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Elizabeth Hlavinka

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Salon

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Cruel but "necessary": Can cutting off rhino horns — and selling them — help save rhinos?

Sawing off rhinos' horns is keeping these magnificent creatures alive. Is selling those horns the next step?

16.06.2025 10

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

"Razor blade throat": The "Nimbus" COVID variant sparks concern of summer surge

As COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1 spreads around the world, concerns about vaccine accessibility are rising

11.06.2025 30

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

We're offloading mental tasks to AI. It could be making us stupid

Whether we lose some of the skills artificial intelligence performs for us largely depends on how we use this tech

08.06.2025 7

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Some animals seem to appreciate music. What does that mean for human evolution?

The ability to keep a beat was once thought to be uniquely human. Some animals are suggesting otherwise

07.06.2025 10

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

"Bad trips" can have surprising benefits

Psychedelics can cause long-lasting challenging experiences. In certain settings, they can be transformative

06.06.2025 6

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

"More problems than it was helping”: Behind the growing distrust of antidepressants

Online communities provide guidance on how to get off antidepressants, but doctors warn withdrawal carries risks

04.06.2025 10

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

In space, no one can hear you scream — but it still gets incredibly noisy

Space isn't quiet. It's just that humans can't hear it

03.06.2025 2

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Technology is breaking our concept of the self. It could help us heal the mind

Virtual reality is digging up age-old questions about who we are. That has profound implications for neuroscience

27.05.2025 5

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Deep sea mining threatens the unknown

The Trump administration wants to move ahead with deep sea mining. A mosaic of exotic creatures are at stake

21.05.2025 6

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Does your body need a parasite purge? Probably not

Science is still figuring out the gut microbiome. It's a breeding ground for misinformation

18.05.2025 5

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Is intelligence a human construct? “Octopus!” suggests its time to think differently about animals

Seeing ourselves in animals could limit what we find out about them. Not seeing ourselves in them could, too

12.05.2025 4

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

The moms fighting for climate justice

Many fear the world is not a safe place to raise a child. These mothers are doubling down on making it a better one

10.05.2025 10

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

What's it like to be a baby? Scanning their brains can help us find out

Baby MRIs are changing how we think about the developing brain and could reveal why we don't remember being babies

07.05.2025 20

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

More people are permanently changing their eye color. How risky is it?

Using lasers, doctors can alter cornea pigments. The FDA doesn't regulate this growing practice — is it worth it?

04.05.2025 9

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Obsessed with getting good sleep? That could be making it worse

Sleep trackers are supposed to help us get better rest. Stressing metrics can be counter-productive, experts say

03.05.2025 4

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

MAHA wants to make our food healthy again — but federal cuts are hobbling some existing efforts

Many agree removing artificial food dyes is good for health, but some are concerned it's missing the big picture

01.05.2025 8

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Psychedelics and sex: Research is starting to explore how these substances impact relationships

Psychedelic use has been linked with increased openness and mindfulness. It’s healing relationships for some

27.04.2025 6

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Breathe in, breathe out: People are tripping out on breathwork — but it's not for everyone

Research on high-ventilation breathing practices is limited. Could they work on the brain similar to psychedelics?

23.04.2025 30

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Couch potatoes no more: Stoners are using cannabis to help them exercise and reach a “runner’s high”

A runner’s high and cannabis use activate the same system in the brain responsible for producing euphoria

19.04.2025 5

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Of honeybees and polar bears: Saving beloved species isn't enough — but it's a good start

We're always more likely to save the fuzzy animals first. Faced with a global crisis, that's not a bad thing

17.04.2025 10

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

As DOGE slashes services, disability advocates fight to maintain government lifelines

Cuts are already making it harder for people with disabilities to live in their communities

11.04.2025 9

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

How the deadly fruit in “The White Lotus” attacks the body

Experts reveal the power held in a single seed of the fruit found in Southeast Asia and Australia

10.04.2025 10

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

"Set up to fail": Incarcerated pregnant women lack access to life-saving addiction treatment

Little data is collected on pregnant women who are incarcerated. Even less is available for those with addiction

07.04.2025 5

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

"Bigorexia" can make a gym obsession harmful but often goes unrecognized

Societal standards of masculinity are centered on strength and muscularity. This "double stigma" is damaging men

06.04.2025 2

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Trump admin's attacks on chronic disease research abandons long COVID and ME/CFS patients... Again

Budget cuts and the dismantling of federal agencies are making it harder for patients with long COVID and ME/CFS

01.04.2025 6

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Some argue AI therapy can break down mental health stigma — others warn it could make it worse

