# Health - ARGO.net Science > Human performance, public health, biology, and the science of living well. Canonical URL: https://www.argo.net/health/ RSS feed: https://www.argo.net/health/feed/ ## Published Stories - [In a 392-patient dental clinic trial, adults waiting near fish rated the room more favorably, but the aquarium did not measurably lower anxiety, mood scores, blood pressure, or heart rate before treatment](https://www.argo.net/in-a-392-patient-dental-clinic-trial-adults-waiting-near-fish-rated-the-room-more-favorably-but-the-aquarium-did-not-measurably-lower-anxiety-mood-scores-blood-pressure-or-heart-rate-before-treat/index.html.md): 2026-08-15 - Three hundred ninety-two adults sat through a real-world test of a familiar idea in healthcare design: if people watch fish before a stressful appointment, will they actually feel... - [Thirty healthy adults explored four virtual Seribu Islands scenes for 15 minutes, state anxiety scores fell by 8 points and the underwater view ranked first](https://www.argo.net/thirty-healthy-adults-explored-four-virtual-seribu-islands-scenes-for-15-minutes-state-anxiety-scores-fell-by-8-points-and-the-underwater-view-ranked-first/index.html.md): 2026-08-14 - Thirty healthy adults spent 15 minutes in a VR session built around the Seribu Islands and their median state-anxiety score dropped from 33.5 to 25.5 right after the... - [A 3-minute Red Sea dive in virtual reality lifted positive mood after 107 university participants watched a real house fire, while their memory scores stayed close to the same across VR, reading and seated control groups](https://www.argo.net/a-3-minute-red-sea-dive-in-virtual-reality-lifted-positive-mood-after-107-university-participants-watched-a-real-house-fire-while-their-memory-scores-stayed-close-to-the-same-across-vr-reading-and-s/index.html.md): 2026-08-14 - 107 participants at a Texas university watched a real three-minute video of a severe house fire, then took different short follow-up experiences. One group sat quietly, one read... - [Twenty people with stage IV colorectal cancer spent 30 minutes inside a virtual coral reef and deep sea and the pilot study found immediate drops in pain, tension, stress and anxiety while leaving the bigger question of long-term benefit for randomized trials](https://www.argo.net/twenty-people-with-stage-iv-colorectal-cancer-spent-30-minutes-inside-a-virtual-coral-reef-and-deep-sea-and-the-pilot-study-found-immediate-drops-in-pain-tension-stress-and-anxiety-while-leaving-the/index.html.md): 2026-08-14 - Twenty people with stage IV colorectal cancer sat through a single 30-minute virtual reality session and the study recorded sharp pre to post drops in pain, stress, anxiety,... - [Five outpatients with depression kept swimming in cold water twice a week, their wellbeing score rose from 39.2 to 54.0 and sleep scores improved, yet the 13-person feasibility study was built to test safety and participation before anyone could claim a proven treatment effect](https://www.argo.net/five-outpatients-with-depression-kept-swimming-in-cold-water-twice-a-week-their-wellbeing-score-rose-from-39-2-to-54-0-and-sleep-scores-improved-yet-the-13-person-feasibility-study-was-built-to-test/index.html.md): 2026-08-13 - Five patients with depression kept showing up for cold water swimming twice a week and by the end of a small Danish feasibility study their average well-being score... - [Twenty-one stressed young adults entered a 15-minute virtual beach and the 18 who completed both the session and heart-rate testing finished lower on average while many said the headset felt like a short holiday away from daily strain](https://www.argo.net/twenty-one-stressed-young-adults-entered-a-15-minute-virtual-beach-and-the-18-who-completed-both-the-session-and-heart-rate-testing-finished-lower-on-average-while-many-said-the-headset-felt-like-a-sh/index.html.md): 2026-08-13 - Twenty-one young adults who said they were under psychological stress put on a headset and entered a digital beach for 15 minutes. Eighteen completed both the session and... - [Among 349 seafarers from 12 countries, poorer mental health was tied most closely to vibration, bullying, homesickness and illness, while family isolation, supervisor demands and cultural strain weighed most heavily on plans to leave the