How Growth of Elderly Population in U.S. Compares with Other Countries

There's new evidence that being fit reduces your risk for getting cancer. The study, released at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting, looked at the link between fitness in middle-aged men and the likelihood of a cancer diagnosis later in life.

Angelina Jolie announced today that she has undergone a preventative double mastectomy due to a gene she has that increases her risk of of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer. What makes this gene so devastating and who is affected by it? We talked to a leading oncologist Dr. Sandra Swain for answers.

For millennia, smallpox was humankind's deadliest foe -- that is, until Dr. Edward Jenner figured out a means of preventing it entirely. Jenner discovered a vaccine after he proved that inoculating people with a small amount of the disease cowpox would protect them from the feared smallpox.

Commander Chris Hadfield is a great many things: photographer, educator, social media maven -- did I mention astronaut? Add troubadour to the laundry list. That his music video -- a cover of David Bowie's "Space Oddity" -- has already scored 6.6 million hits is a testament to his success as a popularizer of science and space.

One in 20 people in the U.S. say they've used prescription painkillers for non-medical reasons in the last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many ended up addicted. PBS NewsHour recently aired a report on prescription drug abuse that led viewers to ask questions, so the CDC provided the answers.

More than 43,000 babies die in South Africa each year before they're one-month old. A full 75,000 don't make it to their fifth birthday. But a network affectionately known as MAMA is hoping to bring those numbers down dramatically with a simple tool: cell phones.

Photographer Carolyn Jones spent the last two years profiling changes in the health care system and the compassion of those on the front lines. She speaks with Hari Sreenivasan about her new book, "The American Nurse," how the profession is evolving with the industry, and types of nurses you probably never knew existed.

Different hospitals charge wildly different amounts for the same procedures, even in the same city. New data from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid shows a vast billing disparity between health care centers. Jeffrey Brown explores some striking examples and what these numbers mean with Barry Meier of The New York Times.

Eighty percent of the 13 million Malawians live in rural areas, making delivering health services challenging, especially in remote parts with no roads.