Gesundheit! Scientists Put Heat on the Cold

Encouraging news from the cold front: Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on Wednesday reveals that an experimental cold remedy called tremacamra can significantly reduce your chances of coming down with that familiar sneezing, runny nose and congestion. The study showed that tremacamra works by blocking one type of cold-causing rhinovirus -- literally, nose virus -- from attaching itself to cells in the nasal passages. The news is welcome, says TIME health reporter Janice Horowitz, "but don’t put away your tissues yet."

For one thing, the study focused only on one type of rhinovirus; many other types of virus can cause colds. For another, the long-term safety of tremacamra still remains to be established. Still, "the study does show that scientists are moving closer to understanding how to stymie cold viruses," says Horowitz, "and the latest research is but one of many ongoing studies on finding cold cures." This makes the latest news nothing to sneeze at, even if we can expect to sneeze again come winter.