In many African societies, elders are highly regarded as powerful figures who keep the culture alive and guide the young. But sometimes that power doesn’t help when it comes to obtaining health care. Juma Majanga reports from Nairobi, Kenya. (Camera and produced by: Jimmy Makhulo) …

Monday is World Mental Health Day. This year’s theme is “Mental health is a basic universal human right.” People all over the world who have mental health conditions, according to the World Health Organization, face discrimination. “Having a mental health condition should never be a reason to deprive a person of their human rights or … continue reading -> “Monday Is World Mental Health Day”

In fifth grade, Stella Gage’s class watched a video about puberty. In ninth grade, a few sessions of her health class were dedicated to the risks of sexual behaviors. That was the extent of her sex education in school. At no point was there any content that felt especially relevant to her identity as a … continue reading -> “US Sex Education Classes Often Don’t Include LGBTQ+ Students”

A dose of patience may come in handy at the pharmacy counter this fall. Drug and staffing shortages haven’t gone away. Stores are starting their busiest time of year as customers look for help with colds and the flu. And this fall, pharmacists are dealing with a new vaccine and the start of insurance coverage … continue reading -> “Pharmacist Shortages, Heavy Workloads Challenge US Drugstores”

A massive number of migrating birds collided with McCormick Place — a Chicago convention center — this week, resulting in an unprecedented number of bird deaths. Dave Willard has collected dead and injured birds from around the center during the migration season for about 40 years. In an interview with the Audubon website, Willard said … continue reading -> “Nearly 1,000 Birds Die After Colliding With Chicago Building”

Spanish company PLD Space launched its reusable Miura-1 rocket early on Saturday from a site in southwestern Spain, carrying out Europe’s first fully private rocket launch and offering hope for the continent’s stalled space ambitions. The startup’s test nighttime launch from Huelva came after two previous attempts were scrubbed. The Miura-1 rocket, named after a … continue reading -> “Spain’s PLD Space Launches Private Reusable Rocket”

Indian rescuers are searching for over 100 people missing in a flash flood caused by a glacial lake bursting its banks, a risk scientists warn is increasing with climate change. Agence France-Presse explains what glacial lake outburst floods are and the risks they pose, particularly in parts of Asia. What is a glacial lake outburst … continue reading -> “Glacial Lake Floods: A Growing, Unpredictable Climate Risk”

At a rally Friday in the southern city of Blantyre, unemployed nurses called for more jobs and gave Malawi’s president 14 days to help them find new opportunities for work. Frank Kamwendo, the chairperson of concerned nurses, said the demonstrations were a last resort after several meetings with Malawi government officials. “We have been trying … continue reading -> “Malawi Nurses Demand Government Help Them Get Jobs”

A study published Friday indicates 1 in 10 babies around the world are born prematurely — before 37 weeks — leading to deaths, disability and chronic illnesses. The study was conducted by the World Health Organization, the U.N. Children’s Fund, UNICEF and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The study monitored global births … continue reading -> “UN Study: 1 in 10 Babies Born Prematurely”

AT&T and Gallaudet University have developed a football helmet for players who are deaf or hard of hearing and communicate using American Sign Language.  The company and the Washington-based school for students who are deaf or hard of hearing unveiled the new technology Thursday.  It allows a coach to call a play on a tablet … continue reading -> “Football Helmet for Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing Quarterbacks Unveiled”

All About America explores American culture, politics, trends, history, ideals and places of interest. Money may not buy happiness, but a new analysis of the happiest and unhappiest U.S. states suggests the lack of cash can contribute to a person’s misery. “The thing about money and happiness is that being increasingly and increasingly wealthy doesn’t … continue reading -> “America’s Happiest (and Unhappiest) States Might Surprise You”

Japan’s wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant said it began releasing a second batch of treated radioactive wastewater into the sea on Thursday after the first round of discharges ended smoothly. Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings said workers activated a pump to dilute the treated water with large amounts of seawater, slowly sending the … continue reading -> “Fukushima Nuclear Plant Starts 2nd Release of Treated Radioactive Wastewater”

More than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente health care staff across the U.S. began a three-day strike Wednesday, which will likely hold up appointments, test results and prescriptions at locations across the nation. Kaiser Permanente, a California-based chain of hospitals, pharmacies and clinics, serves nearly 13 million Americans. The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, which represents about … continue reading -> “More than 75,000 US Kaiser Health Care Workers on Strike”

