Stories by Lydia Denworth

The biology of aging shows ways to lengthen your healthspan, years free of serious disease

New research shows any alcohol can harm your body, but the increased risk may not be huge

As few as 15 percent of people who would benefit from hearing aids use them

Research shows that disrupting the body’s circadian rhythm raises cancer risk, and resetting it may bring that risk down

The minds of social species are strikingly resonant

HDL cholesterol raises disease risk at levels above 80 milligrams per deciliter

New research points to different step counts based on age and fitness level

Virtual visits surged in the pandemic, and studies show they maintain high-quality medicine

A growing mortality gap between Republican and Democratic areas may largely stem from policy choices

Reframing erroneous beliefs alleviates the emotional upheavals that beset young people on the cusp of adulthood

Paid parental leave and high-quality child care improve children’s brain development and prospects for a better future

Some over-the-counter medications can help symptoms, and there are ways to ease isolation

The right combination of variables is needed to achieve a blazing success—one explanation for why there was never a “Kinksmania”

The research could mark a turning point in the fight against MS

Sourdough, seeds, shovels and other basic survival needs made a comeback

Neuroscientists have uncovered an intriguing subtlety in how we communicate—that is, when we’re not on Zoom

Poor neural connections among areas that control movement and speech may be responsible and could be driven by genes

Advances in neuroscience and psychology could lead to real-world benefits in education and mental health

Following Hurricane Maria, a Puerto Rican colony of rhesus macaques broadened their social networks. Could humans do the same post-COVID?

Scanners try to watch the red-blue divide play out underneath the skull

In responding to the pandemic, society may be hampered by cognitive and political beliefs that distort judgments and lead to irrational decisions

What can the pandemic teach us about how people respond to adversity?

Columbia University attorney Alexis J. Hoag discusses the history of how we got to this point and the ways that researchers can help reduce bias against black Americans throughout the legal system

Recent epidemics provide clues to ways the current crisis could stop