Heroes of the Virus

As America continues to recover from the worst medical catastrophe of the past 100 years, one remarkable legacy will be the stories of the ordinary individuals who held us together

The Shirts Off Their Backs

Michael Todd wore the same clothes every day for the first three weeks of school.

Do We Really Need Sun Protection?

For years, we’ve been told to stay out of the sun and use sunscreen. Those guidelines may not only be unnecessary—they also could be harming our overall health.

The Arrow That Saved My Life—Twice

After a freak backyard accident almost kills her, a Texas woman is taken on a miraculous medical journey

13 Things: Get a Healthy Home

Most of us have spent more time at home recently than we ever imagined possible.

“Don't Give Up”

Her heartbroken hometown needed a sign, so she gave them one

A Life in Buttons

Bought at auction, a vintage cookie tin opens a window into a neighbor’s secreted heart

WHY ARE MILITARY FAMILIES ON FOOD STAMPS?

Some of America’s bravest are going hungry. Why aren’t we doing more to help them?

This Team Is a Disaster

Sports franchise names that make their fans want to call a mover

THEY GOT AWAY WITH MURDER

Five whodunits that continue to confound the law

THE RISK OF NOT TRYING NEW FOODS

There’s actually a scientific term for the fear of tasting unfamiliar dishes: food neophobia. It’s not just the name that can be scary. A study from Finland and Estonia found that people with this trait eat lower-quality diets overall and have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes—regardless of their age, sex, or weight. To add more variety to your diet, you’ll need to be persistent. “An individual may need to try a new food 10 to 15 times before getting accustomed to it,” says study coauthor Heikki Sarin.

TAKING THE LEAP

A woman in search of a life with less fear confronts her three biggest triggers—all at once

PIECE OF MIND

Jigsaw puzzles aren’t just fun. They can also relieve anxiety, especially when you put them together, well, together.

New Help for Aching Backs

Old advice: Pain pills, high-tech tests, shots, and surgery. The latest science: Harness your brain, lace up your sneakers, and go low-tech.

HEROES IN THE HEARTLAND

It has been 25 years since a truck bomb ripped through a federal office building in Oklahoma City. The tales of courage and survival amid the horror that day are as searing and inspiring as ever.

A Very Special Tax Break

When a Detroit man heard a woman was about to lose her house, he opened his heart—and his wallet

A Lifesaving Traffic Stop

Kemira Boyd had just jumped in the shower when she heard her stepmother, Tammy Boyd, banging on the door. Kemira’s 12-day-old daughter was choking.

How I Know It's SPRING

It’s not the calendar that alerts me. In my small town, the telltale signs are the ones that melt my heart.

A Cut Above

Wheeling her red chair and scissors around the city, a salon owner gives out-of-luck strangers the gift of visibility—one free hairdo at a time

9 Tricks To Improve Your Life

9 tricks to improve your life*

Substituting Chicken for Beef Doesn't Lower Cholesterol

If you’re trying to reduce your cholesterol, cutting back on red meat is a good idea— but don’t replace it with white meat, says a new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Researchers compared LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol levels among three groups of people over a three-month period: one ate mostly lean beef, one mostly lean chicken or turkey, and one mostly plant proteins. Only the plant-based diet reduced LDL.

Wake Up Your Brain

The secret to keeping everyday life from becoming boring is surprisingly easy

A Safe Home for Women

A random chat on an airplane led to a life-changing idea

Say Goodbye to Procrastinating

If you’ve made a resolution to stop stalling on to-dos, read this—now

What Pets Want You to know ...

Science continues to uncover your animal's most fascinating Secret

How Is He Still Alive?

The skewer that impaled Xavier Cunningham below his eye must have sliced into vital arteries. Which left doctors asking ...

WE FOUND A FIX

9 Tricks to Improve Your Life*

Falling in Love, By the Book

Where do bibliophiles exchange sweet nothings? To find out, read on!

THE FOOD ON YOUR PLATE

I Am Chocolate ... Sweet, But with a Dark Side

Eye-Opening Facts About Tears

Humans make three different versions of tears. Basal tears lubricate our eyes, reflex tears form in response to irritants such as smoke and dirt, and emotional tears flow when we’re sad or overjoyed.