industry](https://www.argo.net/among-349-seafarers-from-12-countries-poorer-mental-health-was-tied-most-closely-to-vibration-bullying-homesickness-and-illness-while-family-isolation-supervisor-demands-and-cultural-strain-weigh/index.html.md): 2026-08-12 - Three groups of strain stood out when researchers asked seafarers which shipboard pressures were most closely linked with poorer mental health. In this survey, the strongest signals came... - [UK Biobank tracked 363,047 adults for more than 11 years and found a small link between living near blue space and lower psychiatric risk, while nearly 50,000 diagnoses showed how limited and observational the pattern remained](https://www.argo.net/uk-biobank-tracked-363047-adults-for-more-than-11-years-and-found-a-small-link-between-living-near-blue-space-and-lower-psychiatric-risk-while-nearly-50000-diagnoses-showed-how-limited-and-observat/index.html.md): 2026-08-09 - A BMC Medicine study followed UK Biobank participants for an average of 11.5 years and asked whether the natural environment around their homes was linked to later mental... - [More than 15,000 adults in 18 countries recalled childhood time near coasts, rivers and lakes, and those early blue-space experiences were linked to better adult wellbeing mainly when they inspired a lasting desire to return to nature](https://www.argo.net/more-than-15000-adults-in-18-countries-recalled-childhood-time-near-coasts-rivers-and-lakes-and-those-early-blue-space-experiences-were-linked-to-better-adult-wellbeing-mainly-when-they-inspired-a/index.html.md): 2026-08-09 - More than 15,000 adults across 18 countries were asked to look back on childhood and remember how often they spent time in and around blue spaces such as... - [Forty-six older adults with mild cognitive impairment spent 12 weeks doing moderate water workouts three days a week and the group that added in-pool number and color recall improved too, but it showed no significant cognitive or fitness advantage over exercise alone](https://www.argo.net/forty-six-older-adults-with-mild-cognitive-impairment-spent-12-weeks-doing-moderate-water-workouts-three-days-a-week-and-the-group-that-added-in-pool-number-and-color-recall-improved-too-but-it-showe/index.html.md): 2026-08-08 - Mild cognitive impairment sat at the center of this trial. The National Institute on Aging explains that MCI means memory or thinking problems are greater than expected for... - [Twelve older adults spent an hour in 40°C water two to three times a week and after six weeks some memory and reasoning scores improved while sleep and Alzheimer linked blood markers stayed unchanged](https://www.argo.net/twelve-older-adults-spent-an-hour-in-40c-water-two-to-three-times-a-week-and-after-six-weeks-some-memory-and-reasoning-scores-improved-while-sleep-and-alzheimer-linked-blood-markers-stayed-uncha/index.html.md): 2026-08-08 - Twelve healthy older adults climbed into 40°C water for one hour at a time, repeated the routine for six weeks and then came back with a mixed result.... - [Fifty-six older adults with diabetes, hypertension and depression followed the same 40-minute HIIT water routine once or twice a week and only the twice-weekly group showed better sleep, less daytime drowsiness, lower anxiety and a 62 percent drop in depression symptoms](https://www.argo.net/fifty-six-older-adults-with-diabetes-hypertension-and-depression-followed-the-same-40-minute-hiit-water-routine-once-or-twice-a-week-and-only-the-twice-weekly-group-showed-better-sleep-less-daytime/index.html.md): 2026-08-08 - Fifty-six older adults with several chronic conditions finished this water-exercise trial and the clearest psychological gains appeared in the group that trained more often. In the study's final... - [Veterans with documented PTSD completed up to eight trauma-informed warm-water therapy sessions and average PCL-M symptom scores fell by 14.4 points in a retrospective study that could not separate the pool treatment from other influences](https://www.argo.net/veterans-with-documented-ptsd-completed-up-to-eight-trauma-informed-warm-water-therapy-sessions-and-average-pcl-m-symptom-scores-fell-by-14-4-points-in-a-retrospective-study-that-could-not-separate-th/index.html.md): 2026-08-08 - In a heated pool, veterans with documented PTSD were guided through slow supported movements and breath cues with close