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For a scientist, a trip to Whole Foods is equal parts amusement and Dante's Inferno. These guys are selling some crazy stuff (along with some damn fine pie).

New research supports using so-called traffic light labeling, in addition to numeric labels, to help consumers make healthier food selections. When both types of labels were combined on food items, consumers' choices were based less on taste than they had been when only numeric labels were used.

In March, Genocea’s GEN-003, became the first-ever effective herpes vaccine in human clinical trials, generating intense, worldwide interest. But now, Rational Vaccines just announced the first results of its own herpes vaccines, which may represent a substantial improvement over 003. Here's our interview with Rational's Chief Science Officer, William Halford, PhD.

In the wake of the recent FDA warning to avoid homeopathic teething gels and tablets – as well as the ongoing investigation of 10 infant deaths – Hyland's, the homeopathic company, announced it will stop producing these products. Chalk up a win for science, at least this time. 

When you order expensive tuna, how do you know that's excellent kind that you're paying for? How many of us would really know if another fish of lesser quality had been substituted? As it turns out, the fish may very well not be the high-end selection you asked for, regardless of its menu price.  

Critics of amending existing contact lens legislation, to protect patient safety, are deceptively misleading the public. In no way does a 2004 bill impede a patient’s ability to order contact lenses from an online vendor. Alas, the free market is safe.

It's widely believed that a low basal metabolism predisposes a person to weight gain and obesity. And it makes sense since a low BMR can be a substantial part of a sedentary person's energy expenditure. But a recent study couldn't find such a connection, so the old I'm fat because I have a slow metabolism excuse won't hold water, at least according to this study.

In an effort to understand how cow's milk allergies (CMA) form, an interdisciplinary team of scientists investigated if there's a link between certain kinds of sugars found in a mother's breast milk and the presence of CMA in her infant.

It appears that drug companies are still pushing the use of antibiotics in livestock feed, because it makes the animals grow better. The industry maintains that it's no threat to humans. But our advisor, Dr. David Shlaes, thinks otherwise. And he happens to know what he's talking about. And then some.

A new Harvard Medical School study says human physicians are "vastly superior" to computers when it comes to diagnosing conditions and illnesses. But is this result surprising? Not at all. Because, honestly, what other conclusion would we expect medical researchers to reach in evaluating the diagnostic performance of ... medical doctors and the medical profession?

It's long been known in the United States that anti-vaccine sentiment comes down along political lines the same way climate change does. Anti-vaccine sentiment also correlates strongly with anti-agriculture and anti-energy beliefs. But the rationalization among most journalists who didn't want to recognize such uncomfortable truths was that as long as their political elites were not saying it, it didn't count.(1)

A November 2015 report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ranked the top 10 large cities and top 10 small cities by their homeless populations. These counts were conducted on a single night in January. Topping these lists were ... 

So the latest is that fat is not the dietary villain it's been cracked up to be, but now sugar is. So people are avoiding foods like non-fat yogurt to decrease their intake of sugar and other constituents. But demonizing one ingredient or another, though it may move the food industry, is not such a great prescription for weight control.

John Podesta, campaign manager and a close advisor to Hillary Clinton, believes the government has not divulged everything it knows about UFOs and Area 51. Given his predilection for conspiratorial beliefs, it probably shouldn't come as a surprise that he has a fear of biotechnology.

Valeant, already perpetually in the dog house for price gouging, just moved to the dog crap house. Free market enthusiast or not, we defy you to defend them for what they are now charging for a simple chemical to treat lead poisoning.  

Americans' use of many (but not all) dietary supplements declined between 1999 and 2012, is welcomed. But the increased use of some -- particularly vitamin D -- can have deleterious health effects. Hopefully, consumers will pay more attention to the science about supplements, and less to hyperbolic media reports about the latest "miracle" supplement.

Here are a few takeaways from an article focusing on the 100 most popular cereals of all time: (1) cereal's heyday was roughly 40 years ago; (2) older brands, some ancient, sit atop the list, and (3) present-day concerns about nutrition and convenience are driving the young away from making cereal their preferred breakfast choice.

The CDC recently released data on the prevalence of tobacco use, and there's a regional pattern. Tobacco is most popular in Midwestern and Southern states, where roughly 20 to 25 percent of the population smokes. Meanwhile, as maps reveal, those same regions struggle with the highest percentages of people with obesity.

Ever wonder how the green forest gets its vibrant red and yellow colors when the seasons change? Science has some answers.
 
Foliage Reports: http://www.foliagenetwork.com/
 

Finally, a study where espousing the thought -- If you cared about my heart and well-being, then you wouldn’t stress me -- could be a win-win. Can anger trigger a heart attack? How about intense physical activity? Here's a closer look at heart health and heartbreak.
 

This year not a single Nobel Prize winner was female. In fact, overall, women account for winning just 5 percent of the prestigious award. The reasons for this stark difference are multifactorial, but there's one that stands out: after obtaining a PhD, the path to the very top of the scientific profession may be easier for men than it is for women.

1. Washington Times used our work debunking claims about phthalates in macaroni and cheese to show how New York Senator Chuck Schumer is going to chase any environmental fad - especially if it makes science and technology look bad. It appeals to his base. The "analysis" was hand-picked by a group co-founded by a guy who thinks food is "spiritual". 

Physicians from low ranked medical schools prescribed nearly three times as many opioids as physicians trained from top medical schools, according to a study. But is their take real?

The myth that "natural is better" is widespread and pernicious. Though it can manifest in relatively harmless ways (e.g., consuming overpriced organic food), the relentless pursuit of all-things natural can be dangerous or even deadly. It is not an exaggeration to say that society's obsession with natural remedies is itself an illness.

I take you behind-the-scenes as a judge for the Miss America's Outstanding Teen scholarship competition.