Ed Cara
-
Scientists Discover Vampiric Viruses That ‘Bite’ Other Viruses for Survival
Viruses are somehow even weirder than we thought. In a recent study published last month, scientists say they’ve discovered two new viruses that hijack the machinery of other bacteria-infecting viruses in order to replicate themselves. One of these vampiric viruses even acts the part, appearing to “bite” and latch onto their helper virus so that…
-
Monkeypox Has Been Evolving in Humans Since at Least 2016, Study Finds
New research may change the narrative over how mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, has become a human problem. Researchers found evidence that strains of the virus have been circulating between humans since at least 2016, years before it caused a surprise global epidemic in 2022. Though reported cases of the viral disease have since slowed…
-
Woman Hearing Strange Sounds Finds Out She Had a Spider in Her Ear
Here’s a terrifying medical tale, just in time for Halloween. In a new case report, doctors detail finding a spider inside a woman’s ear. The arachnid had likely made itself comfortable for at least four days, even managing to molt once. Thankfully, it was removed without any issues, though not before the doctors took a…
-
Sleep Researchers Tackle Eternal Question: Is Hitting Snooze Bad?
Hitting the snooze button on your wake-up alarm might just be fine, new research out this week suggests. In a pair of studies, scientists found evidence that a majority of people regularly hit snooze and that the habit doesn’t seem to noticeably harm our sleep. It could even help make some people more alert in…