Hepatitis B Viruses Discovered in Ancient Human Remains
[no-caption] BSIP/Getty Images Around the world, more than 200 million people live with an infection from the hepatitis B virus, a pathogen that can reside in the human…
Tag: health
How Natural Birth Became Inaccessible to the Poor
[no-caption] Michelle Jones/SAPIENS Pilar* gave birth in a private, “humanized” hospital in Mexico City that takes a holistic approach to health and combines world-class medicine with the…
What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?
We’ve all been caught unawares by our digestive tract at one time or another. It happened to the Nash family several months ago. We were nearing the end…
#Review: White Gold. Stories of Breast Milk Sharing
Those of the general public who have heard of milk kinship usually regard milk kinship as a feature of “primitive”, “tribal” lineage-based societies, often semi-feudal, with residues almost…
Ep. #10 Smoking v. vaping, anthrosmelling, de/colonization, & America’s gun “tribes:” this month on TFS
This month, Julia (1:12) prompts us to think about ‘vaping’ e-cigarettes as a clinical compromise for smokers with schizophrenia. Having observed this strategy to be effective in the…
Humanity’s Surprising Variety of Approaches to Toilet Training
[no-caption] David D/Flickr This article was originally published at The Conversation and has been republished under Creative Commons. Are 2-year-olds too young to start toilet training? …
A Hot Bed of Disease and Death, Anson G. Henry Physician at Grand Ronde
In 1857, Doctor Anson G. Henry wrote a report on the health conditions at Grand Ronde. A few days before he had written another report, Continue reading
Ep. #6 Golden Globes allyship, thinking sick, health gaps, and working slow: this month on TFS
This month, Jodie (00:53) points to what the men didn’t say at the Golden Globes, and the problems of performing allyship. “So if we’re looking at the men…
Our Understanding of the Labor Experience Is Overdue for Change
Labor interventions are largely driven by standards set in the 1950s. A growing body of research suggests it may be time for a change — Read more on…
Ep. #5 Stunted thinking: Annie McCarthy talks slum children, NGOs, and stunting in Delhi
In Ep. #5, Stunted thinking, Annie McCarthy talks slum children, NGOs, and stunting in Delhi, India.
Inedia with a Grain of Salt
Author: Michael Rose, recently awarded his PhD from ANU. He would be thrilled to hear about any postdoc, writing or teaching opportunities that you might have going. You can contact…
#3 The flies that bind: Assa Doron talks waste in India
In this wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Assa Doron talks about India’s waste, both liquid and solid, and the physical and institutional infrastructures that handle it–or fail to, plus the…
Unseen citizen engagement with science, technology and health in Russia
At the beginning of 2017 many Russians living with HIV/AIDS were told by their doctors that there were no antiretroviral drugs for them. They would have to change…
Death and Dying 101
Students from the author’s class on death and dying explore Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Anita Hannig Back in February, on a chilly, windy afternoon in Cambridge,…
Food Is About Far More Than Bodily Sustenance
In many societies around the world, food is a deeply meaningful part of social and cultural life. Shari Lewis/Associated Press Fatima,* a refugee from Somalia who is a…
On My Shelf: Vita, Life in a Zone of Social Abandonment
— Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Were We Ever Paleo Perfect?
Many people find urban centers to be both enchanting and repulsive—but for better or worse, cities have left their mark on us. Jeff Turner/Flickr The amount of time…
Fighting a silent killer in the slums
By Vera van Rijn Although the media frequently reports on African children dying from malaria or HIV, it is actually pneumonia that is the biggest killer in…
Can Medical Anthropology Solve the Diabetes Dilemma?
Social factors contribute to a person’s risk for developing diabetes and shape choices surrounding the management of the disease. Nivaldo Júnior/ALES/Flickr Mary (a pseudonym) was 18 year…
How Culture Shapes Perceptions of Miscarriage
Miscarriage memorials come in a variety of public and private forms, depending on personal beliefs and cultural norms. Susie Kilshaw Charlotte’s* tattoo, a black etching of a feather,…
Schizophrenia’s Tangled Roots
Symptoms of schizophrenia and related disorders likely arise from a perplexing interplay of social, environmental, psychological, and biological factors. Apfelsaft123/Flickr Jacqui Dillon…
Is the Developed World We’ve Created Giving Us Cancer?
The toxins in cigarettes are known to cause lung cancer, which is depicted here in CT scans. But determining what other toxins cause cancer is less clear-cut and…
Ebola Prevention Caught in the Bushmeat Trap
Questions about the safety of eating “bushmeat” were front and center during the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa. SarahTz/Flickr In 2015, as an Ebola epidemic raged in…
How Babywearing Went Mainstream
Baby carriers—an ancient tool adapted to modern times—offer parents a way to bond with their child and express their individuality. Michelle Jones/SAPIENS Danielle Gold has 18 baby carrie…