Life

Health, science, climate, and society-focused reporting.

Briefing: A Huntington’s researcher on the UniQure-FDA fray

Strategic angle: A Huntington's researcher treads lightly into the UniQure-FDA fray, J&J wins approval for a first-of-its kind psoriasis pill, and more in today's Readout newsletter.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Premature menopause is linked to 40% increase in heart disease risk

Strategic angle: JAMA Cardiology study highlights the increased heart disease risk associated with premature menopause, particularly among Black women.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: As Trump administration cracks down on health care fraud, people with disabilities feel singled out

Strategic angle: As the Trump administration goes after fraud in health care, advocates say the disability community feels singled out.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Can't stop endlessly scrolling? Tips to help you take back control

Strategic angle: The infinite scroll feature keeps users engaged, but here are ways to regain control over your screen time.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: A world‑first quantum battery charges faster when it gets bigger—but it's tiny and only lasts nanoseconds

Strategic angle: Imagine charging your phone almost instantly by exploiting the strange rules of quantum physics.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Rapid melting of Antarctic sea ice is largely driven by ocean warming, research reveals

Strategic angle: Research from the University of Gothenburg uncovers the factors behind the decline of Antarctic sea ice since 2015.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Widely Attended Gatherings (WAGs) Determinations Announced

Strategic angle: NASA reveals upcoming events that qualify as widely attended gatherings for 2026.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about TrumpRx prices, a J&J psoriasis pill, and much more

Strategic angle: U.S. health officials claim TrumpRx offers Americans the world’s lowest prices on prescription drugs, but a new analysis found that is not true.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: FDA and NIH announce more initiatives to reduce animal testing in drug development

Strategic angle: The HHS has made reducing animal testing a priority over the past year.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Quiz – How Well Do You Understand Your Health Insurance – Frameless

Strategic angle: Test your knowledge on health insurance with this 10-question quiz to make informed decisions about your coverage.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: NASA Grappling with Planetary Science Funding Shortfall

Strategic angle: NASA's planetary science program faces a funding shortfall, prompting strategic decisions on mission continuations.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Snail-derived compound could be a safer anticoagulant compared to heparin

Strategic angle: A new study suggests a snail-derived compound may reduce the risk of excessive bleeding associated with traditional anticoagulants.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: J&J Wins Approval for First-of-its-Kind Psoriasis Pill

Strategic angle: Johnson & Johnson's new daily psoriasis pill offers benefits comparable to injectable treatments, potentially disrupting a multibillion-dollar market.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Reasons for illegal fishing 'more nuanced' than previously thought, international research shows

Strategic angle: New research reveals the complex causes behind the resurgence of illegal fishing in northern Australian waters.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Microwave Quantum Network Shows Resilience Against Heat-Related Disturbances

Strategic angle: A new study reveals how quantum communication systems can maintain functionality despite thermal disruptions.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Prodrug lipid nanoparticle could unlock universal immunotherapy for solid cancers

Strategic angle: Engineers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a new type of lipid nanoparticle (LNP) that could one day serve as a universal immunotherapy for cancers that form solid tumors.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Protein sequencing advance offers new insights into life's foundations

Strategic angle: Proteins, one of the smallest building blocks of life on Earth, hold promise for answering some of biology's biggest questions.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Drug smoking can lead to severe burns, complicating harm reduction efforts

Strategic angle: A new study reveals that opioid smokers are four times more likely to suffer severe burns compared to those who inject drugs.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Opinion: Exposed and invisible in an ER hallway bed

Strategic angle: Hallway beds cut into the bones that sustain emergency medicine, shaving away layers of moral tenets and high standards.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Opinion: I was a surgeon. The hardest part of leaving medicine was believing that I could

Strategic angle: Leaving her career as a surgeon, Frances Mei Hardin writes, “was the beginning of a life I actually wanted.”

Editorial Staff Mar 18