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As a Summer Heat Wave Pummels The US, an Expert Warns About the Dangers of Humidity — Particularly for Toddlers, Young Athletes and Older Adults
By W. Larry Kenney Your Health

As a Summer Heat Wave Pummels The US, an Expert Warns About the Dangers of Humidity — Particularly for Toddlers, Young Athletes and Older Adults

Because of climate change, summers are getting hotter and more humid – much more humid. SciLine interviewed Dr. W. Larry Kenney, professor of physiology and kinesiology at Penn State University, who discussed why humid heat can be dangerous to human health and, in some cases, life-threatening; how heat stresses the body, particularly the cardiovascular system; […]

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5 min read

Wildfire Smoke FAQ: What’s Happening With Air Quality Right Now and Why? What Are the Risks? How Do I Protect Myself Short-Term? What About Long-Term Protection? Is This the ‘New Normal?’
By Rebecca Kaarina Saari Your Health

Wildfire Smoke FAQ: What’s Happening With Air Quality Right Now and Why? What Are the Risks? How Do I Protect Myself Short-Term? What About Long-Term Protection? Is This the ‘New Normal?’

With wildfire smoke affecting most of North America, what are the best ways to minimize the health impacts of air pollution under climate change? Here are answers to some key questions about the ongoing air quality problems. What is happening with air quality right now? Many North Americans have never experienced local air quality as […]

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4 min read

How Wildfire Smoke Can Harm Human Health, Even When the Fire Is Hundreds of Miles Away — A Toxicologist Explains
By Christopher T. Migliaccio Your Health

How Wildfire Smoke Can Harm Human Health, Even When the Fire Is Hundreds of Miles Away — A Toxicologist Explains

Smoke from more than 200 wildfires burning across Canada has been turning skies hazy in North American cities far from the flames. We asked Chris Migliaccio, a toxicologist at the University of Montana who studies the impact of wildfire smoke on human health, about the health risks people can face when smoke blows in from […]

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4 min read

What Causes Hiccups and How Can You Get Rid Of Them?
By Vincent Ho Your Health

What Causes Hiccups and How Can You Get Rid Of Them?

We all get hiccups from time to time, and sometimes they just won’t seem to go away. Hiccups are involuntary contractions of the diaphragm – the muscle separating your chest from your abdomen, which plays a key role in breathing – followed by a sudden closure of the vocal cords. The medical term for hiccups […]

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4 min read

Regulating ‘Forever Chemicals’: 3 Essential Reads On PFAS
By Jennifer Weeks Your Health

Regulating ‘Forever Chemicals’: 3 Essential Reads On PFAS

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is preparing to release a draft regulation limiting two fluorinated chemicals, known by the abbreviations PFOA and PFOS, in drinking water. These chemicals are two types of PFAS, a broad class of substances often referred to as “forever chemicals” because they are very persistent in the environment. PFAS are widely […]

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4 min read