.7 billion miles). This image, known as the “Pale Blue Dot,” inspired the late astronomer and science communicator Carl Sagan to reflect on the fragility and preciousness of our planet. Now, as we look back on the 34 years since this iconic photograph was taken, it is striking to see how much the Earth has changed in such a relatively short period. From the rise in global temperatures to the loss of biodiversity, the impact of human activities on our planet has become ..read more

The famous work ethic of honey bees might spell disaster for these busy crop pollinators as the climate warms, new research indicates. Flying shortens the lives of bees, and worker honey bees will fly to find flowers whenever the weather is right, regardless of how much honey is already in the hive. Using climate and bee population models, researchers found that increasingly long autumns with good flying weather for bees raises the likelihood of colony collapse in the spring. Take Our Poll Unveil the cosmos in style! Our “Science is a Way of Thinking” T-shirt, inspired by the legendary Carl ..read more

People continuously exposed to bright, artificial light at night may be at increased risk of developing conditions that affect blood flow to the brain and having a stroke, according to research published today in Stroke, the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association. Bright, outdoor lights are used at night to enhance the visibility of the environment, improving human safety and comfort. However, the excessive use of artificial light has resulted in about 80% of the world’s population living in light-polluted env ..read more

If you’re wondering who holds the title of domestic cat royalty, look no further than the stunning Bengal breed. They take the prize for the most popular breed in The International Cat Association (TICA) registry due to their unique, exotic appearance and affectionate charm of a beloved house companion. Despite their top marks among cat lovers, the Bengal breed has been around for less than a century, which is the blink of an eye compared to most domestic cats that have been around for thousands of years.  Bengal cats are a hybrid breed created in the 1960s by crossing domestic cats (Feli ..read more

Scientists from The Australian National University (ANU) have discovered a gene mutation is responsible for causing psoriasis – a chronic inflammatory skin disease that causes patients to develop red, scaly and itchy patches across their body. According to ANU researcher Dr Chelisa Cardinez, if two copies of this mutated gene (known as IKBKB) are present, patients with psoriasis may go on to develop psoriatic arthritis, leaving them with joint pain, stiffness and swelling. Thanks to the world-first discovery from ANU, scientists now know what causes the progression from a skin-only disease to ..read more

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