The Japan Times

Featured

Lost in space: Sperm struggles to navigate during weightless sex

Scientists have used a tiny plastic "obstacle course" to test how much sperm would struggle to navigate during sex in the weightlessness of space.

Oldest dog DNA suggests 16,000 years of human companionship

The discovery of the oldest ever dog DNA suggests they have been our best friends for nearly 16,000 years -- 5,000 years earlier than had previously been thought, new research said Wednesday.

Last news

Brazil's banana spider aids erectile dysfunction treatment

Three decades ago, Brazilian researchers began studying a curious side effect from banana spider bites: the toxin left victims with priapism, a painful and persistent erection.

Bruce Springsteen 'on the mend' but won't return to tour until 2024

American rock legend Bruce Springsteen announced Wednesday that he will postpone the remainder of his 2023 tour dates until next year, as he recovers from treatment for peptic ulcer disease.

Bruce Springsteen postpones 2023 tour dates due to illness

American rock legend Bruce Springsteen announced Wednesday that he will postpone the remainder of his 2023 tour dates until next year, as he recovers from treatment for peptic ulcer disease.

UK's first drug consumption room approved

The UK's first official drug consumption room for illegal drugs will open in Scotland after receiving approval Wednesday, after years of arguments over the controversial harm-reduction policy for addicts.

56,000 Pakistan schools shut over eye virus outbreak

More than 56,000 Pakistan schools will shut for the rest of the week in a bid to curb a mass outbreak of a contagious eye virus, officials said Wednesday.

Anti-Covid drug may have led to virus mutations: study

An anti-Covid drug widely used across the world may have caused mutations in the virus, researchers said on Monday, but there was no evidence that the changes had led to more dangerous variants.

UK child-killer nurse to face retrial over attempted murder charge

A British nurse jailed for life for murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six others will face a retrial on an outstanding charge of attempted murder, prosecutors said on Monday.

The 'tyranny of thinness' still dominates fashion

Despite claims that the fashion industry is embracing curvier bodies, the data suggests it could be guilty of what one expert calls "fat-washing".

Eastern authorities want Libya aid conference in flood-hit Derna

Libya's flood-devastated port city of Derna will host an international conference next month to aid reconstruction efforts, authorities in the east of the divided country said Friday.

Indie rocker Sufjan Stevens recovering from Guillain-Barre syndrome

US indie singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens on Wednesday said he is recovering from Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that left him immobile.

Glyphosate: where is it banned or restricted?

One of the world's most popular weedkillers, glyphosate, has divided the scientific and health community, prompting several countries either to ban or limit its use.

EU pushes 10-year renewal for controversial herbicide

The European Commission proposed to renew the use of the controversial and widely used herbicide glyphosate in the EU for 10 years on Wednesday, after a report saw no reason to block it.

Doctors in England step up strike action over pay

Hospital chiefs on Wednesday warned of danger to patient safety from the latest doctors strike, the first time consultants and junior doctors in England have walked out at the same time.

Avian flu hits bird paradise of Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos National Park said Tuesday that it had detected its first cases of avian flu on the remote islands, home to unique bird species that helped inspire the theory of evolution.

Communications cut to flood-hit Libya city after protests

Telephone and internet links were severed Tuesday to Libya's flood-hit city of Derna, a day after hundreds protested there against local authorities they blamed for the thousands of deaths.

'We need a state': anger among Libya flood survivors

In a Libyan hospital ward, trauma and grief mix with disbelief and anger among the survivors of the flood disaster that killed untold thousands in the devastated city of Derna.

Aid arrives in flood-hit Libya but hopes fade for survivors

Shipments of international aid began to arrive in Libya on Saturday, offering a lifeline to thousands despite dwindling hopes of finding more survivors days after deadly flash floods.

India's Nipah virus outbreak: what do we know so far?

Authorities in India are scrambling to contain a rare outbreak of Nipah, a virus spread from animals to humans that causes deadly fever with a high mortality rate.

US surgeons report longest successful pig-to-human kidney transplant

US surgeons who transplanted a genetically modified pig kidney into a brain-dead patient announced Thursday they had ended their experiment after a record-breaking 61 days.

European rights court upholds French ban on posthumous procreation

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Thursday upheld France's ban on procreation using stored gametes or embryos originating from a person who has since died.

Covid's back: Here's what to know this fall and winter

As colder weather sets in, Covid rates are once more rising across the Northern Hemisphere, with several new variants on the scene.

'Everything comes back': Morocco quake leaves mental scars

When Khadija Temera, a survivor of Morocco's devastating earthquake, was sent to a psychiatrist on Tuesday, she was just one of a hundred newly traumatised patients who would be seen within 24 hours.

France orders Apple iPhone 12 sales halted over radiation

French regulators on Tuesday ordered Apple to halt sales of the iPhone 12 for emitting too much electromagnetic radiation, and to fix existing handsets.

US approves updated Covid vaccines for fall

The United States on Monday approved Covid vaccines with formulations that more closely target currently circulating variants, as infections are once more on the rise.

Peter Sarsgaard wins Venice best actor for dementia portrayal

Peter Sarsgaard, who won best actor at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday for his performance as a man suffering from dementia, has forged a lauded career as a character actor.

'I'd never work in Hollywood': Mexico star director Michel Franco

He has piled up awards and looks set for even greater acclaim with a moving new drama starring Jessica Chastain, but Michel Franco has no interest in being lured to Tinseltown.

Bruce Springsteen postpones US concerts due to illness

Legendary American rock singer Bruce Springsteen on Wednesday announced he was postponing his September concerts in the United States to be treated for peptic ulcer disease.

Lab-grown human 'embryos' offer new research hope

Scientists have developed human embryo-like structures without using sperm, an egg or fertilisation, offering hope for research on miscarriage and birth defects but also raising fresh ethical concerns.

Obesity drugs give Danish economy a major boost

Massive demand for diabetes and weight loss drugs made by Danish pharmaceutical group Novo Nordisk have turned it into Europe's most valuable company, giving Denmark's economy a major makeover.

Cancer surging among under-50s worldwide, study says

The number of people under 50 diagnosed with cancer has surged worldwide in the last three decades but it is not fully clear why, a study said on Wednesday.

Sudan refugees stranded without healthcare in Chad

Hundreds of thousands of people fleeing Sudan's war have crossed into Chad to find themselves in overcrowded camps, sweltering in plastic huts and awaiting healthcare that never comes.

Paris fumigates for tiger mosquitoes as pest spreads in Europe

Health authorities in Paris fumigated areas of the French capital for the first time on Thursday to kill disease-carrying tiger mosquitoes whose rapid advance through northern Europe is thought to have been accelerated by climate change.

The Japan Times - Health (English)