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Classifying species is a notoriously sticky problem in biology. As a very broad rule, organisms can be classified as belonging to a distinct species if they can successfully mate with each other to produce offspring that can also successfully mate. But this rule completely falls apart for microbes.

We are seeing a sharp increase in suicide among children aged 10 to 14. Since 1999, the incidence rate for this group has nearly doubled, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2014 it was just as likely that a child took his or her own life than it was that he/she died in a traffic accident. What explains this shocking surge?

How do we get people to make better food choices — to decrease the amounts of calories, fat and sugar in their diets? A new study examined the potential of restricting "unhealthy" food choices vs. incentivizing "healthier" choices, to influence purchasing practices of low-income Americans. The upshot: Both can work, especially in combination.

A new study published in the journal Pediatrics concludes that an early, scheduled delivery is linked to poor childhood development at school age. When and how a baby is born requires assessing a multitude of influencing factors. Educating the masses on the risks and benefits of planned birth for non-medical reasons is very important in making a truly informed decision.

To refresh our minds with some cleansing thoughts after a punishing campaign season, let's focus on something America does really well: Science. To that end, the following remains true: The United States leads the world in Nobel Prizes, and our nation spends more money on research and development than every other country on Earth.

Nate Silver, statistician and election forecaster, told ABC News that election forecasts that gave Hillary Clinton a 99% of chance of winning didn't "pass a common sense test." That is certainly true. What he left unsaid -- possibly because it wouldn't be good for his career -- is that all election forecasts that provide a "chance of winning" don't pass the science test.

An interesting study examines the connection between rhythmic dancing, ovulation and female orgasms. But how does Barry White, the great, musical genius, fit in? Well, since you're interested, let us tell you.

A new paper seeks to inform concerns about e-cigarettes, purportedly used as harm reduction and smoking cessation techniques, being a gateway to smoking. The conclusion by Hongying Dai and Jianqiang Hao is that e-cigarettes, and especially flavors, do lead to both cigarette smoking and an unwillingness to quit. There is just one problem: there is no data showing that.

When trying to identify why many young children gain weight at an early age, schools often are criticized. But a new, large study indicates that schools are being unfairly implicated in this regard, and that significant weight gain is taking place at home -- specifically, during summers away from school.

The preliminary clinical data on GEN-003, the first vaccine to show an effect in reducing genital herpes outbreaks, generated considerable interest when the six-month clinical data were released in March. Now the 12-month data are out. How is it doing?

Many people think they have a drug allergy, when in fact what they have is drug intolerance. According to the CDC, approximately 10% of all U.S. patients report having an allergic reaction to penicillin, but fewer than 1% of the population is truly allergic to penicillins. 

During a recent monologue Bill Maher instructed America on the importance of knowledge. He's right, of course, but the talkshow host is a rather imperfect messenger: Listening to him is like receiving a lecture from Bill Clinton or Donald Trump on the importance of marital fidelity. Maher's political viewpoint was illuminating, but probably not in the way he had hoped.

With more data identifying poorer outcomes of in-hospital cardiac arrest on nights and weekends, as opposed to weekday daytimes, here are further causes and ways to advocate for yourself or a loved one.

A paper was recently published in Cancer on who, and why, patients seek second opinions on prostate cancer. Despite recommendations from both the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society for cancer patients to seek second opinions regarding treatment, there is little substantive medical literature on the behavior surrounding this option.

Many Americans whose BMI puts them in the obese category either don't know it, or assume they're "just overweight." This misperception can lead to fewer consultations with healthcare providers, and less attention to dealing with the issue, according to a recent survey.

With winter approaching, perhaps you or somebody you know will be unlucky enough to catch a nasty "stomach flu" or "24-hour flu," (which will produce some quality time in the bathroom). Now while you will almost certainly feel better within 24-72 hours, here's the catch: There's no such thing as the stomach or 24-hour flu.

More than 40 million people across the country watched the Cubs win Game 7 of the World Series. Thinking about America in 1908, when the Cubs last were champs, could be one big reason why their story has resonated with the public. So we compared some of today's public health issues to those of 108 years ago. 

It seems that the Journal of American Medical Association is really stretching the word "medical." A recent article highlighting the role of complementary medicine in pain management summarized the findings of a large study published in September. But when you dig a bit deeper, its conclusion is a stretch, at best. 

By any measure, opioid medications are much harder to get. But has this helped or hurt us? Some evidence suggests the latter. 

And, so it begins. With The Daily Mail's story of Anthony Weiner’s reported entry into a rehab facility for sex addiction treatment, the media headlines have ignited. They blare: "Is Anthony Weiner a Sex Addict?" But that's not the right question we all should be asking. Here's what is.

Human milk is the gold standard for feeding babies — its benefits are well-known. And now formula manufacturers are bringing their products closer to the composition of breast milk by the addition of compounds — oligosaccharides — that are commonly found in mothers' milk.

Postpartum depression is a very serious mood disorder that cannot be lumped together with the commonly reported "baby blues" and certainly cannot be helped by any service that is offered on a spa menu. However, certain spa owners are starting marketing campaigns that dangerously mislead new mothers.

Peanut allergies range from inconvenient to potentially fatal. The cause is unknown, but it's likely to involve a combination of immunogenetic and environmental factors. For the latter, research suggests peanut allergies are more common among Westerners, possibly because they eat dry roasted peanuts while Asians eat boiled ones.

We've literally already said everything there is to be said about the flu vaccine! So here's completely uneventful video of Ana Dolaskie following through and getting this year's flu shot — a quick reminder to get yours if you haven't!
 
 

Avid golfers and plant pathologists normally don't have a whole lot in common, their interests likely intersecting with the frequency of a hole-in-one. But when several golf courses in the south faced a mysterious grass disease that was fouling their fairways, researchers were able to come up with a solution. It amounted to another crowd-pleasing win for science.