Scientists have long had a general understanding of the cardiac conduction system, the complex electrical system in charge of muscle contractions within the heart.

For a lot of medical conditions the relationship between genetics and disease is fuzzy, but for people born with errors in a certain gene known as Von-Hippel Lindau (VHL), the link to kidney cancer clear. New research reveals more information about the complex relationship between genes and cancer.

It's one of the most common, widely available and inexpensive drugs on the market. These days aspirin is being studied for its potential power to relieve a great deal more than headaches.

Oral cancer - which occurs in any part of the mouth - is one of the most common cancers in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and other parts of South Asia. But diagnosing the disease is hampered by the fact that there are very few dentists in these areas.

Following a heart attack, scar tissue comprised of cells called fibroblasts accumulates. Since the heart muscle can't easily regenerate, the patient is at an increased risk of heart failure.

There's nothing simple about brain surgery, and even a minor biopsy carries substantial risks. To get around these dangers, using a spinal tap to analyze cerebrospinal fluid may soon be a viable method of diagnosing brain cancers.

A study published recently showed that analysis of microRNA levels in cerebrospinal fluid proved to be a quick, effective tool for diagnosing brain cancers.

Researchers found that this tool could also monitor the effectiveness of cancer treatment.

Regular physical activity benefits the body in many ways, from weight loss to improved blood pressure. Those with the sickle cell trait might find an added benefit -- longevity and fewer complications.

Unlike sickle cell disease, a painful inherited condition in which red blood cells are an abnormal crescent shape, those with the sickle cell trait inherit only one copy of the disease and have a mixture of normal and misshapen red blood cells.

They tend to suffer from an increased risk of sickness and higher death rate.

In 2008, cocaine abuse was responsible for 482,188 ER visits in the U.S. alone. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration claims 1.5 million Americans over the age of 12 used cocaine in 2010.

Think snakes are cool? Or terrifying? No matter what your feelings are, you'll have the same reaction to a poisonous snakebite.

Not all snakes are poisonous, but venomous snake bites can kill. That's what you probably already know. But what you don't know about snake bites might help save your life.

Snakes live all over the world, in close proximity to humans. The best thing to do around wild snakes is avoid them.

But say you're walking out in nature, and come face to face...