Between COVID, HIV, Dengue, Ebola, and emerging flu variants, the last thing the world needs is another type of pathogen, let alone with no treatment or cure. But, although rare, prion diseases, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are both infectious and fatal. Although they may sound mysterious, much of the pathology of prions can be explained with simple organic chemistry. (Which may or may not be worse than the disease itself.) Enjoy.

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, casts a shadow over the lives of millions worldwide, its complexities challenging both patients and researchers. Stemming from autoimmune assaults on the nervous system, recent strides in research have illuminated a potential diagnostic signature years before a clinical presentation. 

“Should you pack Lunchables for Your Kid’s School Lunch?” asks a piece in the April 9th edition of Consumer Reports. The article claims that these lunch kits contain lead and other contaminants, and may harm children’s health. Do parents need to worry?

Ever felt like you're just waiting for the other shoe to drop, especially regarding medical test results? Francis Collins, the former NIH director, found himself in that situation, dancing the delicate tango of active surveillance for prostate cancer. Imagine a urine test that could cut down on those nerve-wracking biopsies, while boasting a 99% accuracy rate for spotting the serious stuff.

Reflections on measles making a comeback, plastic containers sparking revolutions, words capturing indescribable emotions, and the hardship in acquiring elite handbags.

Among the most creative and original mathematical thinkers – explanations of her work are virtually incomprehensible to us mortals, who communicate in words rather than symbols – Amalie “Emmy” Noether’s name is associated with countless theorems, mathematical constructs, and key advances in abstract algebra, many of which are essential to modern physics.

Among the most creative and original mathematical thinkers (explanations of her work are virtually incomprehensible to us mortals who communicate in words rather than symbols), Amalie “Emmy” Noether’s name is associated with countless theorems, mathematical constructs, and key advances in abstract algebra, many of which are essential to modern physics.

While much ink has been spilled, and effort expended, discussing the downstream impacts of the Dobbs decision, little is known about its upstreaming impacts. Contraception, amidst the legal hullabaloo, a JAMA Health Forum report sheds a bit of light on the issue.

Batches of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer were recently recalled due to contamination by methanol, which is too toxic to be used for this purpose. How did the methanol get into batches of alcohol? A look at moonshining can answer this question.

An alternative healthcare provider with a massive social media following, Will Cole sells wellness and scary-sounding pseudo-diseases. His empire, like other functional medicine hucksters, sells supplements and aligns with celebrities for promotion and legitimacy. Let’s tease apart the hype from the hyperbole.