one-to-one care. A 2025 retrospective study indexed by PubMed... - [Sixteen cancer patients completed 16 sessions of coastal walking, swimming and snorkeling on the Costa Brava, then reported less tension and anger with more energy, suggesting relief can begin far beyond the oncology clinic](https://www.argo.net/sixteen-cancer-patients-completed-16-sessions-of-coastal-walking-swimming-and-snorkeling-on-the-costa-brava-then-reported-less-tension-and-anger-with-more-energy-suggesting-relief-can-begin-far-bey/index.html.md): 2026-08-05 - Sixteen people living with cancer completed a 16-session program built around the sea and the clearest changes appeared in how they felt afterward. Their mood surveys showed lower... - [Twelve professional divers spent 20 minutes at 10 meters and their cortisol climbed while sustained attention and response speed slipped soon after they surfaced](https://www.argo.net/twelve-professional-divers-spent-20-minutes-at-10-meters-and-their-cortisol-climbed-while-sustained-attention-and-response-speed-slipped-soon-after-they-surfaced/index.html.md): 2026-08-04 - Twelve professional scuba divers completed a short dive to 10 meters, then showed slower responses, weaker sustained attention, more mental fatigue and higher cortisol soon after they came... - [Cold water immersion looked very different across 11 studies and 3,177 healthy adults, with inflammation rising right away, stress easing 12 hours later and mood showing no reliable lift even as sleep quality and sickness absence hinted at narrower benefits](https://www.argo.net/cold-water-immersion-looked-very-different-across-11-studies-and-3177-healthy-adults-with-inflammation-rising-right-away-stress-easing-12-hours-later-and-mood-showing-no-reliable-lift-even-as-sleep/index.html.md): 2026-08-04 - Cold-water immersion keeps getting sold as a fast route to better mood, sharper focus and stronger health. A new review of randomized trials points to a more uneven... - [Seventy-five adults with anxiety and depression tried 6 sessions of floating or chair-based rest and both water groups finished more sessions with no serious adverse events](https://www.argo.net/seventy-five-adults-with-anxiety-and-depression-tried-6-sessions-of-floating-or-chair-based-rest-and-both-water-groups-finished-more-sessions-with-no-serious-adverse-events/index.html.md): 2026-08-03 - Seventy-five treatment-seeking adults entered a careful test of deep rest and the simplest number from the trial was about showing up. People assigned to the two water-based groups... - [More than 16,000 people across 18 countries reported better mental health when they frequently visited coasts and other natural spaces rather than merely living nearby](https://www.argo.net/more-than-16000-people-across-18-countries-reported-better-mental-health-when-they-frequently-visited-coasts-and-other-natural-spaces-rather-than-merely-living-nearby/index.html.md): 2026-08-03 - A 2021 paper in Scientific Reports tracked how 16,000 adults across 18 countries and regions related to nearby nature, time spent in it and several mental-health measures. The... - [96 U.S. service members with depression tried 6 weeks of surfing or hiking, and both groups improved while neither outdoor therapy clearly pulled ahead](https://www.argo.net/96-u-s-service-members-with-depression-tried-6-weeks-of-surfing-or-hiking-and-both-groups-improved-while-neither-outdoor-therapy-clearly-pulled-ahead/index.html.md): 2026-08-02 - Six weeks of guided outdoor activity helped a group of military patients with depression and the main result was simpler than the surfing-versus-hiking setup might suggest. Across 96... - [36 young people completed 6 weeks of surf therapy and reported less depression and anxiety, but the gains had faded 6 weeks after the program ended](https://www.argo.net/36-young-people-completed-6-weeks-of-surf-therapy-and-reported-less-depression-and-anxiety-but-the-gains-had-faded-6-weeks-after-the-program-ended/index.html.md): 2026-08-02 - A pilot randomised controlled trial followed 36 Australian children and teenagers who were already seeking help for mental health concerns. The six-week program paired surfing with mentor support... - [22 college students completed a 15-week swim program, and they reported calmer moods, stronger social confidence and less academic strain than 