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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?

As mental health issues such as depression and anxiety become more prevalent, the question arises: Can artificially intelligent chatbots provide the necessary therapy and emotional support? For someone lying awake at 2 a.m. with no one to call, a chatbot might feel like a lifeline, offering comfort and reassurance. Yet when it comes to complex emotions, is artificial empathy enough to truly help?

Abundance, not scarcity, has become the defining challenge of our time. From calorie-dense meals to the endless flood of digital content, we are surrounded by opportunities to consume far beyond what our bodies and minds require. Ancient wisdom and modern science both suggest the same solution: learning to stop at “enough” may be the surest path to health, clarity, and balance.

You can’t turn on the TV without seeing ads for glucose-lowering GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. A1C numbers are cocktail-party chatter. Helpful? Sure. But almost nobody knows the chemistry behind them. Here’s why the test works.

Could drinking caffeine potentially weaken antibiotics in your system? A recent study says maybe.
Sounds alarming, right? But don't ditch your latte just yet—let’s dig into the facts.

Unless you live under a rock, you're aware that pickleball has become the fastest-growing sport in America, attracting tens of millions of players, especially geezers like me. Sure, injuries are common, if not required. But there are real benefits. Let's explore the madness.

Flu changes every year, so our vaccine has to change with it. Here’s the quick what-and-why behind the annual shot, how it’s picked, made, and when to get it.

Pain is not simply “in your head”—and reducing it to a brain-first narrative risks both stigma and substandard care. Real pain often originates in the body, whether from a fractured bone, spinal stenosis, or inflammatory disease, and deserves treatment grounded in science, not slogans. Patients need accurate, individualized solutions—not oversimplified mantras.