Latest Tech News

Stay updated with the latest in technology, AI, cybersecurity, and more

Filtered by: health Clear Filter

A pivotal meeting on vaccine guidance is underway—and former CDC leaders are alarmed

On Thursday, an advisory CDC panel that develops vaccine guidance met for a two-day discussion on multiple childhood vaccines. During the meeting, which was underway as The Checkup went to press, members of the panel were set to discuss those vaccines and propose recommendations on their use. Monarez worries that access to childhood vaccines is under threat—and that the public health consequences could be dire. “If vaccine protections are weakened, preventable diseases will return,” she said.

Wildfire smoke is an insidious and growing public health threat

is a senior science reporter covering energy and the environment with more than a decade of experience. She is also the host of Hell or High Water: When Disaster Hits Home , a podcast from Vox Media and Audible Originals. Wildfire smoke is the air quality nightmare of our generation, eating away at previous gains made by cracking down on industrial emissions and tailpipe pollution. Constant exposure to smoke is becoming a chronic threat even in places that historically haven’t had many wildfire

Here’s every new feature for Pixels in Android 16 QPR2 Beta 2

Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority In less than three months, Google will roll out the second quarterly release of Android 16 to Pixel devices, bringing major new features like an expanded dark theme, auto-themed app icons, an HDR/SDR brightness slider, and more. While Google previewed many of these features in last month’s QPR2 Beta 1 release, the beta program is far from over. Earlier today, Google rolled out Android 16 QPR2 Beta 2 to supported Pixel devices. It’s the second of three release

Health Connect can now track your steps using your Android phone

Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR Google is officially adding native step tracking to Health Connect, as confirmed by Android 16 QPR2 Beta 2. The company announced the change today, and a new banner and “Devices” page within the app now explicitly state Health Connect will track your phone’s steps for other apps to use. This marks a significant shift for the platform, turning it from a simple data hub into a fitness tracking service. Last week, we reported that Google was bringing nat

New study will track 40,000 Garmin smartwatch users to better understand pregnancy outcomes

Matthew Miller/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways Garmin and King's College London are studying pregnancy. It could help understand exercise's role during pregnancy. It aims to reduce gestational diabetes and hypertension. Research institutions are increasingly using wearable gadgets to carry out their health studies. On Tuesday, Garmin announced a collaboration with King's College London for its Enhanced Maternal and Baby Results with AI-supp

Garmin Venu 4 takes aim at a crowded smartwatch field with new health and fitness tools

Garmin TL;DR Garmin has launched the Venu 4: a premium smartwatch focused on health, fitness, and accessibility. New features include health status tracking, lifestyle logging, advanced sleep tools, and Garmin Fitness Coach. The watch, which starts at $549.99 and will be available on September 22, comes in 41mm and 45mm sizes. It’s a stacked season for wearables. Apple just rolled out its new models, while Google’s Pixel Watch 4 is up for pre-order, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 lineup only

New study will track 60,000 Garmin smartwatch users to better understand pregnancy outcomes

Matthew Miller/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways Garmin and King's College London are studying pregnancy. It could help understand exercise's role during pregnancy. It aims to reduce gestational diabetes and hypertension. Research institutions are increasingly using wearable gadgets to carry out their health studies. On Tuesday, Garmin announced a collaboration with King's College London for its Enhanced Maternal and Baby Results with AI-supp

Samsung's Health app might be getting an AI health coach - what we know

Kerry Wan/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways Samsung's Health app appears to be getting an AI assistant. The assistant can answer health- and wellness-related questions. The AI health coach can't diagnose or treat medical conditions. Samsung has made major investments in its health technology, and that mission looks to be continuing with a new Health app. Samsung is rolling out an AI health coach called "Samsung Health Assistant," Android Auth

Before You Buy the Apple Watch 11, Enjoy These 9 Hidden Features in Your Current Apple Watch

Prior to the latest Apple Watch Series 11 launch, Apple brought back the blood oxygen feature to its Series 6 watch and later versions, as well as for the Apple Ultra watches. This tool lets you check how much oxygen your red blood cells are carrying from your lungs throughout your body, something many users don't even realize their watch can do. Whether you have the newest version or not, the Apple Watch is packed with health-focused features that often fly under the radar. Beyond tracking ste

Here’s your first look at Samsung Health’s new AI-powered fitness assistant (APK teardown)

TL;DR Samsung will launch an AI-powered assistant in its Health app soon. We’ve managed to surface the feature in Samsung Health, revealing how it’ll appear and what it can do. Called “Samsung Health assistant,” the feature is essentially an AI chatbot that can help you keep track of your fitness goals, answer health-related questions, and more. The Samsung Health app is one of the best fitness tracking apps out there, and it’s about to get even better with the introduction of an AI-powered a

