Josh Akins helps Kelly Koep get ready for surgery. (M.S. Williamson/Post)
She was too flexible. What was wrong?
For patients with a genetic disorder that results in extremely loose joints, surgery can be the last hope.
Do lobsters and other invertebrates feel pain?
New research offers some answers on how much pain, if any, invertebrates can experience.
Sometimes, power-sleeping may not be a good thing
Regularly spending more than eight or nine hours in bed may be a sign of health problems.
Latest headlines
More Health and Science news
Program that insures some of nation’s sickest is extended
Enrollment in federal high-risk pools can go a month beyond March 31 deadline, administration says.
OxyContin maker to introduce tamper-resistant form of hydrocodone
Hard-to-abuse pills by Purdue Pharma could undercut the market for controversial new painkiller, Zohydro.
Feb. health-care plan sign-ups fall below goals
Enrollment slowed from December and January, while a key group — young adults — did not grow.
Lost: Still-missing jetliner becomes the mystery of 2014
Bomb? Pilot suicide? Shot down? Catastrophic decompression? How does an airplane vanish into thin air?
Obama names Calif. preserve a national monument
The president uses executive authority to designate Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands a national monument.
Blood test may predict Alzheimer’s onset
A new Georgetown study identifies 10 lipids in the blood of patients who went on to develop Alzheimer’s.
NASA wants to seek signs of life on Europa, but it’s pricey
Europa probably has an ocean and perhaps extraterrestrial life, but can we afford to visit, or even fly by?
Multimedia
Unraveling the mystery of the flying snake
Studies show that they transform their cross-sectional shape to help them become more aerodynamic.
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Finding Mars and other worlds on Earth
NASA astrobiologist gives Discover a list of seven extreme places in our world that are pretty extraterrestrial.
Barbie vs. Mrs. Potato Head: Only one empowers girls
A study of 4- to 7-year-olds finds Barbie play left them thinking boys could do more jobs than they could.
What’s in those e-cigarettes anyway, and are they safe?
Studies have found an antifreeze chemical in some. Vapor may contain metal particles and formaldehyde.
Anorexia and bulimia are not just a women’s issue
Brian Cuban, an activist for addressing eating disorders, asks men to seek help and speak out.
People with anger issues may be putting their hearts at risk
The chance of having a heart attack or similar incident was greater shortly after an outburst than at other times.
Kaiser Health News
AnyBODY
Just because you’re sneezing doesn’t mean it’s a cold
The problem may be winter allergies. Spending time indoors increases exposure to some triggers.
How to perform a background check on your doctor
Just Googling the name and asking friends isn’t enough.
How & Why/EcoLOGIC
How virus sleuths track the cause of a mysterious illness
When kids in California came down with unexplained paralysis, the clock started ticking.
Why trains are better than trucks
They are vastly more energy-efficient than trucks at moving freight — and they always will be.
How heroin changes the brain of an addict
It’s not just a willpower issue. The drug affects the part of the brain that responds to pleasurable things.
Urban Jungle
The cardinal and the tuliptree
As winter advances, choice foods become scarce and eating grows riskier and less efficient.
Medical Mysteries
Nosebleeds led to transfusions. What was going on?
Doctors couldn’t figure out what was causing Sheryl Stein’s scary blood disorder, but she had a theory.
Intractable depression — or something else?
Drugs and shock treatments failed to treat a woman’s worsening mental illness.
Health, Science & Environment Videos
Obamacare's silver lining?
For all of the issues surrounding the rollout of the President's signature health care law, one part seems to be working pretty well—the expansion of Medicaid. Close to 400,000 Americas have learned they are now eligible to enroll, but some states haven't embraced the expansion.
Can a November surge help Obamacare?
The Affordable Care Act saw a surge in the month of November with 173,000 people signing up in their state-run marketplaces. But will young people sign up in the numbers needed to support the program?
Three Obamacare fixes explained
Wonkblog’s Sarah Kliff breaks down three proposals that would help Obama make good on his promise.
Do Americans think the government can recover from Obamacare's disastrous rollout, or is it too late?
Kliff Notes: How did Obamacare change?
Wonkblog's Sarah Kliff explains how Obamacare is changing after many insurance policies were canceled, and how the president plans to un-cancel some of them.
Kliff Notes: Will Obamacare cancel my plan?
Wonkblog's Sarah Kliff explains why a lot of people's health insurance policies might get cancelled.
Kliff Notes: HealthCare.gov's 3 problems
Wonkblog's Sarah Kliff walks through the three main problems bogging down the Affordable Care Act's online marketplace.
Kliff Notes: Obama's health care speech
Wonkblog's Sarah Kliff shares her "Kliff Notes" for President Obama's remarks defending his signature health care law.
Obamacare Q&A: Are all marketplaces created equal?
Wonkblog's Sarah Kliff explains why the Affordable Care Act's health insurance marketplaces are different from state to state.
Obamacare Q&A: Who doesn't have to enroll?
Wonkblog's Sarah Kliff explains the exceptions to the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate.The Post Most: National
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Regularly sleeping too long may indicate a health problem -
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Rival theories on Malaysia flight's disappearance -
3Funny business response to a union's "Shame on …" sign
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4Man who drove car into SXSW festival was wannabe rapper with six kids
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Let's make an effort to move more freight by rail and less by road. Trains are more efficient.
There are no discussions scheduled today.
Carolyn Hax
Chat transcript
I’m afraid that once I settle down I’ll find someone better. How do I get over it and commit?