Helen Thomson
New Scientist
United Kingdom
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Past articles by Helen:
Why we urgently need answers about artificial sweeteners and health
Artificial sweeteners have been shown to help people maintain their weight and improve their health, but they have also been liked to conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Nutrition scientist Allison Sylvetsky has been unpicking the evidence → Read More
Air pollution from G20 consumers caused two million deaths in 2010
More than half of premature deaths from air pollution worldwide in 2010 were the result of economic consumption in just 11 G20 countries → Read More
Are vegan meat alternatives putting our health on the line?
Veganism is typically equated with healthy eating, but today’s factory-produced fake bacon, sausages and burgers could be tarnishing the halo of a plant-based diet. New Scientist investigates → Read More
Covid-19: Why the UK needs to forget about herd immunity
The threshold for eliminating covid-19 in the UK through herd immunity is out of reach, so it’s time to think about how to live with covid-19 as a seasonal disease → Read More
Covid-19: Why we can't count on herd immunity for protection
The threshold for eliminating covid-19 in the UK through herd immunity is out of reach, so it’s time to think about how to live with covid-19 as a seasonal disease → Read More
Long covid: Do I have it, how long will it last and can we treat it?
Millions of people worldwide are experiencing lasting symptoms from covid-19. Here is everything we know so far about this new and complex disease → Read More
Steven Laureys interview: How meditation can help coronavirus anxiety
Meditation could retune our brains and help us cope with the long-term effects of the pandemic, says neurologist Steven Laureys → Read More
Everything you need to know about covid-19 vaccines for children
Pfizer has announced positive results from its initial covid-19 vaccine trial in children and trials of other vaccines are under way, but whether any are approved for use this year may depend on how the virus behaves → Read More
Should you get a test to measure antibodies after a covid-19 vaccine?
New "immunity tracker" tests that claim to measure your precise antibody levels after infection or a covid-19 vaccine are for sale, but the results might not be as useful as they seem → Read More
Children are getting long covid and being left with lasting problems
UK officials have called the lack of support for children with long covid a “national scandal” and parents are raising alarms about the risks posed by school reopening → Read More
The 5 best things you can do to boost the chance of a vaccine working
The coronavirus vaccines won't work for everyone, but there are plenty of things we know can help with vaccine success, from sleeping well before a jab to avoiding doomscrolling afterwards and getting enough exercise → Read More
Prone to motion sickness? Your sex, diet and shoe size may be to blame
We are finally solving the mystery of why motion can make us queasy – just in time to help us deal with nausea-inducing VR headsets, driverless cars and space tourism → Read More
Why strength training may be the best thing you can do for your health
Building muscle reduces the risk of cancer and stroke, boosts brainpower, burns through calories and more – it might even be better for you than cardio → Read More
Gamifying hate: How alt-right extremists recruit and mobilise online
Julia Ebner infiltrated the hidden forums that extremists use. Her experiences lay bare how they hijack social media and video games to spread hate – and how to beat them → Read More
How to keep a cool head: Secrets of people who never get stressed out
Studies of the world's most unflappable people point to ways we can all better manage stress – and are even inspiring the first stress vaccine → Read More
Don't stress: The scientific secrets of people who keep cool heads
Studies of the world's most unflappable people point to ways we can all better manage stress – and are even inspiring the first stress vaccine → Read More
Going vegan for January? Find out how much difference it really makes
Millions of people will try a vegan diet this month for Veganuary. But can short-term or part-time vegans really reap health and environmental benefits? New Scientist put it to the test → Read More
Why the line between life and death is now more blurred than ever
Brains resurrected after death, communications with people in comas and advances in cryogenics all suggest that life's end is less final than we thought → Read More
Exclusive: Humans placed in suspended animation for the first time
At least one person has been placed in a form of suspended animation during a trial that aims to help people survive traumatic injuries like a gunshot or stab wound → Read More
What hypnosis does to your brain, and how it can improve your health
The history of hypnotherapy is riddled with hucksters, but it can provide real benefits – from weight loss to managing pain. Why modern medicine is starting to take it seriously → Read More