Lauren J. Young is an associate editor for health and medicine at Scientific American. She has edited and written stories that tackle a wide range of subjects, including the COVID pandemic, emerging diseases, evolutionary biology and health inequities. Young has nearly a decade of newsroom and science journalism experience. Before joining Scientific American in 2023, she was an associate editor at Popular Science and a digital producer at public radio’s Science Friday. She has appeared as a guest on radio shows, podcasts and stage events. Young has also spoken on panels for the Asian American Journalists Association, American Library Association, NOVA Science Studio and the New York Botanical Garden. Her work has appeared in Scholastic MATH, School Library Journal, IEEE Spectrum, Atlas Obscura and Smithsonian Magazine. Young studied biology at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, before pursuing a master’s at New York University’s Science, Health & Environmental Reporting Program.
Gen X Faces Higher Cancer Rates Than Any Previous Generation
Researchers are investigating changes in cancer risks among young people as new data predict that rising rates of leading cancers, such as colon cancer, will overtake improvements
Pasteurization Kills Bird Flu Virus in Milk, New Studies Confirm
Flash pasteurization destroyed H5N1 viral particles that were highly concentrated in raw milk, confirming that standard techniques can keep dairy products safe from bird flu
Ozempic Quiets Food Noise in the Brain—But How?
Blockbuster weight-loss drugs are revealing how appetite, pleasure and addiction work in the brain
New ‘FLiRT’ COVID Variants Could Be Driving an Uptick in Cases. Here’s How to Avoid Them
COVID numbers are low, but some evidence suggests they could be rising. Here’s how to protect yourself this summer, according to experts
Brain Worms like the One in RFK, Jr.’s Head Are Actually a Global Problem
Experts explain how certain worms can infect the brain and why they are an important global public health problem
Everyone Will Have Fewer Relatives in the Future
Changing demographics mean shrinking families and more older relatives in future decades
The Best Way to Use Home COVID Tests Right Now
When symptoms start, COVID tests may say you’re not infected when you really are.
5 Ways Ozempic and Other New Weight-Loss Drugs Have Changed Health
Ozempic and similar drugs are ushering in a new era of weight management and obesity treatments, and researchers are racing to understand their impact
Masking Even Some of the Time This Winter Could Help Prevent Respiratory Infections
Experts weigh in on how you can navigate social gatherings and travel as respiratory illnesses rise this winter
Scientists behind mRNA COVID Vaccines Win 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman were awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for mRNA vaccine discoveries that made highly effective COVID vaccines possible
Why Are COVID Rates Increasing in the Summer?
COVID hospitalizations are slowly rising again this summer, causing scientists and clinicians to rethink if or when the disease will become a seasonal illness
Could Weight-Loss Drugs Curb Addiction? Your Health, Quickly, Episode 12
Drugs such as Wegovy and Ozempic might help people tackle substance abuse as well as shed pounds.
Your Genes May Influence What You Like to Eat
New research identifies genome areas linked to dietary patterns and our taste for things such as tea, tobacco and grapes
How Dangerous Are Soccer Concussions? They May Cause Lasting Damage
As the 2023 Women’s World Cup kicks off, repeated concussions and head injuries in the sport raise discussion about the lifelong consequences on the brain
How to Keep Muscles Strong as You Age
Here’s why older adults naturally lose muscle mass over time and how regular physical activity and resistance training can help
New Drug for Cannabis Use Disorder Shows Promise in Early Trials in Humans
A new pill could be the first to help the more than 14 million people in the U.S. who struggle to control their marijuana use
Five Things You Need to Know about Wildfire Smoke Right Now
Where is it coming from? How long will it last? What's in the smoke? Whose health is at risk? How do you clean your own air?
How to Protect Yourself from Smoky Wildfire Air
As giant plumes from fires in Canada billow over the U.S., experts explain what smoke does to your health—and how to protect yourself
When Should You Get a Mammogram?
Medical boards and task forces recommend mammogram screenings for breast cancer begin at age 40. But people in high-risk groups may want to consider getting tested even earlier
The End of the COVID Emergency and What It Means for You
What you pay for tests, vaccines, and medicine will change
How Fungal Meningitis Outbreaks Can Happen after Cosmetic Procedures and Other Surgeries
A cluster of U.S. residents who traveled for surgery have developed severe fungal infections in the spine and brain. Here’s what you need to know about the disease
U.S. COVID Public Health Emergency Is Ending. Here's What That Means
As the federal public health emergency is set to expire on May 11, here’s what you need to know about future COVID testing, treatment and vaccines
New Technique Can Map Ocean Plastics from Space
Researchers figured out how the flow of microplastics flattens ocean waves, letting satellites paint a clearer picture for future policy and cleanup efforts
The Lifesaving Sled Dog Balto Had Genes unlike Those of Dog Breeds Today
The genome of the 1920s Siberian husky Balto suggests that greater genetic diversity and less inbreeding contribute to better health