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The increasing concern about the role of p values in science has gone from a murmur to a loudly expressed concern. Is this just an insider's argument or is it a matter we should take seriously?

It’s been an enlightening time in the realm of public defecation. Video of two serial poop-and-run culprits in Colorado and Kentucky – respectively named  “The Mad Pooper” and “Poopman” – have baffled and united many onlookers. But the larger question is: Why is this happening?

Bacteria that are resistant to one, multiple or even all known antibiotics – commonly known as superbugs – are a leading concern in the medical and scientific communities. With traditional methods of combating infections not working alternative ways are required, starting with rethinking the instruments used in hospitals.  

It's time to get your flu shot. Every year, the medical community emphasizes the importance of getting the vaccine. And every year the same excuses pop up as to why many won't. Let us explain why one of those excuses – that the flu vaccine will give someone the flu – is simply not possible.

Someday, everybody will be wearing smart clothes. Not just clothes that look dapper, but ones that sense the environment and the body's vital signs, before pinging the data to your wristwatch or doctor. To get there, we'll need functional fabrics, and nothing beats the touch and feel of cotton.

An attorney for the family of former NFL star Aaron Hernandez says that brain damage, diagnosed as CTE stage 3, is likely responsible for his aggressive, self-destructive behaviors and most notably his suicide in April. As a result, he's blaming the NFL. But remember, that's a lawyer looking for a huge settlement. It's definitely not a doctor's medical diagnosis.

A recently published working paper states that the water in Flint, Michigan is presumably responsible for startling drops in fertility rates, and increased fetal deaths, as compared to neighboring cities. How reliable are these data and should we really be sounding alarm bells?

We expect physicians to give us scientifically sound advice on health. But some have taken the low road, leaving medicine for a career of quackery and self-promotion.

Sadly, a woman’s tragic story plays out in the real world more often than people may realize. When treating cancer can, at the same time, harm her baby, the choices can be horrendous.

A recent Politico story, topped with the headline "The great nutrient collapse" deserves a closer look. The atmosphere is literally changing the food we eat – for the worse. In the article's conclusions the underlying science is both interesting, and a bit more constrained.

The University of California Irvine has accepted a $200 million donation to fund a center studying integrative medicine, which would firmly root the field of pseudoscience in academia. This not only legitimizes practices not backed by science, but it crosses a line where academia becomes a place where money influences what's true or false.

Single men, and men in committed relationships, have different behavioral responses to females at various stages of their fertility. A new study reveals that men may avoid temptation even more so when women are ovulating, when the threat is at its greatest.

Someone considering bariatric surgery, specifically the so-called Roux-en-Y procedure, will be glad to know that the benefits are long-lasting, according to a new study. Those who underwent it not only maintained much of their weight loss for at least 12 years, they also were less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than equally-obese people who didn't have that surgery.

Researchers recently conducted a small study that showed promise for weight loss if you took part in a cheat day from your diet. Be careful, though, the plan can backfire.
 

At her last appointment, ACSH's Ana Dolaskie was told she is measuring small for gestational age? What does this mean? Since it could mean many different things, let's clarify. 

Only about 17% of Americans are "active science news consumers." At least most Americans seem to understand that the mainstream media is a terrible place to get science news.

Awful as it is, let's clarify the clinical picture of a toddler's tragic death in Brooklyn, N.Y. Reportedly, the 1-year-old's father "attempted to cure his chronic cough with a home remedy that included leaving the baby alone in a steamy bathroom." His body temperature eventually reached 108 degrees.

A new paper published online in JAMA Surgery concluded that when those with "penetrating injuries" were transported by Emergency Medical Services to trauma centers, the chance of death was two-and-a-half times greater as opposed to when a private vehicle was used.

The American Academy of Pediatrics released its first-ever guidelines on tattoos and body piercings among teens.

Today's teens are delaying their transition into adulthood, as revealed by a recent study published in the journal Child Development.

While you shouldn't be scared off from entering these physically-challenging races – that is, if you're in the proper shape – those at higher risk should be particularly aware of the findings of a new study analyzing 30 years of data involving nine million triathlon competitors.

Ancient parchments decay over time, showing purple spots. The cause appears to be a succession of microbial communities: First, purple, salt-loving microbes grow. Then, other environmental microbes invade.

Women who suffer from some of the more extreme menopausal symptoms can take heart from a new analysis of the Women's Health Initiative data. A long-term, follow-up found no link between hormone replacement therapy and all-cause mortality, total cancer mortality or cardiovascular mortality.

Training for my first marathon has brought with it some new experiences, one of which is (very) sore legs. The running world's advice for relief, universally, is to soak sore muscles in a bath with Epsom salt. Turns out that trying to find the science behind this practice – which athletes swear by – left me running in circles. 

Gatorade needs a better marketing team. A very curious advertisement contained a diagram of an organic molecule that, if it actually existed, would probably be dangerous. You certainly wouldn't be drinking it.