Infertility affects approximately 8% to 12% of couples of reproductive age worldwide, and IVF (in vitro fertilization) is often the go-to treatment option. Typically, to increase the odds of a successful pregnancy, doctors need to retrieve as many eggs (oocytes) as possible. Current approaches to recovering eggs from follicular fluid, such as manual screening under a microscope, are not foolproof and can sometimes miss viable oocytes.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne virus affecting millions of people each year, with symptoms ranging from flu-like illness to severe bleeding and organ failure. Scientists are now using Wolbachia, a naturally occurring bacteria found in many insects, to turn disease-carrying mosquitoes into unlikely allies through Project Wolbachia–Singapore.

Across the spectrum of human afflictions—from cancer to heart disease to rare genetic conditions—medical investigators are continually attempting to break new ground by developing better methods of treating patients. It is a global scientific enterprise in which experimental medications are subjected to rigorous testing, forgotten drugs are analyzed for new applications, and existing treatments are reevaluated. Dozens upon dozens of studies like these are charting a path forward.

An increasing number of people are dying of colorectal cancer at a young age, including those as young as 20. Actor James Van Der Beek, who was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2023, died at age 48 on Feb. 11, 2026, bringing the disease back into the limelight.

Biting into a tart green apple is a different taste and sensory experience than sucking juice from a lemon—and both significantly vary from accidentally consuming spoiled milk. Each of these foods contains a different organic acid that gives rise to the flavor commonly referred to as "sour," even when the taste and related mouthfeel sensations such as puckering and drying vary drastically from food to food and person to person.