France has urged the public not to worry about reports of bedbug outbreaks on public transportation in Paris and throughout the country. At least 37 sightings of bedbugs on public transportation have been reported over the past few weeks by national rail operator SNCF, with a dozen additional reports made to Paris public transport operator … continue reading -> “France Denies Reports of Bedbugs on Trains”

Scientists Moungi Bawendi, Louis Brus and Alexei Ekimov won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for “the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots,” which illuminate computer monitors and television screens and are used by doctors to map tumors. “The Nobel Laureates … have succeeded in producing particles so small that their properties are determined by … continue reading -> “Nobel Chemistry Prize Awarded for Discovery of Quantum Dots Used in LED Lights”

Wearing an “I Love Pandas” T-shirt and clutching a panda-covered diary, 10-year-old Kelsey Lambert bubbled with excitement as she glimpsed the real thing. She and her mother, Alison, had made a special trip from San Antonio, Texas, just to watch the National Zoo’s furry rock stars  munch bamboo and roll on the grass.  “It felt … continue reading -> “Pandas Could Be Gone From US Zoos by End of 2024”

A charity group in Zimbabwe is raising funds for a basic product that can be critical for people living with albinism – sunscreen. The group, called “The Noble Hands of Zimbabwe,” released a report in September saying 1 in 3 people with albinism in Zimbabwe die of skin cancer before the age of 40, including … continue reading -> “SOS for People Living With Albinism in Zimbabwe”

A new malaria vaccine approved Monday for use by the World Health Organization could be rolled out in African countries in the next few months, potentially saving hundreds of thousands of children’s lives in the coming years. The new vaccine, known as R21, was developed by Britain’s Oxford University along with the Serum Institute of … continue reading -> “New Malaria Vaccine Could Save Thousands of Children’s Lives  “

The Nobel Prize in physics was awarded Tuesday to three scientists who look at electrons in atoms during the tiniest of split seconds. Pierre Agostini of The Ohio State University in the U.S.; Ferenc Krausz of the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in Germany; and Anne L’Huillier of … continue reading -> “3 Scientists Win Nobel Prize in Physics for Looking at Electrons in Atoms During Split Seconds”

The World Health Organization on Monday announced the recommendation of a second malaria vaccine, with the aim of giving countries a cheaper and more readily available option to tackle the deadly disease. Developed by Oxford University with the help of the Serum Institute of India, the new vaccine, known as R-21, will be rolled out … continue reading -> “WHO Announces 2nd Malaria Vaccine Recommendation”

Two scientists who jointly worked on the ground-breaking technology behind some of the most effective COVID-19 vaccines have been awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize for medicine, one of the most prestigious accolades in the field. Hungarian American scientist Katalin Kariko and her American colleague, Drew Weissman, began working on so-called “mRNA” technology in the early … continue reading -> “Nobel Prize Awarded to mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Scientists”

An endangered Sumatran rhinoceros, the smallest and hairiest of the five extant rhino species, was born in Indonesia last week in a conservation area, the government said Monday.  Weighing about 27 kilograms (59.52 lbs.), the yet-to-be named female calf, was born Saturday at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary (SRS) facility in Way Kambas National Park, Lampung … continue reading -> “Endangered Sumatran Rhino Born in Indonesia”

More than 1,000 people have died from dengue fever in Bangladesh this year, making 2023 the deadliest year due to dengue, since the disease was first detected in the country, according to government figures. The Directorate General of Health Services said that more than 200,000 dengue cases were recorded this year. In a recent 24-hour … continue reading -> “Deadly Dengue Outbreak in Bangladesh “

Two scientists won the Nobel Prize in medicine on Monday for discoveries that enabled the development of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19. The award was given to Katalin Karikó, a professor at Sagan’s University in Hungary and an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and Drew Weissman, who performed his prizewinning research together with Karikó … continue reading -> “Nobel in Medicine Goes to 2 Scientists Whose Work Enabled Creation of COVID-19 Vaccines”

The World Health Organization warns that soaring rates of severe malnutrition, acute hunger, and deteriorating health conditions are threatening the lives and well-being of millions of people in South Sudan with the situation set to worsen as the climate crisis kicks in. “South Sudan is a country where you see the overlap and compounding impact … continue reading -> “South Sudan Faces Growing Health and Hunger Crisis   “