WIRED Health Recap: Cancer Vaccines, Crispr Breakthroughs, and More

At the WIRED Health summit in Boston on September 9, we hosted some of the leading experts in Crispr, whole-genome sequencing, vaccines, and more for a series of eye-opening conversations and keynotes. If you weren’t able to join us in person, no worries; you can watch them all right here. From 2025 Breakthrough Prize winner David Liu to Moderna CEO Stepháne Bancel, WIRED Health speakers gave deep insights into what’s next for gene-editing, cancer treatment, and a host of other cutting-edge top

Computer Vision and Healthcare: How Technology Provides a Glimpse Into the Future

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision in the healthcare industry continues to progress along a steep upward trajectory. Advanced AI technologies enable machines to interpret and analyze medical images, videos, and other data with unprecedented speed and accuracy. Computer vision combines that functionality with deep learning networks to enhance diagnostic precision, automate routine medical tasks, and support clinical decision-making. The evolving capabilities of computer v

MAHA Wants Action on Pesticides. It’s Not Going to Get It From Trump’s Corporate-Friendly EPA

When Jean-Marie Kauth first read the Make America Healthy Again commission report, released by the White House in May, she was “thrilled about some of the things they identified,” she says. “They clearly called out industry as a pernicious influence on why EPA has not been very successful in regulating chemicals, especially pesticides.” Kauth’s daughter died of leukemia at age 8 after, Kauth says, she was exposed to the insecticide chlorpyrifos, which the EPA banned in 2021. (That ban was overt

WIRED Health Recap: Cancer Vaccines, CRISPR Breakthroughs, and More

At the WIRED Health summit in Boston on September 9, we hosted some of the leading experts in CRISPR, whole-genome sequencing, vaccines, and more for a series of eye-opening conversations and keynotes. If you weren’t able to join us in person, no worries; you can watch them all right here. From 2025 Breakthrough Prize winner David Liu to Moderna CEO Stepháne Bancel, WIRED Health speakers gave deep insights into what’s next for gene-editing, cancer treatment, and a host of other cutting-edge top

Japan sets record of nearly 100k people aged over 100

Japan sets record of nearly 100,000 people aged over 100 1 day ago Share Save Jessica Rawnsley and Stephanie Hogarty Population correspondent Share Save Getty Images People in Japan tend to have healthier diets, lower prevalence of common diseases, and a culture of group exercise The number of people in Japan aged 100 or older has risen to a record high of nearly 100,000, its government has announced. Setting a new record for the 55th year in a row, the number of centenarians in Japan was 99,

Is Your Gut in Trouble? 5 Warning Signs You Shouldn't Ignore

The trillions of microbes that live in your gut are likened to "little pets living inside your intestinal tract." Or at least, that's how Gail Cresci, a microbiome expert at the Cleveland Clinic, describes it. But they do far more than help digest food. They also support your immune system, regulate inflammation, and produce essential compounds like vitamins and hormones that keep your body running smoothly. Because your gut plays such a big role in your overall health, it's important to recogn

Two ways Apple is (wisely) being inclusive about its latest health features

Apple is sometimes accused of deliberately withholding new features from older devices for no good reason. For example, eyebrows were raised when dual capture video recording was restricted to the iPhone 17 when the same feature has been supported by third-party apps all the way back to the iPhone 11, so is clearly nothing to do with hardware capabilities. When it comes to the latest health features, however, the company is wisely taking a far more inclusive approach … Hypertension alerts The

Health Connect will soon track your steps without needing another app

Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR Google is adding native step tracking to Health Connect, changing its function from just a data hub for other apps. This marks a significant shift, as Health Connect will now be able to collect its own data directly from the phone’s sensors. This could be the first step in turning Health Connect into a comprehensive health platform, though the feature isn’t fully working yet. If you want to improve your health, there’s no shortage of services you can

RFK Jr’s HHS Deploys ChatGPT for All Staff

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has thrown the Department of Health and Human Services into turmoil through a series of bizarre and idiotic policy decisions, and now, to make things better, he’s apparently forcing everybody who remains at the pivotal health agency to use a chatbot. That should sort everything out. 404 Media reports that HHS employees received an email on Tuesday entitled “AI Deployment,” which explained that ChatGPT would now be available to everybody at the agency. 404 writes that the d

I Struggle With Health Anxiety and Apple's Watch Series 11 Scares Me. Here's Why

A few years ago, I was convinced I was about to die. And while (spoiler alert) I didn't, my severe health anxiety and tendency to assume the worst has persisted. But the increase of health-tracking smart devices like Apple's newly announced Apple Watch Series 11 -- along with new ways that AI tries to make sense of our body's data has led me to make an important decision. For my own peace of mind, AI and constant tracking needs to stay far away from my personal health. I'll explain. Sometime ar

