Oct 30th, 2008 · In the Northeastern United States, bats have been dying by the thousands, struck down by a strange ailment called "white-nose syndrome." Researchers have identified a previously unknown fungus that flourishes in the cold and that may be a cause of the syndrome.
Feb 16th, 2008 · In honor of Presidents' Day, Esquire magazine editor A.J. Jacobs discusses presidential infirmities. For example, James Buchanan suffered from eye problems, and Grover Cleveland underwent a secret operation on private yacht to remove jaw cancer.
Mar 29th, 2007 · For years, David Kestenbaum had an ailment he couldn't identify -- an irresistible urge to move his legs while trying to fall asleep or sit still. He has learned it's called Restless Legs Syndrome.
Jan 8th, 2007 · A bill has long lingered in Congress that would require health insurers to provide equal benefits for mental and physical ailments. President Bush has vowed to sign such a mental health "parity" bill on several occasions, but a Republican-controlled House repeatedly blocked it. Now with Democrats in control of Congress, mental health advocates are quietly planning a quick campaign for the bill's passage.
Dec 27th, 2006 · The definition of disease can drastically shift from era to era, or even from year to year. Here, a list of just a few of the many ailments that have been added, dropped, or reclassified over the years.
Dec 7th, 2006 · A year and a half ago, David Kohn's wrists exploded. Kohn is a newspaper journalist and whenever he tried to type up a story, he was hit with a piercing pain. While trying to find a cure, he's discovered that doctors don't even know the cause of an ailment that affects five percent of Americans.
Nov 18th, 2006 · Steven Levitt, author of Freakonomics, talks about the revolutionary ideas of economist Milton Friedman. Friedman, the Nobel laureate who was considered one of the most influential economists of the 20th century, died this week of a heart ailment at the age of 94.
Oct 6th, 2006 · North Carolina authorities have evacuated more than 17,000 residents from the town of Apex after a fire erupted at a plant that processes hazardous materials. A series of explosions last night sent a cloud of toxic gases over the town, which is near Raleigh, the state capital. No deaths or injuries were reported. But about a dozen people have been treated for respiratory ailments. In March, the hazardous waste plant was fined more than $30,000 for safety violations.