Mortality
It's Not 'Despair' That's Killing Working-Class Americans; It's Hard Work and Poverty
New research casts doubt on the trendy diagnosis of "hopelessness."
Having a Sense of Purpose Helps You Live Longer
New research shows lower mortality rates for people who feel their life has meaning.
Suicide and Drug Use Are Still Rising Across the U.S.
A new report concludes that deaths from suicide, alcohol, and drug use continue to increase.
Counties Trump Won Have Lower Life Expectancy Rates
A new analysis finds a stark metric for the health-depleting stress of Americans who felt left behind—and who saw Trump as a possible savior.
The (Short) Lives of Poor, Urban Teenagers
If a child does not believe that they might live to see another day, what motivation can there possibly be for investing in the future?
Messing With Your Brain to Reduce Prejudice
New research suggests threat-based instinctive reactions can be modified by a simple procedure.
Racism and Discrimination Kill—Literally
Experiencing discrimination has been shown to have both acute and long-term effects on the body.
From Humbug! to Humble: The Power of the Scrooge Effect
A new study finds thoughts of our mortality can make us more generous.
This Last of Meeting Places
Confronting our mortality with vague metaphors, religious glosses, and computer analogies.
The Missing
As a kid, Rachael Maddux thought she could shut herself away from the reality of death. Instead, through Reader’s Digest, she came face to face with the fragility of life.
Think Alcohol's Good for You? Not So Fast, Researchers Say
It turns out the benefits of light to moderate drinking might have been exaggerated.
The Oddly Reassuring Quality of Surrealistic Art
When people are reminded of their own mortality, surrealist paintings they might otherwise find baffling can become sources of comfort.
These Mental Illnesses Are More Dangerous Than Smoking
Many mental illnesses and addictions are more heavily associated with premature deaths than heavy smoking, yet we tend to be less aware of their risks.
Study: Homophobia Takes Years Off of Your Life
That’s the conclusion of a new study that compares death rates with Americans’ attitudes toward gay rights.
What Are the Chances I Die Today?
Noah Davis calculates the odds of his demise on an ordinary day in New York City.
Study: Yes, You Can Be Fit and Fat
A new meta-study finds higher mortality rates among people who are not physically fit—no matter their weight.
Why Is the Way Physicians Want to Die So Different From the Rest of Us?
Given the opportunity, most doctors would turn down almost every form of intervention available.
Stop Worrying About Calls to Reduce Salt and Sodium Intake
Salt is back in the news. Cut back on your intake, scream the so-called experts. But wait just a minute. Decades of science show that consuming less sodium might be more harmful to our bodies than consuming more.
Accepting a Warming Planet Could Cool Urge To Go To War
New psychological research suggests the shared threats posed by a changing climate may bring people together in a common cause.
Depressed, Pessimistic and Anxious Die Younger
People who are generally pessimistic, anxious or prone to depression have an above-average chance of dying at every stage of their adult lives, according to a new study by researchers at the Mayo Clinic.