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In a recent radio conversation with John Batchelor on CBS Eye on the World, we discussed plants' need for nitrogen, the use of fertilizers, and the potential for genetic engineering to maintain agricultural productivity and reduce detrimental environmental impact.

Oregonians are having second thoughts about their decision to decriminalize drugs three years ago. They blame it for the state’s recent rise in overdose deaths. But a closer look at the data shows that Oregon has fared no worse than other states did when the fentanyl wave breached its borders.

Are you better off now than before? It depends
Illegal markets in sand
A Beginner’s Mind Looks at Immunology
The political philosophy of Silicon Valley

Both ethanol and THC have been shown to impair driving. But ethanol has a far shorter half-life than THC, making a determination of when a person became intoxicated by THC far less clear. A new study reduces that uncertainty.

Here's an article I co-authored with Emily Hemendinger for The Conversation. You can find the original version at the link at the bottom of the article.

Do opioids effectively control moderate-to-severe cancer pain? A recent review of the evidence says yes, though the press release for the study says otherwise, its headline declaring that the efficacy of opioids against cancer pain remains "unclear." Both statements can't be true, so which one is false?

Lawmakers think they can stem the flow of illicit fentanyl and its analogs into our country by seizing the assets of organizations trafficking the drug and its precursors. If that approach worked, organized crime would be a relic of the past. What they don’t understand is that even worse, that approach may make the nitazene crisis arrive ahead of schedule.

Drug development can be hazardous. Recently, a California court held that product users could sue the drug manufacturer, Gilead, for negligence in failing to commercialize a product different from the one they used. Two conditions are yet to be proven to sustain their claim: that Gilead had actual knowledge the new product was safer and that the decision was solely financially driven. But, even if those facts are proven, they are still not enough to sustain a lawsuit.

The Glucose Goddess is a prominent Instagram health influencer. Her real name is Jessie Inchauspe, and she has a master’s degree in biochemistry. She’s made her fame on social media by preaching about blood sugar and health. She’s the quintessential social media influencer: she sells books, courses, and recipes. Basically, everything except supplements … until now!

In January, the USDA published its 2024 Pesticide Data Program, covering the 2022 production period. It illustrates that more than 99 percent of the 8,512 fruits and vegetables sampled had residues below the established EPA tolerances. And 27.6 percent had no detectable residue.

Lars Larson and I discussed on-air the declining rates of vaccination, as reported by both the World Health Organization and in FDA Commissioner Robert Califf's recent article about a potential tipping point in U.S. vaccinations.

Last week, a California court issued a ruling construed as being anti-industry.  The decision defines a company's legal duty to its consumers when a competing and allegedly safer drug is in the development pipeline. Astonishingly, the judicial opinion also insinuates itself into corporate product-development strategies. But does this case really establish the broad anti-industry precedent that some fear?

One of the most salient features of the communication around the COVID epidemic has been fear. This includes the fears of public health officials in trying to flatten the curve. And the equally-fearful messaging of proponents of the Great Barrington Declaration or the anti-vaxxers, who say that our economy was being destroyed and our minds and bodies were being controlled. A study delves into the dynamics of communication, particularly focusing on the role of fear and warnings.

The concept of an elephant's graveyard, where old elephants supposedly go to die, is more of a myth than a scientifically supported phenomenon. Humans do not have a specific location where we gather to die, but a study looks into the matter nevertheless.

The arrival of the next pandemic is a matter of when, not if. In order to be prepared for it, we will need government-funded basic science in universities and the collaboration of drug companies experienced in vaccine research and development. A "universal" vaccine – one that protects against infections by both existing and new variants – would be an important advance.

Like all natural health matchstick men, Josh Axe is a supplement hustler and champion of bad nutritional advice. On Episode 61 of the Science Dispatch podcast, hosts Cameron English and Dr. Chuck Dinerstein sit down with ACSH contributor Katie Suleta to examine one of Axe's latest cons: a six-step "liver cleanse."

Reading and understanding legal decisions
Boeing is not the only company with a trust problem
Can bad science result in good regulation?
How much Vitamin D should you be taking?

Benjamin Franklin's adage linking health and wealth has persisted through time, suggesting that financial security correlates with better health and increased lifespan. A recent study delves into this relationship, specifically exploring the impact of wealth inequality on longevity in the U.S. and considering potential increases in lifespan associated with reduced wealth inequality.

There's a vital need for new and effective pain medications. Vertex just announced results from a Phase III study of its experimental drug VX-548. How well does the drug work? It's hard to tell. Here's why.

Having posted 60+ COVID articles since 2020, we both acknowledge our ongoing fixation on the subject as well as the effort to try to address the 5 W’s of journalism: who, what, when, where, and why.  
Who? Everybody.
What? COVID diagnoses.
When? During 2023.
Where? The US, 10 Federal Regions, and 48 contiguous states
Why? Because the public is still getting ill, the data are out there for anyone to use.

News reports say that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working hard to regain the public’s trust after the COVID failures, by pledging to put science ahead of politics. However, its recent announcement that doctors may want to test their patients’ blood for PFAS – the “forever chemicals” – is a step back from scientifically-driven decisions.       

Mutualism describes a relationship that benefits both parties – the win-win of our world. A new study reports on a mutualism that goes from ants to trees to elephants to lions and zebras. It serves as a reminder of the mutualism around us.

Genetically engineered bacteria can not only degrade plastic waste, but they can convert it into valuable industrial chemicals. There are still unknowns -- for example, how to do this at scale and how it will be regulated.

In this wide-ranging radio conversation, Mark Hahn and I discuss the spectrum of genetic modification, including the use of CRISPR technology to enhance the resistance of bird flocks, such as chickens and turkeys, against diseases like Avian Influenza.

Cash on hand
What’s in a name – influencer
When Everyone is in Charge
Artificial Intelligence and Craft