Longevity Hacks
An original Inverse series on science-backed tactics to live smarter, healthier, and longer with better exercise, wellness habits, and sleep.
Scientists recommend 5 minutes of walking to combat your worst habit
Exercise snackies anyone?
Feel tired after eating? Try this one easy activity to boost energy and health
Ultimately, any movement is good movement.
Are you exhausted or just tired? Experts explain the unique condition and how to combat it
Exhaustion isn’t the same as being tired.
These simple hacks could boost your flu and Covid-19 vaccines’ effectiveness
Eat, sleep, move: It’s all about doing the things that promote a healthy immune system.
Walking backward could help with back pain — and carry other health benefits
One of the most well-studied benefits of walking backward is improving stability and balance.
Is antiperspirant bad for you? Dermatologists debunk the persistent fear
Stories about the harms of antiperspirants have been around for decades. But is there any truth to them?
How often should you wash your hair? A dermatologist cuts through the hype of the "no-poo" movement
Is there any science behind the “no-poo” movement?
Experimental therapy may mimic a key metabolic effect of exercise — mouse study
What if there was a pill that induced the positive metabolic effects of exercise?
One powerful breathing technique could boost a key factor for longevity
Do you even IMST, bro?
Are muscle knots real? An exercise physiologist explains what they really are
Researchers are still trying to figure out the exact physiological mechanisms within the muscle that cause this reaction.
This indispensable habit reduces your risk of getting Covid-19
Surprise — an exercise habit protects us against the novel pathogen.
Why is my dog lazy? New research explains the frustrating answer
Heal thyself and you will help your pup.
Research reveals the best way to exercise — and it’s surprisingly simple
Even a minute of lifting is beneficial.
One type of walking reliably boosts fitness more than any other
Here’s why — alongside a few good reasons to give Nordic walking a try.
Exercising only on the weekends has surprising health benefits — study
Don’t be ashamed to be a weekend warrior.
How much exercise do you actually need?
No matter what you do, the key is consistency.
Lab-grown chicken could hit store shelves soon — here's how it tastes
It’s a whole new kind of poultry.
Can spicy foods cure colds? A neuroscientist reveals the encouraging truth
Spicy food does nothing against the rhinovirus, but it can ease symptoms.
Will milk and orange juice curdle and make you sick?
Here's the truth about the breakfast combo.
Scientists accidentally created a novel method to make fertilizer more green
A new, porous material could help decarbonize ammonia production.
Use these science-backed hacks to cook the perfect pasta — and save money while doing it
Italians are up in arms over this science-backed pasta hack, but is it actually brilliant?
Do bananas cause headaches? A food scientist peels away the myth
It’s all relative.
This secret ingredient can elevate your hot chocolate, according to science
Cornstarch may not sound appetizing until you taste it in your hot chocolate.
How do Christmas cakes last for years? Inside the “perfect storm” of preservation
Love or hate them, there’s no denying some fruitcakes are not just old — they are ancient.
Grab a cracker: Meet the microbes that make your holiday cheese plate
Cheese is so much more than milk.
What is artificial banana flavor made of? A food neuroscientist reveals the truth
A tale of two bananas.
The perfect holiday cookies depend on this one overlooked, abundant ingredient
It’s all around us!
Are figs full of dead wasps? An entomologist reveals the answer
These two are meant for each other.
In Paraguay, cows offer a way out of poverty — and perhaps a greater peril
“Against nature, there’s nothing you can do.”
Inside the scientific quest to future-proof corn, America's favorite side dish
Taking cues from cacti and orchids, scientists are trying to hack corn’s natural abilities.
How Newtonian physics can help make the perfect mashed potatoes
This beloved holiday side dish can get a boost from a basic understanding of Newton’s laws of physics.
105 years ago, a savvy candy company created the most divisive holiday dish ever
How do you like your yams?
Can spicy food boost our gut health? Here's what the science says
Foods that help the microbiome flourish could provide a host of health benefits.
Scientists recommend 5 minutes of walking to combat your worst habit
Exercise snackies anyone?
Prescription poop could be the future of medicine
A recent FDA approval is likely only the start of a promising future for prescription poop.
Microbiome home test kits are the wild west of gut health
Direct-to-consumer gut microbiome tests are increasingly popular, but experts argue they may do more harm than good.
This diet helps your mental health by boosting your gut health
Here’s why miso might put you in a great mood.
Gut health in space: How zero gravity could wreak havoc on the microbiome
Safe travel through the far reaches of space depends on a vast community of in-house microorganisms.
Does owning a pet boost your gut health?
The bond between pet and owner runs deeper than love, all the way to our (and their) microbiomes.
Look: This tiny robot could change medicine forever
It’s hard for us to absorb certain drugs into our bloodstream — but scientists have a solution.
Your gut microbes can help fight cancer, new research reveals
Gut microbiome research is still relatively uncharted territory.
Peeing Red: What is beeturia and who gets it?
If you ate beets last night and are seeing red, don't panic.
One common misunderstood ingredient could be damaging your gut bacteria — study
Artificial sweeteners are failing at their one and only task.
Fugitive gut bacteria can disrupt our immune systems. Here's how we can capture them
Your friendly, neighborhood antibodies are the key.
Bacteria-eating virus cocktails may effectively treat gut inflammation — study
Two huge breakthroughs could change the game for people with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
Genetically engineered gut bacteria boost long-term metabolic health — mouse study
This technique could eventually help treat human metabolic conditions using our own genetically-engineered bacteria.
Unripe bananas have a hereditary cancer prevention property — study
Finally: a reason to eat more starch!
Why this pervasive immune chemical may be behind pain in IBS
For some people with IBS, blocking histamine may lead us to some potent pain relievers
Cutting back on deli meats may lower your risk of this chronic illness
Why is everything delicious trying to kill us?
One daily social practice could help stave off dementia
Isolation is a risk factor for dementia, like depression or smoking.
Asking yourself one fun question could help boost your well-being and longevity
It’s a pleasant part of the future you can control.
Feel tired after eating? Try this one easy activity to boost energy and health
Ultimately, any movement is good movement.
The first study to measure vitamin D in the brain could help reveal how to maintain cognitive health
The sunshine vitamin may be associated with slower cognitive decline.
How much salt is too much? Heart health study has a new answer
Looking at how frequently you add salt to meals could help tell your future.
This is how much you need to move to offset a day of sitting
Stand up twice an hour. That’s it.
This diet helps your mental health by boosting your gut health
Here’s why miso might put you in a great mood.
Meditation literally changes how your brain's neurons move
This is your brain on mindfulness.
One powerful breathing technique could boost a key factor for longevity
Do you even IMST, bro?
Going to bed before this time could boost your metabolic health
Sorry, night owls.
Eating at this hour is associated with lower depression and anxiety, study shows
If you work the graveyard shift, read this.
Brushing your teeth can protect brain health, new research reveals
Brush your teeth for your brain’s sake.
Microbreaks may be a ‘panacea’ for workday wellness
Anywhere between 8 seconds and 10 minutes does you some good.
This indispensable habit reduces your risk of getting Covid-19
Surprise — an exercise habit protects us against the novel pathogen.
Research reveals the best way to exercise — and it’s surprisingly simple
Even a minute of lifting is beneficial.
