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We should genetically engineer ticks and release them into the environment, so they can infect people with a meat allergy. That's a real—and thoroughly wicked—proposal from two bioethicists at Western Michigan University. Join us as we dissect possibly the dumbest idea the academy has ever produced.

Being a coward, I avoided the shingles vaccine for far too long. Finally, I gave in and got it along with my annual flu shot, ending up with two sore arms rather than one. I could either complain about it, write a blues song, or both.

As a video producer with over a decade of experience collaborating with the writers at ACSH, I’ve gained invaluable insights into the world of science communication. The number one lesson I’ve learned is a simple principle that underscores the importance of rigorous evidence over assumptions in scientific inquiry. Take a look.

Yet another junk epidemiological study claims that "ultra-processed" foods are addictive. The research is little more than a conclusion desperately in search of evidence. Let's take a look at its critical flaws.

From grade-school “remedial” teaching to the Nobel stage, molecular biologist Carol W. Greider turned obstacles into fuel for discovery. Her groundbreaking discovery of a crucial enzyme, telomerase, reshaped our understanding of aging, cancer, and cellular immortality. Greider’s story is a rebuke to the cult of “perfection” and a reminder that brilliance often hides behind what the system calls “deficiency.”

In a world saturated with stories—from ancient myths to TikTok clips—narratives knit together emotion, memory, and meaning. A new study in the Journal of Neuroscience suggests that how a story is told—through vivid sensory detail or thoughtful reflection—changes the way it’s encoded in the brain and remembered. Stories don’t just entertain; they sculpt memory pathways, engaging different neural networks depending on whether we focus on what we saw or what we felt.

Nice title, right? But it's fairly accurate. One of the "hot" dietary supplements is called sodium butyrate. Sounds OK, unless you know that it's a form of butyric acid, the primary odor of vomit. You are what you eat.

Bluetoothing” (also called flashblooding) involves injecting someone else’s drug-laced blood to try to get high. It's a near-perfect way to spread HIV, and it won’t deliver a high. Here’s why.

Ah, fall—the season of pumpkin spice, political ads, and the annual flood of cheery voices promising to “simplify” your Medicare choices. For anyone over 65, it’s less pumpkin patch and more paperwork panic, as insurers parade a confusing mix of “new and improved” plans that somehow look suspiciously familiar. Behind the glossy mailers and upbeat jingles lies a tangle of premiums, penalties, and trade-offs.

For decades, treatments for macular degeneration have focused on slowing, not restoring vision loss. A new retinal implant is flipping that script, turning patients with geographic atrophy into human–machine hybrids who can see again. It’s not sci-fi; it’s a glimpse at how neuro-engineering might redefine what it means to be blind — and human.

Headlines are screaming about high lead levels in protein powders, scaring those who dabble in the extra intake. But is this real, or just another fear-driven story? Let’s break it down.

“Better Living Through Chemistry” once promised glamour and convenience — but in today’s litigious climate, it’s delivering more lawsuits. For one example: a 2022 NIH study linking hair relaxers to uterine cancer is triggering a legal avalanche, yet the “science” beneath the lawsuits may be far less solid than plaintiffs’ rhetoric suggests.

In the winter of 1812, Napoleon’s Grande Armée met its most devastating enemy—not the Russian army, but biology itself. As starvation, exhaustion, and freezing temperatures ravaged the troops, invisible microbial forces finished what warfare began. Now, through ancient DNA analysis, scientists have uncovered the true pathogens behind the empire’s collapse, revealing that Napoleon’s defeat was as much a biological catastrophe as a military one.

In early October, Brazil faced a nationwide health emergency as adulterated alcohol, primarily white spirits like vodka and cachaça, was laced with toxic methanol—an industrial chemical used to boost alcohol content. Authorities suspect organized crime diluted liquor to evade taxes or increase profits, triggering widespread contamination that sickened hundreds of people—with symptoms like blinding headaches, vomiting, and organ failure—and killed at least 10 people. Are there any public health lessons to learn from this tragic episode?

Our immune response is not fixed. It is a living, adaptive network of cells and signals that evolves over our lifespan, bringing refinement and fragility. Early life is marked by immune learning and adaptability, while later years bring shifts in balance, coordination, and efficiency. Understanding how these transitions unfold is central to uncovering why older adults respond differently to infections and vaccines.

The government is after your meds (again). Here's a slightly different approach.

Ask the average American man where his diet might be going wrong, and he’ll probably point to one too many burgers or a few extra beers. But while men overshoot on some nutrients like saturated fat and sodium, they can fall short on others that quietly sustain long-term health. The solution may lie more in addition than subtraction.

As AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Grok become everyday companions, many people are now turning to them for medical guidance. With November marking Men’s Health Month, it’s worth asking: how well do these digital advisors understand men’s unique health risks? Where do the answers hit or miss the mark?

It’s been ten years since cancer entered my life. The experience has challenged my understanding of illness, healing, and identity—particularly the uneasy space between being a physician and becoming a patient. In its shadow, I’ve learned that survival isn’t a finish line but a state of being that reshapes how we inhabit our bodies and stories.

As men age, the conversation around “low testosterone” often oversimplifies a far more complex story. Hormones influence mood, motivation, and vitality—but so do sleep, stress, and lifestyle. Understanding how these factors intersect empowers men to take charge of their physical and mental health with clarity rather than confusion.

Halloween is when the rest of the world briefly catches up to how chemists live year-round: surrounded by weird smells, questionable substances, and the occasional explosion. It’s basically National Chemistry Week with a sense of humor.

From doctors bound by diagnostic routines to farmers trapped in monoculture dependence, from generals deferring to legal caution to archivists preserving the curiosity of everyday lives — “the reads” reveals how expertise and order can become cages when the world shifts. They remind us that resilience doesn’t come from control, but from the courage to embrace uncertainty, to ask better questions, and to remain curious in the face of the unknown

The trillions of microbes that live in and on the human body—collectively known as the microbiome—appear to have profoundly important effects on our health. This raises a potential concern: some of our most significant public health interventions—vaccines, antibiotics, sanitation—are designed to kill or limit exposure to harmful germs. Have we gone too far in our war against microbial exposure? Let's take a closer look.

Deciding what to eat, where to get it, and how those choices align with health goals or cultural habits are ordinary parts of daily life. But when thoughts about food become constant, intrusive, or exhausting—what some now call food noise—they shift from background hum to mental static. As the idea moves from online anecdotes to clinical definition, it reveals how personal experience can be transformed into a medical metric.

Cancer, even the word itself, evokes fear. It’s a shadow that looms over nearly everyone as they age, sparking anxious questions: Will I get it? What kind? Will it be caught early enough? While science has made incredible strides in understanding and treating cancer, there’s a powerful weapon against at least one type we can actually prevent.