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This week: Pain relief from cannabis may be a placebo effect; a potential new therapy for chronic-pain sufferers; the healing power of belief; how just 5 minutes of exercise can lengthen your life; exciting cancer breakthroughs; the newest, most contagious variant yet.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KURT MUTCHLER

Does cannabis really ease chronic pain—or is it all in your head?

Patients experiencing severe chronic pain have heard—perhaps from family, friends, or the media—that cannabis may be helpful for pain like theirs. But experts say the evidence for it is "questionable"—and it may just be the placebo effect.

HERE'S WHAT THE SCIENCE SAYS

THE POWER OF PLACEBOS: Why a placebo can work—even when you know it's fake +

PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBERT CLARK, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

The way you think about pain can make it worse. A new therapy may help.

The main organ of pain is the brain—but that doesn't mean it's all in your head. A new treatment—called pain reprocessing therapy—may be able to help sufferers of chronic pain.

VIDEO BY ERIKA LARSEN

How does a belief become so powerful that it can heal?

Studies suggest that regular religious services may improve the immune system, decrease blood pressure, and add years to our lives. But it's not just religious faith that can make us feel inexplicably better.

THE HEALING POWER OF YOU?

More on pain relief:

•

As recently as the 1980s, some doctors believed infants didn't feel pain. Here's what we know now. >

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DNA pulled from Neanderthal teeth suggests our ancient cousins used "aspirin" to treat their pain. >

PHOTOGRAPH BY SOLSKIN, GETTY IMAGES

No time to exercise? Just 5 minutes a day can have a huge impact on your health.

Amping up the intensity of everyday activities—like charging up the stairs or carrying heavy groceries—can lower the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. In fact, one researcher found that engaging in three one-minute bursts of intense physical activity every day can lower a person's risk of death by up to 40 percent.

THE BENEFITS OF BEING ACTIVE

PHOTOGRAPH BY FRITZ HOFFMAN, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

New clues are revealing how exercise keeps your brain healthy

Molecules made by muscles in motion can influence the structure and health of the brain, improving cognition and shielding against diseases like Alzheimer's.

HOW PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AFFECTS THE BRAIN

7 CANCER BREAKTHROUGHS

MICROGRAPH BY STEVE GSCHMEISSNER / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

In 2022, several intriguing new areas of research opened up in the fight against cancer. Here are seven that you should know about, from immunotherapy that secured a decade of remission, to the burgeoning field of cancer diagnostics for our pets.

ADVANCES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER

More on cancer research:

•

Cancer vaccines are finally showing promise. Here's how they work. >

•

Some tumors are too deep to kill. New research suggests a therapy that could be a game-changer. >

THE MOST CONTAGIOUS VARIANT YET

MICROGRAPH BY NIAID/NIH

In December alone, Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 grew from causing fewer than 1 percent of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. to more than 40 percent, rapidly out-competing other variants. Experts fear it could trigger a winter wave and change the course of the pandemic.

WILL BOOSTERS PROTECT YOU?

TRACKING COVID-19 IN THE U.S.: See how XBB.1.5 is rapidly gaining ground +

HEALTH NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

Do 'immune-boosting' supplements really work? Here's what the science says. >

Can aging be cured? Scientists are giving it a try >

This is how sugar and fat affect your brain >

Low-calories sweeteners might not be as good for us as we thought >

Food allergies are on the rise—but new treatments are on the horizon >

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