Marta Iraola Iribarren

Health news

Pneumonic plague: How it spreads and what is the risk to Europe?

The death of a staff member at an anti-plague institute in Russia following a laboratory accident has put the spotlight on plague and how it spreads.

6 October 2026

Health news

Being a fit teen could lower depression risk later in life

Being fit as a teenager may help protect against depression in adulthood, a new study suggests.

6 October 2026

Health news

How light became a remote control for the brain, and won a Nobel Prize

Optogenetics, the technique that lets scientists control brain cells with light, has won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine.

5 October 2026

Health news

German and US scientists win 2026 Nobel Prize in medicine

Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine for their research into light-gated ion channels and optogenetics — a method that "provides opportunities for mapping the brain in a way that we could once only dream of."

5 October 2026

Health news

The way you speak could reveal early signs of brain ageing 

The way we speak may reveal how quickly we are ageing, with older-sounding speech linked to dementia and brain changes.

3 October 2026

Health news

Swedish researchers build an ‘AI scientist’ that designs its own test

Swedes created an AI system that can carry out the full scientific process from hypothesis to results interpretation with minimal human input.

2 October 2026

Health news

Can air pollution affect your marathon finishing time?

Higher levels of nitrogen dioxide on race day are linked to slower marathon times, particularly among non-elite runners, new research suggests.

30 September 2026

Health news

One in eight cancer cases linked to preventable infections

Infections caused by viruses, bacterium and parasites caused an estimated 2.3 million new cancer cases in 2024, with low- and middle-income countries bearing most of the burden.

29 September 2026

Health news

European Commission goes after bad cholesterol and high blood pressure

The European Commission is urging EU countries to step up cardiovascular health checks, as it launches the bloc’s first EU Screening Week.

29 September 2026

Health news

Can birdwatching help stroke survivors regain communication skills?

Watching birds has become a meaningful part of stroke recovery at the University of Montana, offering a natural, low-pressure way to practise communication, researchers say.

28 September 2026

Health news

Are you in pain? Exercise may help more than common painkillers

From pilates to tai chi, even modest amounts of exercise can relieve pain as effectively as common pain medicines, opening the door to holistic therapeutic approaches, according to a new study.

27 September 2026

Health news

How much is obesity costing European economies?

Obesity and overweight are costing European economies billions of euros every year, with the burden equivalent to what some countries spend on housing or defence, according to a pharmaceutical industry’s report.

25 September 2026

Health news

Could childhood sugar intake raise the risk of adult anxiety?

Exposure to sugar in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, from conception to around the age of two and a half, increases the risk of developing anxiety in adulthood, according to a new study.

25 September 2026

Health news

Feeling lonely? This can cost you up to six healthy years

Loneliness and social isolation could shorten the number of disease-free years a person has left, and men and women aren't affected in the same way.

23 September 2026

Health news

Most European men would try new contraception methods if available

Most men would embrace contraception designed for them, such as on-demand pills taken before sex, a daily hormonal gel or a thermal silicone ring, but funding gaps are keeping these products years away from pharmacy shelves.

23 September 2026

Health news

Rare infections in pregnancy linked to intellectual disability, autism

Children born with infections such as syphilis, rubella and cytomegalovirus are far more likely to be diagnosed with autism and intellectual disability, according to a new study.

22 September 2026

Health news

World Cup viewers saw unhealthy ads every seven seconds

Advertising for junk food, alcohol and gambling during the match live coverage of the World Cup occupied almost a quarter of the tournament’s total live broadcast time, a new study has found.

22 September 2026

Health news

Who deserves a transplant? AI disagrees with human doctors

AI chatbots make faster, more confident, but less nuanced decisions than human doctors when choosing who gets a life-saving kidney transplant.

19 September 2026

Health news

Women in health earn 19% less than men, WHO warns

Despite dominating Europe's health and care sector, women hold just over half of its top-paying jobs, according to a new WHO report.

18 September 2026

Health news

Women offered less intensive treatment than men for same conditions

Women are less likely than men to be offered invasive or intensive treatments, such as surgery or strong painkillers, for the same medical conditions, a new study has found.

18 September 2026