22 classmates](https://www.argo.net/22-college-students-completed-a-15-week-swim-program-and-they-reported-calmer-moods-stronger-social-confidence-and-less-academic-strain-than-22-classmates/index.html.md): 2026-08-02 - Forty-four students took part in a small controlled trial that asked a simple question: could time in the pool improve how college life feels from the inside. By... - [A 44-student experiment compared 4 virtual coastal scenes after a stress test, and a seaside walkway produced the strongest recovery in mood, heart rhythm and brain activity](https://www.argo.net/a-44-student-experiment-compared-4-virtual-coastal-scenes-after-a-stress-test-and-a-seaside-walkway-produced-the-strongest-recovery-in-mood-heart-rhythm-and-brain-activity/index.html.md): 2026-08-02 - Stress recovery sits at the center of this study, because the researchers were testing whether a brief look at a coast inside virtual reality could help the mind... - [People with panic disorder put their faces in cold water before a carbon dioxide challenge and later reported less anxiety, while their breathing sensitivity stayed unchanged](https://www.argo.net/people-with-panic-disorder-put-their-faces-in-cold-water-before-a-carbon-dioxide-challenge-and-later-reported-less-anxiety-while-their-breathing-sensitivity-stayed-unchanged/index.html.md): 2026-08-01 - A small human study found that a brief spell of cold facial immersion did not measurably blunt later breathing sensitivity to a carbon dioxide challenge, yet it still... - [NIH clears a kratom compound for its first human safety test in opioid use disorder](https://www.argo.net/nih-clears-a-kratom-compound-for-its-first-human-safety-test-in-opioid-use-disorder/index.html.md): 2026-07-14 - The National Institutes of Health has opened a long-awaited clinical question: can a purified compound from kratom be studied safely in people as a possible treatment for opioid... - [Scientists found a hidden brain signal that may make GLP-1 weight loss last longer](https://www.argo.net/scientists-found-a-hidden-brain-signal-that-may-make-glp-1-weight-loss-last-longer/index.html.md): 2026-07-13 - Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have identified a brain-cell signaling pathway that helps explain how semaglutide drives weight loss in mice, according to an official announcement... - [Hidden Oropouche outbreak may have infected 9.4 million people](https://www.argo.net/hidden-oropouche-outbreak-may-have-infected-9-4-million-people/index.html.md): 2026-07-13 - A study in Nature Medicine warns that Oropouche virus has likely spread far more widely than reported across Latin America and the Caribbean. By combining mathematical modeling, historical... - [Tuberculosis can spread at home without the warning cough](https://www.argo.net/tuberculosis-can-spread-at-home-without-the-warning-cough/index.html.md): 2026-07-12 - A study in Nature Communications found that people with tuberculosis who have few or no recognized symptoms may still spread Mycobacterium tuberculosis inside their homes. The finding comes... - [Experimental drug blocks a hidden Alzheimer’s trigger in mice](https://www.argo.net/experimental-drug-blocks-a-hidden-alzheimers-trigger-in-mice/index.html.md): 2026-07-11 - Researchers at ETH Zurich have identified a new Alzheimer's disease target and developed an experimental compound that slowed nerve cell loss in mice. The work centers on GRK2,... - [Scientists found ancient brain cells that help the mind ignore distractions](https://www.argo.net/scientists-found-ancient-brain-cells-that-help-the-mind-ignore-distractions/index.html.md): 2026-07-11 - Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have identified a set of ancient brainstem neurons that helps mice focus on important visual information while suppressing distractions. The discovery, reported in... - [Scientists discover “footprints of death” that viruses may use to spread](https://www.argo.net/scientists-discover-footprints-of-death-that-viruses-may-use-to-spread/index.html.md): 2026-07-11 - Researchers at La Trobe University have identified a hidden process that unfolds as cells die. The study, published in Nature Communications, describes tiny "footprints of death" that mark... - [The blood pressure diet linked to sharper aging