Topics: ai health heart like ve

A Chemical in Plastic Is Wreaking Havoc on Unborn Children, Scientists Warn

Image by Getty / Futurism Studies Some doctors are now advising their pregnant patients to avoid plastic itself, which contains harmful chemicals that can hurt some mothers and babies alike. Marya Zlatnik, a University of California at San Francisco fetal medicine specialist, told the Washington Post that when giving some of her early-pregnancy patients the rundown of what they should and shouldn't consume or be exposed to, she's begun adding plastic products to her no-no list. Her concern: t

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 Reveal Could Be a Few Days Away

By this time next week, we'll know exactly what Apple has planned for its new Apple Watch lineup. But one thing already seems very likely: a refreshed version of the rugged Ultra. Not only is it due for an upgrade (the Ultra 2 debuted in September 2023), but Apple may have actually dropped the biggest clue yet. Buried in the public beta of iOS 26 (first spotted by MacRumors) are screen specs that don't match any existing Apple Watch model on the market, hinting at the arrival of an Apple Watch U

How often do health insurers say no to patients? (2023)

Series: Uncovered: How the Insurance Industry Denies Coverage to Patients More in this series Caret ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. It’s one of the most crucial questions people have when deciding which health plan to choose: If my doctor orders a test or treatment, will my insurer refuse to pay for it? After all, an insurance company that routinely rejects recommended care could damage

Keep Your Eyes Healthy With These 12 Superfoods

Properly nourishing your body is essential to your overall well-being -- especially your eyesight. You can help strengthen and protect your eyes in simple ways, like taking screen breaks, wearing sunglasses and even eating certain nutrients, vitamins and minerals. The best part is that the best foods for eye health are probably already in your fridge. Some of the best foods for eye health include broccoli, salmon, carrots, sunflower seeds, kiwi, oysters, spinach, eggs, almonds, yogurt, oranges

RFK Jr Is Suddenly in Real Trouble

Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has weathered ample family tragedy, drug and alcohol addiction, infection from an alleged brain worm, and a few sex scandals both minor and major — and now he's weathering condemnation from his own political allies that could presage a genuine crash out. Amid his single-minded quest against vaccines, the 71-year-old health secretary seems to have made a serious miscalculation when he chose to fire Centers for Disease Control and Prevent

You can now book doctors appointments through the Samsung Health app

Samsung Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways Samsung Health users can now book virtual doctors' visits. They can also manage Walgreens prescriptions on the app. The virtual doctors can prescribe medication and provide care. You can do more than track your sleep, steps, or cycle on Samsung's Health app. Samsung announced several health integrations to connect users with practitioners and pharmacies on Wednesday. Starting Sept. 8, Samsung Health users

Google's Pixel Watch 4 vs. Samsung's Galaxy Watch 8: The Spec Showdown

Google's Pixel Watch 4 is pushing the limits with a brighter screen, longer battery life, first-of-its-kind satellite connectivity and an AI-powered health coach. Meanwhile, Samsung's Galaxy Watch 8 leans on its decade of expertise, layering in advanced metrics, such as Antioxidant Index and Vascular Load, while keeping tight integration with the Galaxy ecosystem. As smartwatches (and now smart rings) evolve from nice-to-have phone companions into serious health tools with lifesaving safety fea

Withings adds predictive AI health features to the ScanWatch 2

is a senior reporter focusing on wearables, health tech, and more with 13 years of experience. Before coming to The Verge, she worked for Gizmodo and PC Magazine. Withings announced at IFA 2025 today that it’s revamping the operating system of its ScanWatch 2 smartwatch. Called HealthSense 4, the update adds new algorithms for 35 health metrics as well as predictive AI-powered alerts when a user’s health changes. The ScanWatch 2 also gains two new colors and improved battery life of 35 days — a

Going to Space Could Make Your Cells Age Faster

Spaceflight pushes the human body to its limits, exposing astronauts to microgravity, high levels of radiation, and extended periods of isolation. These stressors affect their health in various ways, many of which scientists are still working to fully understand. But if we are ever to boldly go where no human has gone before, we need to know all the risks before we take the leap. And now new research published Thursday, September 4 in the journal Cell Stem Cell offers clues to another facet of

13 Superfoods Found In Your Fridge That Can Protect Your Kidneys

Your kidneys are working nonstop, whether you know it or not. They clear waste from your blood, balance fluid levels, regulate hormones and even influence things like blood pressure and energy. As important as kidney health may be, it doesn't always get the focus it should. The CDC estimates that more than 1 in 7 adults in the US are living with chronic kidney disease, and many don't even know it. That's why prevention and daily care are so important. Taking simple steps now can help protect y