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Before chronic pain research had a name for its nemesis, Dr. Levi-Montalcini discovered the molecule that would revolutionize its treatment: Nerve Growth Factor. Exiled, underestimated, and elegant to the end, this Nobel laureate turned adversity into a global scientific legacy, wearing high heels with her lab coat and defying every expectation.

Not that anyone asked, but uranium enrichment is certainly a newsworthy topic where a little science might be helpful. Here's how it's done. Plus, at no extra charge and for no good reason, a gratuitous attack on the Jardiance commercial.

There’s no such thing as "natural Ozempic." While supplements like psyllium, berberine, and glucomannan are paraded as plant-powered weight-loss miracles, their effects don’t even come close to semaglutide’s clinical punch. Let’s separate science from marketing spin.

Hear what ACSH's Dr. Josh Bloom, Dr. Chuck Dinerstein and Dr. Henry Miller have to say about the falsehoods of thimerosal claims in regards to vaccine safety, and perhaps the unintended consequences of the panel's latest decision to stop recommending flu shots containing the preservative.

Researchers in the UK have devised a very clever method using genetically modified E. coli to convert PET plastic waste into Tylenol (as if we need any more of it). Can this science solve two headaches? Read this and you'll probably get one.

Grapefruit juice is more than a breakfast staple — it’s a potent enzyme inhibitor that can dramatically alter how certain drugs are metabolized. This article explores how a tiny structural difference between oxycodone and hydrocodone leads to big differences in their interaction with grapefruit, focusing on the roles of CYP3A4 and CYP2D6.

Nestled among the overflowing buffet of Tylenol products at your local pharmacy is Tylenol 8 Hour — the extended-release version of the original. The premise? Take a double dose half as often. The promise? Longer relief. The reality? Well ... maybe. Or maybe not.

Here’s an interesting take on gut health: a recent study from Loyola University Chicago shows how heavy drinking and serious burns mess up the good bacteria in your gut, causing big health problems. The research, done this year, found that just one day after a burn injury, the helpful bacteria in your gut drop fast, allowing bad bacteria to take over.

Since the beginning of time, humanity has searched for drugs that can relieve pain without sparking addiction or the other devastating problems tied to opioids. It’s still very early, but a UC Berkeley team led by Dr. Richmond Sarpong has discovered carbamorphine — a close analog of morphine that may deliver powerful pain relief without the usual downsides. If this holds up, it could be one of the most important medical discoveries ever. But it won't be easy.

Have we discovered the ideal source of energy? A recent study in Nature describes a newly synthesized chemical called hexanitrogen. Containing no carbon, it produces zero greenhouse emissions and decomposes into pure nitrogen. But...there's a catch. Is this a groundbreaking rocket fuel, or just cool chemistry that will be confined to the laboratory? Let's discuss.

Alcoholism takes a terrible toll on those who are addicted, and their families. There is no magic pill to cure it, but there are some drugs that help. One is a pretty good pill called Antabuse that prevents some people from drinking. Its chemistry is very interesting; it shows why the drug works and also why you'd better not cheat if you are taking it.

Coca-Cola confirms the cane sugar version of its trademark product is coming to U.S. consumers. It's an announcement coming after President Trump pushed for the change, claiming the familiar Mexican-made Coke to be healthier and more tasty. (Well, that part is subjective.)
But is high fructose corn syrup really the villain in our story? Let's take a look.

Mercury, the element, is no longer used in thermometers, but it remains at the center of a decades-long debate over vaccine safety, despite the science being crystal clear. At the heart of this confusion is thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative wrongly accused of causing autism. What follows isn’t a rehash of that conspiracy theory, but rather a crash course in chemistry. It's something RFK Jr. and his CDC picks need to know.

Stressed out by hot-button issues? Politicized science? Chemistry Lessons From Hell? Relax. Here are some quirky chemistry tricks that require little brain power. I've even explained how they work. Perfect for a summer afternoon when your brain is fried.

America's political debate over gun violence is a perennial food fight about the ethics of restricting access to firearms. While this makes for entertaining news clips on X, it doesn't get to the heart of the problem—namely that gun violence isn't monolithic. Some populations are more likely to commit homicide while others are more inclined to suicide. Stemming the country's violent streak requires a more nuanced approach. What could that look like?

Did you know that dirty, stinky barbarians invented soap? Watch our video to see how it changed hygiene forever. Tag a soap maker you love and share this history with them!

Did you know you can be stupid in seven different ways? You bet! Let us count the ways of dumbing yourself down, according to science.

The battle is over. "Deadly" Red dye #3 has been banned, and the public will be "healthier." But the battle is meaningless because if the war were serious, MAHA would be talking loudly and often about alcohol, a real and serious threat. But the silence is deafening. Perhaps a new name like "Make American Hangovers Acceptable" would be more accurate.

Great conversation, like great musical performances, depends on rhythm, trust, and the willingness to riff on each other’s ideas instead of drowning them out. If we listened online, the way musicians do, our digital debates might transform into something closer to harmony than noise.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is once again warning about the supposed dangers posed by mercury-containing vaccines. "I’m proud to finally deliver on a long-overdue promise: protecting our most vulnerable from unnecessary mercury exposure," he tweeted in early August. Kennedy was celebrating the removal of the preservative thimerosal from a small fraction of seasonal flu vaccines. The problem? He bungled basic chemistry in his rush to (once again) badmouth immunization. Let's take a look.

Smartwatches and glucose monitors have become the new digital worry beads, a fidget for your health. The sales pitch? You’re taking control of your life. The reality? More data, more confusion, and doctors trying to explain why your watch thinks you’re broken. In the future, will hypochondria be by subscription?

For decades, expectant mothers have turned to acetaminophen as the go-to remedy for pain and fever, reassured by its reputation for safety. But science rarely deals in absolutes. A growing body of research challenges this long-held assumption, pointing to possible links between prenatal use and later neurodevelopmental issues in children. How do we balance maternal comfort against potential risks for the next generation?

Gold standard science (GSS). It's a simple idea: Conduct the best, unbiased scientific research possible. However, as with many simple ideas, GSS has been co-opted by MAHA as yet another tool to promote pseudoscience and boost financial gains.

First, it was hexanitrogen; now it’s manganese diboride. Chemists keep finding molecules that sound more like comic book villains than rocket fuels. But this weird, high-energy compound packs far more punch than aluminum, the workhorse of today’s boosters. And a Dreaded Chemistry Lesson From Hell! Just for the hell of it.

The use of a newer class of opioids, nitazenes, is growing across the US. Once rarely seen in illicit markets before 2019, the drugs have been found on nearly every continent at this point. Their elevated potency—250 to 900 times stronger than morphine for the most common nitazene—makes them far deadlier than heroin and fentanyl. Can we slow or stop the use of these opioids before they do more damage?