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Mercury (element)
Mercury, also called quicksilver, is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. A heavy, silvery, transition metal, mercury is one of five elements that are liquid at or near room temperature. Mercury is used in thermometers, barometers and other scientific apparatus, although the use of mercury in thermometers has been largely phased out in clinical and scientific environments (in favor of alcohol-filled, digital or thermistor-based replacements) due to concerns about the element's toxicity. Mercury, like lead, is a neurotoxin, and elevated blood mercury levels have led to retardation and deformities in children.
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Health & Medicine News
November 13, 2025
Nov. 13, 2025 — Researchers have uncovered surprising evidence that anxiety may be controlled not by neurons but by two dueling groups of immune cells inside the brain. These microglia act like biological pedals—one pushing anxiety forward and the other holding ...
Nov. 13, 2025 — Smoking, vaping, or using both products significantly increases the likelihood of developing prediabetes and diabetes, and the risk is even higher among Hispanic, Black, and low-income groups. Researchers found that vaping alone raises prediabetes ...
Nov. 13, 2025 — Researchers have designed a smart drug that hunts down and breaks a little-known RNA that cancer cells depend on. The drug recognizes a unique fold in the RNA and triggers the cell to destroy it. Tests showed that removing this RNA slows cancer ...
Nov. 13, 2025 — Scientists have discovered strange microscopic structures in the blood of people with Long COVID—clusters of tiny microclots tangled together with sticky immune webs known as neutrophil extracellular traps, or NETs. These combined structures show ...
Nov. 12, 2025 — Colchicine, a cheap and widely used gout drug, may help prevent heart attacks and strokes in people with cardiovascular disease. Trials involving nearly 23,000 patients show meaningful reductions in risk with low doses. Side effects were mostly mild ...
Nov. 12, 2025 — Scientists have uncovered a new environmental culprit behind liver disease: tetrachloroethylene (PCE), a chemical used in dry cleaning and household products. The study found that people with PCE exposure were three times more likely to develop ...
Nov. 12, 2025 — New research from the Technical University of Munich and Harvard Medical School reveals that popular GLP-1-based drugs, semaglutide (Ozempic) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro), not only promote weight loss but also significantly reduce the risk of heart ...
Nov. 12, 2025 — Scientists in Seoul have uncovered 15 gut bacterial species linked to coronary artery disease, showing that microbes can influence heart health far beyond digestion. Their findings reveal how shifts in gut microbial function — including ...
Nov. 12, 2025 — GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy may extend the lives of colon cancer patients, according to a major UC San Diego study. Patients on the medications had less than half the mortality rate of non-users. Researchers suspect the drugs’ ...
Nov. 11, 2025 — Texas A&M scientists have unlocked new potential for astatine-211, a rare and short-lived element, as a highly precise cancer-fighting isotope. Its alpha emissions destroy tumor cells while sparing healthy tissue, making it ideal for targeted ...
Nov. 11, 2025 — TAR-200, a small drug-releasing implant, wiped out tumors in most patients with high-risk bladder cancer. Its slow, consistent release of chemotherapy proved far more effective than traditional short-term treatments. The therapy may replace bladder ...
Nov. 11, 2025 — Historians have traced myths about the Black Death’s rapid journey across Asia to one 14th-century poem by Ibn al-Wardi. His imaginative maqāma, never meant as fact, became the foundation for centuries of misinformation about how the plague ...
Latest Headlines
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Nov. 11, 2025 — Researchers in Osaka have found that stem cells from fat tissue can repair spinal fractures similar to those caused by osteoporosis. By turning these cells into bone-forming clusters and pairing them ...
Nov. 11, 2025 — Researchers found that runners who sleep poorly face nearly double the injury risk compared to those who rest well. The study highlights that sleep is not just recovery—it’s a key factor in ...
Nov. 11, 2025 — Japanese researchers found that lecanemab, an amyloid-clearing drug for Alzheimer’s, does not improve the brain’s waste clearance system in the short term. This implies that nerve damage and ...
Nov. 10, 2025 — Scientists have found that keratin, the protein in hair and skin, can repair and protect tooth enamel. The material forms a mineralized layer that halts decay and restores strength, outperforming ...
Nov. 10, 2025 — Researchers have discovered that prostate cancer depends on two key enzymes, PDIA1 and PDIA5, to survive and resist therapy. When blocked, these enzymes cause the androgen receptor to collapse, ...
Nov. 10, 2025 — Researchers identified SGK1 as a key chemical connecting childhood trauma to depression and suicidal behavior. High SGK1 levels were found in the brains of suicide victims and in people with genetic ...
Nov. 10, 2025 — A sweeping review of existing studies finds no solid evidence that using acetaminophen (Tylenol) during pregnancy increases the risk of autism or ADHD in children. Researchers found that previous ...
Nov. 10, 2025 — New research finds that daily coffee drinking may cut AFib risk by nearly 40%, defying decades of medical caution. Scientists discovered that caffeine’s effects on activity, blood pressure, and ...
Nov. 10, 2025 — Intermountain Health researchers discovered that customizing vitamin D3 doses for heart attack survivors slashed their risk of another heart attack by 50%. The strategy involved frequent monitoring ...
Nov. 10, 2025 — Scientists have discovered that most chronic fatigue patients experience dysfunctional breathing, which may worsen their symptoms. The likely culprit ...