brains](https://www.argo.net/the-blood-pressure-diet-linked-to-sharper-aging-brains/index.html.md): 2026-07-10 - A study in JAMA Neurology found that several healthy eating patterns were linked to better brain aging, with one familiar heart-health plan standing out. In a long-running analysis... - [Common laxative drug may sharpen memory after depression](https://www.argo.net/common-laxative-drug-may-sharpen-memory-after-depression/index.html.md): 2026-07-10 - A study in Psychological Medicine has found that prucalopride, a drug used to treat chronic constipation, improved several cognitive test results in adults with a history of depression.... - [FDA-approved drug may help immunotherapy break through rare liver cancer’s defenses](https://www.argo.net/fda-approved-drug-may-help-immunotherapy-break-through-rare-liver-cancers-defenses/index.html.md): 2026-07-10 - Researchers at Cornell University and the University of Washington have identified a potential way to help immunotherapy reach a rare liver cancer that often affects young people. Their... - [Slow breathing changes brain activity and makes choices bolder](https://www.argo.net/slow-breathing-changes-brain-activity-and-makes-choices-bolder/index.html.md): 2026-07-09 - A study in Neuron involving 41 healthy volunteers found that slow breathing with a longer exhale can shift heart activity, change reward processing in the brain and make... - [Fructose sends a weaker fullness signal to the brain than glucose](https://www.argo.net/fructose-sends-a-weaker-fullness-signal-to-the-brain-than-glucose/index.html.md): 2026-07-08 - A study in Neuron found that two sugars with the same calories can send very different messages to the brain. Researchers at the Monell Chemical Senses Center showed... - [Scientists find the aging switch that helps belly fat grow](https://www.argo.net/scientists-find-the-aging-switch-that-helps-belly-fat-grow/index.html.md): 2026-07-08 - Researchers at City of Hope have identified a stem-cell change that may help explain why waistlines often expand in middle age. The study, published in Science, found that... - [Scientists trigger sleep’s restorative power inside an awake brain](https://www.argo.net/scientists-trigger-sleeps-restorative-power-inside-an-awake-brain/index.html.md): 2026-07-07 - Researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health have triggered sleep's restorative effects in selected parts of the awake mouse brain. The animal study, published in Nature Neuroscience,... - [FDA Approves First New Sunscreen Ingredient in Decades and It Blocks Both UVA and UVB](https://www.argo.net/fda-approves-first-new-sunscreen-ingredient-in-decades-and-it-blocks-both-uva-and-uvb/index.html.md): 2026-06-24 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved bemotrizinol, the first new active sunscreen ingredient added to over the counter sunscreen options in the United States in more... - [NIH Launches New Office To Speed Human-Based Research and Reduce Animal Use](https://www.argo.net/nih-launches-new-office-to-speed-human-based-research-and-reduce-animal-use/index.html.md): 2026-06-24 - The National Institutes of Health has launched a new office designed to accelerate human-based biomedical research across the agency. The Office of Research Innovation, Validation and Application, known... - [A Sugar-Free Low-Fat Diet Triggered a Surprising Gut and Liver Shift in Mice](https://www.argo.net/a-sugar-free-low-fat-diet-triggered-a-surprising-gut-and-liver-shift-in-mice/index.html.md): 2026-06-23 - Twelve mice, two low-fat diets and 16 weeks of feeding revealed an unexpected biological pattern. A study in Frontiers in Immunology found that mice eating a sucrose-free low-fat... - [Vitamin C Levels Linked to a Younger-Looking Brain Network in Older Adults](https://www.argo.net/vitamin-c-levels-linked-to-a-younger-looking-brain-network-in-older-adults/index.html.md): 2026-06-22 - A study in PLOS ONE analyzed blood samples and MRI scans from 2,044 older adults in Japan and found that lower vitamin C levels were associated with smaller... - [A 21-Year NIH Trial Reveals Diet and Exercise Can Slow a Cascade of Chronic Disease](https://www.argo.net/a-21-year-nih-trial-reveals-diet-and-exercise-can-slow-a-cascade-of-chronic-disease/index.html.md): 2026-06-22 - A 21-year follow-up reported in an NIH announcement found that adults with prediabetes who