The COVID-19 pandemic exposed systemic weaknesses in our disaster preparedness infrastructure. Despite prior warnings, politics and apathy nurtured a response system that prioritized appearances — e.g., a national stockpile of rotting N-95 masks — over effective interventions. Perverse incentives encouraged officials to drag their feet when time was short, a failure leading to poor coordination and resource allocation that couldn't counter a global viral threat. We desperately need reforms that will work with human nature during a disaster instead of against it. What do those look like? Let's dive in.

The perennial vegan worrywarts at Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) have once again warned that grilled hot dogs increase colorectal cancer risk. But this potential harm is wildly overstated — as it has been since it first emerged from the dark recesses of nutritional epidemiology many years ago. Your absolute risk of colorectal cancer remains quite low, and the occasional ballpark hot dog probably doesn't move the needle in either direction. Let's take a closer look.

Nobody denies that science is plagued by an epidemic of fraudulent and politicized research, nor that it wastes billions of taxpayer dollars. But is the problem severe enough to justify completely eliminating public funding for scientific research? Let's take a look.

"Sugar is addictive." It's a widespread, well-researched claim — and it's probably false. The assertion oversimplifies complex eating behaviors driven by an even more complicated cluster of influences. While sugar intake can stimulate reward pathways in the brain similar to drugs, it lacks several key characteristics of true addiction, leading to a less satisfying but more accurate conclusion: We've picked a convenient scapegoat instead of solving our real nutritional problems.

Can eating well pave the way to healthier, more vibrant golden years? The answer is "maybe," based on a recent study surveying how diet affects disease risk as we age. Let's break down the paper's results.

The U.S. government spends over $160 billion annually on scientific research. This massive expense is marketed to taxpayers as an investment in groundbreaking research that fuels innovation and discovery. In truth, much of the federal science budget is expended on questionable and even fraudulent research. It’s time we eliminate it.

Organic food is a $52 billion enterprise, fueled by wealthy consumers convinced they're avoiding the alleged harms endemic in "industrial agriculture." Is there any science behind that belief, or is it just high-priced marketing hype? Let's take a closer look.

A resurgence of heroin in the black market might be contributing to a significant drop in fentanyl-related overdose deaths, with provisional CDC data showing a 24% decline in overall U.S. overdose deaths by September 2024. Could this shift, alongside harm reduction efforts like increased naloxone distribution, be reducing fatalities? Let's take a look.

Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has controversially promoted vitamin A as a treatment for measles, despite evidence showing it can be toxic in high doses and is no substitute for vaccination. Kennedy's view is particularly ironic given his criticism of genetically engineered Golden Rice, a crop designed to boost...vitamin A levels in developing countries.

The rapid expansion of legalized sports betting in the U.S. has fueled a significant increase in gambling addiction, with calls to helplines surging and treatment providers overwhelmed by demand. While the industry generates substantial revenue, it also imposes hidden costs on society, including financial ruin, mental health problems and strained public resources. Now the question is: Can we bring this emerging public health crisis to heel?