The Odds of Dying

Everyone dies of something, but after slogging through the daily news, you'd think most people die from terrorism, shark attacks and gas explosions. But are these tragedies — not to mention deaths from lightning strikes, plane crashes and tsunamis — actually top killers in the United States? Not really. Even combined, these incidents killed far fewer people than the most deadly illness — heart disease, which took the lives of more than 614,000 people in the United States in 2014, accounting for about 23 percent of all deaths in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To separate the deaths that make headlines from those that are far more common, Live Science investigated the odds of dying from various causes. We used the CDC's Wonder database for 2014 data and other sources, and found that you're more likely to die of Alzheimer's disease (about 29 deaths per 100,000 people in the U.S.) than you are from contact with a venomous snake or lizard (there were just five such deaths in 2014). In total, about 2.6 million people died in the United States in 2014, according to the CDC. To put this number into perspective, that means about 824 people died for every 100,000 people in the country. (Keep this statistic in mind, as we'll be giving death rates per 100,000 people throughout this article.) Worldwide, an estimated 56 million people died in 2012, the most recent year for which numbers on worldwide deaths are available from the World Health Organization (WHO). Although Hollywood advised us (in no fewer than five of its blockbusters) to "Die Hard," there are a ton of ways to die. Here's a look at how many people die from common, unexpected and even theoretical events, and the science behind those numbers.

The Effect Of Violent Video Games On Teens

Playing violent video games can make some adolescents more hostile, particularly those who are less agreeable, less conscientious and easily angered. But for others, it may offer opportunities to learn new skills and improve social networking. In a special issue of the journal Review of General Psychology, published in June by the American Psychological Association, researchers looked at several studies that examined the potential uses of video games as a way to improve visual/spatial skills, as a health aid to help manage diabetes or pain and as a tool to complement psychotherapy. One study examined the negative effects of violent video games on some people. "Much of the attention to video game research has been negative, focusing on potential harm related to addiction, aggression and lowered school performance," said Christopher J. Ferguson, PhD, of Texas A&M International University and guest editor of the issue. "Recent research has shown that as video games have become more popular, children in the United States and Europe are having fewer behavior problems, are less violent and score better on standardized tests. Violent video games have not created the generation of problem youth so often feared." In contrast, one study in the special issue shows that video game violence can increase aggression in some individuals, depending on their personalities.

Study sheds light on link between PCOS and mental health

Past research has suggested that women with polycystic ovary syndrome are at greater risk for mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression. Now, a new study suggests this may be down to hormonal imbalances before birth that affect the brain. Principal investigator Dr. Elisabet Stener-Victorin, of the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, and colleagues publish their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Estimates suggest that as many as 5 million women of reproductive age in the US have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) - a condition characterized by the growth of benign masses in one or both of the ovaries, known as ovarian cysts, as well as irregular periods and high blood levels of testosterone. It is well established that female offspring of women with PCOS are more likely to develop the condition themselves. And it is not just the female offspring who are affected; the sons of women with PCOS tend to have a greater risk for obesity and diabetes, which are also complications of PCOS. In addition, Dr. Stener-Victorin notes that 60% of women with PCOS have at least one mental health problem, such as depression, anxiety or an eating disorder, and they are also at greater risk for suicide. Such risks have been attributed to increased exposure to male hormones, or androgens, through the mother's blood in utero. However, the researchers note that the mechanisms underlying this association have been unclear.

How energy drinks affect your body within 24 hours

Last year, the World Health Organization hailed energy drinks a "danger to public health," after they found consumption of such beverages is on the rise. Now, an infographic created by website Personalise.co.uk claims to show exactly what happens to the body in the 24 hours after consuming an energy drink. Created using information from sources including the UK's National Health Service (NHS), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and energy drink manufacturer Red Bull, the infographic follows another that went viral earlier this month,This new infographic, however, details what an energy drink - namely, a can of Red Bull - does to the body over a 24-hour period. Energy drinks are marketed as beverages that boost mental and physical performance. Caffeine is the most common stimulant in these drinks, but some brands contain other plant-based stimulants, such as guarana and ginseng. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the amount of caffeine in a can or bottle of energy drink can range from 80 mg to over 500 mg. For comparison, one 5-ounce cup of coffee contains around 100 mg of caffeine. Like soda, energy drinks are also high in sugar. A 250 ml can of Red Bull, for example, contains around 27.5 g of sugar. Numerous studies have suggested energy drinks can have negative health implications.