A relatively nearby planetary system is structured remarkably like what ours probably looked like when it was young, the U.S. space agency NASA confirms. The system around the star Epsilon Eridani, or eps Eri, is just 10.5 light-years away and astronomers say it provides an excellent example of how planets …

Stacey Blank remembers the day she first read about an innovative tool for her chronic lung patients. The Coordinator of the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Department at the Western Maryland Health System describes it as “something outside the box.” Blank’s career objective was to help her patients breathe better. “You don’t realize …

Bison once thundered across the North American plains by the millions.  But they were hunted to near extinction in the 19th century for their hides.  Today, their numbers are growing again, thanks in part to the important role they can play in land restoration. The 429-hectare Kankakee Sands Nature Reserve …

Global health experts are striving to identify a mysterious illness in Liberia that has already killed 12 people. Officials with the World Health Organization in Monrovia have already ruled out Ebola, yellow fever and a regional virus called Lassa. They have sent samples to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control …

Low-dose aspirin might help fend off breast cancer, according to a new study. Researchers at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center noted an overall 16 percent reduction in breast-cancer risk among the 57,000 women who took an 81-milligram dose of aspirin three or more times a week. The most …

A new study has found engaging in a simple meditation exercise for 10 minutes a day can reduce symptoms in people with anxiety disorders.   Anxiety disorders are marked by repetitive, anxious, often baseless thoughts and fears about the future.  Canadian researchers say one in four people will experience an …

An HIV activist in Uganda has come up with a novel approach to encourage young people to protect themselves against the disease. She calls it “pill power.” Halima Athumani has the story for VOA from Kampala. …

People who drink sugary sodas are more likely to die of a heart attack, develop diabetes, and contract gout. And health researchers say avoiding soda is a simple way to reduce the rates of obesity. That’s why some new technology that could mimic the taste of sugary drinks without the …

Generating solar energy is pretty easy. Storing it is the challenge. Now a research team from Sweden is working on an innovative way to fix this frustrating problem. VOA’s Kevin Enochs reports. …

The Trump administration is turning back a U.S. public school program promoted by former first lady Michelle Obama that required healthier lunches for children. “If kids aren’t eating the food and it’s ending up in the trash, they aren’t getting any nutrition … undermining the intent of the program,” Agriculture …

The microbes in your gut may have a say in what you want for dinner, according to new research. The findings only apply to fruit flies at the moment. But they add to the evidence that microbes influence the behavior of the creatures they inhabit, from flies to people. Fruit …

Chalk up another win for Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which successfully launched a secret spy satellite for a U.S. government agency early Monday. The launch at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral Florida, was delayed by a day due to a sensor problem. The payload, dubbed NROL-76, is a classified …

Every year, an estimated 15 million babies are born prematurely. It’s believed 1 million children die around the world each year of complications of pre-term birth. Researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia may have developed a technology that could change that outlook. VOA’s Kevin Enochs reports. …

Cervical cancer is preventable, yet it remains the most common type of cancer in Africa, the World Health Organization says. WHO data show that Senegal currently has one of the world’s highest rates of the disease, with over 1,400 new cases diagnosed each year. The country’s health officials have stepped …

Thousands rallied Saturday in Washington for the People’s Climate March. Organizers said they hoped the day’s events would send a clear message to the Trump administration and lawmakers in Washington about their climate policies. VOA’s Elizabeth Cherneff has more. …

Thousands of environmental activists marched in the U.S. capital Saturday to try to draw support for climate-related causes. The People’s Climate March was meant to coincide with President Donald Trump’s 100th day in office, according to its organizers, who have condemned what they see as the administration’s lack of concern …

Another protest march will take place in Washington Saturday. The People’s Climate March targets President Donald Trump’s efforts to undo action on climate change. A movement that began with a few scientists has grown to include everyone from low-income people of color to major corporations. VOA’s Steve Baragona has more. …

Drug overdose deaths in the United States continue to rise. The majority of those deaths can be attributed to opioids, synthetic or natural drugs that when used correctly relieve pain. But, according to health authorities, nearly 100 Americans die every day from opioid abuse. While the nation tries to figure …

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft sailed into uncharted territory Wednesday between the planet Saturn and the rings that encircle it, and emerged Thursday unscathed. The Cassini craft is the first and only spacecraft to ever venture into the gap between Saturn and its rings. It sent back its first signal early Thursday …

Anti-vaccine activists endured a cold, rainy day in Washington one recent Friday, to rally against childhood vaccines. Gabriele Cashman drove for five hours to support the anti-vaccine cause. She and her husband don’t want anyone to force anything on their children when they have them.  “As parents, it’s our decision …

Rain didn’t stop dozens of activists from gathering in Washington on a recent Friday to rally against childhood vaccines. They want President Trump to establish a committee to look into vaccine safety. VOA’s Carol Pearson spoke to the activists and to some of the world’s top doctors about vaccine safety. …

Scientists at the University of Cape Town in South Africa say they have tested a new experimental drug they believe could not only treat but also eradicate malaria, a deadly disease that strikes 200 million people each year. The compound has worked successfully in mice and monkeys. If it proves …

California lawmakers pushed forward Wednesday with a proposal that would substantially remake the health care system of the nation’s most populous state by replacing insurance companies with government-funded health care for everyone. The idea known as single-payer health care has long been popular on the left and is getting a …

Scientists have developed a compound that both cured and prevented malaria in animals.  They say the experimental drug even is effective against resistant strains of the mosquito-borne parasite.   If the experimental treatment pans out in humans, it could be a huge breakthrough in the treatment and prevention of malaria, …

A new study says a low-cost and widely available drug could save the lives of one in three mothers who would otherwise bleed to death after childbirth. The global trial of more than 20,000 women also found the drug reduced the need for urgent surgery to control bleeding, such as …