AI therapy is already providing relief for patients who can't access care. But some want more safeguards in place

31.03.2025 3

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

“We were meant to be outdoor creatures”: Experts say screens are only part of poor vision epidemic

Outdoor time is essential to the developing eye. We're getting less and less of it

27.03.2025 20

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Containing multitudes: Why feeling mixed emotions can actually be healthy

Simultaneous joy and rage aren't contradictions — they're part of a spectrum of emotional intelligence

25.03.2025 7

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Cutting Medicaid could worsen overdose deaths — and erase recent progress in treating addiction

Reducing funding to the largest payer for addiction services could pose major setbacks for those battling drug use

21.03.2025 10

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Controversy erupts over claims Microsoft invented a new state of matter

This discovery could change the computing world entirely. But many are skeptical of their claims

21.03.2025 10

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Feel like nothing you do matters? It may be "learned helplessness"

Experts explain how a sense of control — or lack of it — can majorly influence our response to stressful situations

18.03.2025 10

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

NASA astronauts return home after major delay. Their extended stay could have health consequences

Radiation from space affects the brain, bones, and genes. These two astronauts will soon begin their recovery

15.03.2025 10

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Extinct megalodon shark was even bigger than previously thought

New research reignites debate over the size of this extinct giant, also suggesting it looked unlike a great white

10.03.2025 4

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Experts raise "serious doubt" about COVID vaccine study claiming mRNA harms

As politicians move to ban mRNA vaccines in some states, research into vaccine side effects is going viral

08.03.2025 30

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Navigating chaos: The science of uncertainty and how to build resilience in a constant state of flux

Experts explain how to transform a fear of the unknown into a sense of possibility

24.02.2025 30

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

What the UN's ruling on abortion in Ecuador and Nicaragua means for the rest of the world

Although implementation will depend on each country, these sorts of rulings have a potential for global influence

19.02.2025 5

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

New research continues to link marijuana with schizophrenia. Experts say it's not so simple

These types of studies aren't intended to imply causation, yet they are often interpreted as such

14.02.2025 3

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Infant deaths continue to rise as more abortion bans are put in place, studies find

States with abortion bans were also shown to experience an increase in births, according to a pair of studies

13.02.2025 10

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

In a health care system bent on their erasure, intersex people continue fighting for recognition

Trump's government will only recognize two sexes. The intersex community is fighting against this false binary

12.02.2025 6

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

A psychedelic plant from Africa holds promise for addiction and trauma — but it's not for everyone

Despite being illegal in the U.S., ibogaine popularity is growing. Here's why this shrub can potentially heal

08.02.2025 10

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Your questions about bird flu answered by experts

H5N1 isn’t going away anytime soon and could become a pandemic. Here are some tips to help you understand your risk

07.02.2025 10

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

“Sitting ducks”: Trump’s withdrawal from the WHO could put the US at risk for deadly viral outbreaks

The Trump administration is limiting the nation’s ability to respond to infectious disease as Marburg, Ebola rise

04.02.2025 40

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Trump administration’s communication freeze restricted access to critical bird flu information

Veterinarians treating cows are waiting for test results to determine their risk. But they’re facing delays

02.02.2025 7

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

RFK Jr.'s drug policy under Trump could worsen the overdose crisis, experts warn

Trump prioritizes criminalization over public health in fighting the overdose crisis. Experts say that doesn't work

30.01.2025 3

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

For the first time, H5N9 strain of bird flu detected in U.S. poultry

A California duck farm has culled thousands of birds as the virus seems to be trading genetics with other viruses

29.01.2025 20

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

After a disaster, communities can be at risk for toxic exposures. Do residents know that?

Many are calling for increased transparency to help citizens understand their true risk from catastrophe

28.01.2025 20

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

"Glimmer of hope": STI surge shows first signs of slowing in decades. What’s behind the trend?

A new treatment for sexually-transmitted diseases seems to be slowing an STI epidemic — but not everyone can get it

17.01.2025 2

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Is reality shaped by our observation? Why a fringe idea in science is still controversial

The idea, proposed in the '70s by the late John Wheeler, once seemed outlandish. But could he be right?

17.01.2025 6

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

Taking supplements can be different for women — and what's in the bottle may not always be accurate

Poor regulation, conflicting recommendations and biased research have made nutritional supplements a minefield

13.01.2025 3

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka

What's causing bird flu to surge? Probably climate change, experts say

Our overheating planet has changed how birds migrate — giving H5N1 the boost it needed to spread rapidly

12.01.2025 30

Salon

Elizabeth Hlavinka