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A new study reveals how Copenhagen wiped out deadly smallpox in just seven years during the early 1800s, offering powerful lessons for modern vaccine campaigns. The disease killed 3 in 10 infected people before vaccines changed everything.
The public health giant who led the successful effort to wipe smallpox off the face of the Earth has died at 89. William Foege's work saved hundreds of millions of lives and inspired a generation of global health leaders.
Over 250 years, five groundbreaking vaccines transformed deadly diseases into preventable conditions. From smallpox to whooping cough, these medical breakthroughs have saved countless lives and changed public health forever.
A devastating parasitic disease that once infected 3.5 million people annually is down to just 10 human cases worldwide. Guinea worm is on track to become only the second human disease ever eradicated, after smallpox.
Americans now live nearly twice as long as they did in 1776, jumping from 35 years to 79 years. The secret? Clean water, vaccines, and antibiotics transformed deadly childhood diseases into preventable illnesses.
After nearly 40 years of work, the world is closer than ever to wiping out Guinea worm disease, with only 10 cases reported in 2025. If successful, it will be only the second human disease ever eradicated.
Only 10 cases of Guinea worm disease were reported worldwide in 2025, bringing humanity one step closer to wiping out the second human disease ever. This marks a 99.99% reduction from 3.5 million annual cases just 40 years ago.
When a deadly hantavirus outbreak hit a cruise ship, passengers flew to Omaha because one hospital spent two decades preparing for exactly this scenario. Nebraska Medicine's specialized team has contained every outbreak without a single staff infection.
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Two 18th-century snuffboxes stolen in a brazen Paris heist have been lovingly restored and returned to public view at London's Victoria & Albert Museum. The treasures, once owned by Catherine the Great and Frederick II of Prussia, survived their ordeal with only minor damage.
After decades of global vaccination efforts, polio cases have plummeted by 99 percent, bringing humanity to the edge of completely eradicating this devastating disease. The final push requires sustained commitment, but the finish line is finally within reach.
The Epidemic Intelligence Service, which trained the first responders to COVID-19's U.S. outbreak, marks 75 years of protecting public health. These "disease detectives" have rushed to the frontlines of every major health crisis since 1951.
Archaeologists in Valence, France just uncovered a stunning 1,400-year-old cemetery with over 200 graves and a lost Christian building. The discovery is rewriting what we know about medieval communities in southeastern France.
For centuries, Mexican families photographed their deceased infants dressed as angels, transforming grief into celebration. This misunderstood tradition reveals a beautiful way communities helped parents cope with loss.
A single-dose pill that cures sleeping sickness in one day just received approval, replacing treatments that once required 10 days or dangerous arsenic injections. After decades of African-led research, this breakthrough could help eliminate a disease that's killed millions.
Scientists explain why vaccines work like athletic training for your immune cells, preparing them to fight disease before you ever get sick. As measles outbreaks return to previously protected countries, understanding this science matters more than ever.
An ancient disease that once infected 3.5 million people yearly is now down to just 10 cases globally, bringing humanity one step closer to wiping out only the second human disease in history. The milestone honors President Jimmy Carter's lifelong dream to outlast the final Guinea worm.
Health workers are moving door-to-door across Malawi to vaccinate 1.7 million children against polio, part of a renewed global push to finally eliminate a disease that once paralyzed hundreds of thousands annually. Despite setbacks, wild polio cases have dropped 99% since 1988.
The number of people in extreme poverty dropped from 2.3 billion to 831 million in just 35 years, and experts say everyone could live like the Swiss by 2100. History shows it's possible if we share the progress fairly.
Scientists at Stanford Medicine have developed a breakthrough nasal spray vaccine that protects against multiple respiratory threats at once, from COVID-19 and flu to bacterial infections and even allergies. In mice, the experimental vaccine provided months of broad protection by supercharging the lungs' natural defenses instead of targeting specific pathogens.