were assigned to a lifestyle program had a lower long-term risk of developing multiple... - [Scientists Identify a Crucial Factor That Helps Parents Recover From Stress](https://www.argo.net/scientists-identify-a-crucial-factor-that-helps-parents-recover-from-stress/index.html.md): 2026-06-22 - A study in Communications Psychology found that parents felt better and showed healthier stress hormone patterns on days when they had time for themselves. The research suggests that... - [A New Tooth-Regrowing Drug Targets the Protein That Keeps Teeth From Forming](https://www.argo.net/a-new-tooth-regrowing-drug-targets-the-protein-that-keeps-teeth-from-forming/index.html.md): 2026-06-21 - One protein may stand between a dormant tooth-forming program and a new route for treating missing teeth. A 2024 study in the Journal of Oral Biosciences describes an... - [FDA Advisers Back First mRNA Flu Vaccine for Older Adults](https://www.argo.net/fda-advisers-back-first-mrna-flu-vaccine-for-older-adults/index.html.md): 2026-06-20 - Federal vaccine advisers have recommended Moderna's MFLUSIVA review, moving the first mRNA influenza vaccine closer to possible U.S. approval for adults 50 and older before the coming winter... - [Brain Scans Reveal Two Biological Subtypes of Autism](https://www.argo.net/brain-scans-reveal-two-biological-subtypes-of-autism/index.html.md): 2026-06-17 - Researchers at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia and the Child Mind Institute have identified at least two biological subtypes of autism by combining brain scans from people with... - [NIH Backs 15 Bold Ideas Linking Diet to Autoimmune Disease](https://www.argo.net/nih-backs-15-bold-ideas-linking-diet-to-autoimmune-disease/index.html.md): 2026-06-17 - The National Institutes of Health has selected 15 scientific teams in a national challenge focused on one of medicine's most practical questions, how diet and nutrition may influence... - [NIH Scientists Discover Gut Immune Cells That Shield Against Inflammatory Bowel Disease](https://www.argo.net/nih-scientists-discover-gut-immune-cells-that-shield-against-inflammatory-bowel-disease/index.html.md): 2026-06-17 - Researchers at the National Institutes of Health and their colleagues have identified a protective class of gut immune cells that helps shield the colon from chronic inflammation. The... - [Mouse Study Finds Hypothalamus Neurons That Drive the Brain’s Need for Company](https://www.argo.net/mouse-study-finds-hypothalamus-neurons-that-drive-the-brains-need-for-company/index.html.md): 2026-06-17 - Researchers at Harvard University have identified brain cells in mice that appear to track the need for social contact, a finding that brings loneliness closer to the biology... - [NIH Atlas Reveals Aging Cells Across the Human Body for the First Time](https://www.argo.net/nih-atlas-reveals-aging-cells-across-the-human-body-for-the-first-time/index.html.md): 2026-06-15 - Researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health have created a new framework for one of aging biology's most difficult puzzles, where senescent cells appear in the body... - [NIH Scientists Discover a Powerful New Opioid That Relieves Pain With Minimal Addiction Signals](https://www.argo.net/nih-scientists-discover-a-powerful-new-opioid-that-relieves-pain-with-minimal-addiction-signals/index.html.md): 2026-06-15 - Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have found an experimental opioid with an unusual profile in laboratory animals, according to an official NIH announcement. The compound, called... - [Scientists Discover Why High Altitude May Protect Against Diabetes](https://www.argo.net/scientists-discover-why-high-altitude-may-protect-against-diabetes/index.html.md): 2026-06-15 - A study in Cell Metabolism has identified a surprising way that life in thin air may improve blood sugar control. In experiments with mice, researchers found that red... - [Scientists Found a Protein That Drives Brain Aging in Mice and Reducing It Restored Memory](https://www.argo.net/scientists-found-a-protein-that-drives-brain-aging-in-mice-and-reducing-it-restored-memory/index.html.md): 2026-06-14 - A study in Nature Aging led by UC San Francisco researchers has identified an iron-associated protein that appears to drive age-related memory decline in mice. The protein, called...