Scientists have figured out how to hack into people’s sleep and communicate with them while they dream. The finding is a breakthrough in dream research and suggests study techniques that could be used to better grasp human consciousness.

The discovery was made during lucid dreaming, when people are aware that they are dreaming and, in some cases, are able to manipulate their dreams.

During the most common dream phase of sleep, called REM (rapid eye movement) and while dreaming vividly, some participants were able to follow instructions, answer yes-no questions and even do some simple math. …

With more contagious and perhaps deadlier strains of the coronavirus circulating, the Biden administration should forcefully acknowledge that airborne spread is a primary means of transmission, then take immediate action to strengthen measures to reduce risk, especially in schools and workplaces, according to a letter signed by 13 leading scientists and physicians with expertise in infectious diseases, aerosol transmission, and occupational health. The letter was sent to U.S. officials leading the pandemic response.

“It will be months before most of the population is vaccinated,” the letter states. “In the meantime, more transmissible variants are projected to become the dominant strains…

New research adds a cup or two of good news to a pot of mounting evidence indicating that both coffee and tea — and apparently lots of it — can help people live longer, healthier lives. There’s just one catch: The evidence suggests you’ll want to eat well and exercise, too. Caffeinated drinks won’t make up for copious doughnuts and couch time.

In several past studies, coffee consumption has been linked to a lower risk for type 2 diabetes, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease. A study last month tied consumption of several daily cups of coffee to a…

Experts say that people should avoid painkillers before and after getting a Covid-19 vaccine, to give it the best chance of doing what it’s supposed to do: stimulate your immune system. Mild symptoms like fever, chills, headache, and tiredness indicate the vaccine is tricking your cells into learning how to fend off the coronavirus.

“These symptoms mean your immune system is revving up and the vaccine is working,” says Rochelle Walensky, MD, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Don’t use them beforehand. Try very hard not to.”

“This builds immunological memory,” says Michael Mina, MD, an…

Scientists and doctors have made significant progress in treating Covid-19. But the available therapies are few, the evidence for each is at least somewhat mixed, and they all have considerable limitations. Meanwhile, many Americans at the greatest risk for the worst outcomes don’t have access to key therapies that only work early on to help prevent severe symptoms and hospitalization.

“We are much better off than we were last spring,” says Manish Sagar, MD, an infectious disease physician at Boston Medical Center and associate professor of medicine and microbiology at Boston University School of Medicine. “We have a number of…

Scientists have discovered what they believe is a new species of bacteria causing infections that have been highly fatal in chimpanzees. The discoverers do not see it as an immediate threat to humans. But the bacterium, tentatively named Sarcina troglodytae, is in the genus Sarcina, which includes other bacteria known to cause similar illness and sometimes death in people.

The discovery, detailed February 3 in the journal Nature Communications, suggests more research is needed to understand the various species of Sarcina bacteria and their potential threats to people, the researchers say.

Because chimpanzees share 99% of our DNA, there’s often…

Stress levels in America are higher now than during a previous peak last spring during Covid-19 lockdowns, a new survey finds. And it’s not just you. Or me. In the Harris Poll, conducted in the days just after the presidential inauguration, 84% of U.S. adults said they’re feeling some level of stress.

On average, people ranked their stress level at 5.6, where 1 equals little to none and 10 represents “a great deal of stress.” The survey has been repeated four times since last spring, when the average stress level reached 5.4 before falling to 5.0 in August.

What’s causing…

Researchers are racing to figure out the minimum amount of exercise needed to improve fitness and health. Findings in multiple labs have generated tantalizing headlines suggesting all you need is one lousy minute of effort or, based on one new study, a mere four seconds.

The reality is quite different.

Brief but intense workouts can absolutely improve aerobic fitness, as well as muscle strength and power. In as little as 10 to 15 minutes, you can gain fitness benefits similar to an hour of traditional, less intense exercise. …