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Has science found a way to get villainous clumps of protein to cure instead of kill? Possibly, say European researchers whose early-stage findings might spur a new class of cancer therapeutics. The team created an artificial protein containing amyloids — sequences that under the right conditions, cause proteins to clump together. Those clumps are seen in the brains of people with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. (Samuel, 12/6)

Traffic safety officials regularly warn us of the risks of driving while drunk or distracted. But Americans still need to wake up to the dangers of getting behind the wheel when sleepy, according to a recent study of crash rates. A report released Tuesday by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety suggests that drivers who sleep only five or six hours in a 24-hour period are twice as likely to crash as drivers who get seven hours of sleep or more. (Aubrey, 12/6)

There's bad news for people who think it's safe to smoke a few cigarettes a day or even a week: They face a substantially higher risk of earlier death compared with people who don't smoke, according to a study published Monday. The National Cancer Institute study found that people who consistently smoked an average of less than one cigarette per day over their lifetimes had a 64 percent higher risk of earlier death. Those who smoked one to 10 cigarettes a day had an 87 percent greater risk. (McGinley, 12/5)

These days, even 3-year-olds wear headphones, and as the holidays approach, retailers are well stocked with brands that claim to be “safe for young ears” or to deliver “100 percent safe listening.” The devices limit the volume at which sound can be played; parents rely on them to prevent children from blasting, say, Rihanna at hazardous levels that could lead to hearing loss. (Saint Louis, 12/6)

Pulmonary fibrosis is a mystifying, deadly lung disease that typically kills patients three to five years after diagnosis. In most cases, there’s no cure and no known cause. Now, a recent study by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles has identified one major culprit: dysfunctional stem cells. Specifically, the problem occurs in special stem cells known as AEC2s that repair and regenerate lung cells damaged by viral infections, pollution or other injuries. (Buck, 12/5)

Baby boomers are getting high in increasing numbers, reflecting growing acceptance of the drug as treatment for various medical conditions, according to a study published Monday in the journal Addiction. The findings reveal overall use among the 50-and-older study group increased “significantly” from 2006 to 2013. Marijuana users peaked between ages 50 to 64, then declined among the 65-and-over crowd. (Heredia Rodriquez, 12/6)