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When confronted with the truth, a prominent science journalist claimed that facts don't matter in op-eds. Science journalism is dead.

President Eisenhower's concern about the growing "military-industrial complex," referenced in his 1961 farewell address, became part of the cultural lexicon. But less well known is Ike's second warning, about manipulation of academia by political interests, which would change the nature of the “free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery.”

Clostridium difficile infections are terrible, because they are both debilitating and very costly. But researchers are now considering the use of an unexpected tool that might prevent these infections. 

A website that's purportedly focused on rigorous science journalism has published a conspiratorial anti-glyphosate rant, written by an environmental activist with no relevant academic credentials.

It would almost be hilarious if it weren't so scary. The CDC warned of the possibility that raw milk from the Udder dairy might be contaminated with Brucella bacteria. These bugs can cause miscarriage in pregnant women and illness in everyone. And all this for the unproven and unlikely benefits of raw milk!

Bravo and Andy Cohen have a wonderful opportunity to start an overdue conversation on misuse of medications and the dangers of polypharmacy.

In a new thought piece, researchers explore how deeply ingrained cultural habits — like America’s love of individualism and East Asia’s embrace of collective harmony — shaped the national chaos, triumphs, and outcomes of COVID.

A recent article hailed Lifestyle Medicine training as a way to “empower” physicians through education. But a closer look at the study reveals modest knowledge gains, inflated confidence, and little evidence that it translates to practice changes. Let’s investigate just how empowering this training really is.

It's an unholy alliance of pseudoscience and selfie sticks. Nothing screams "trust me" like someone with a ring light and a promo code claiming their detox tea will change your life – along with your credit card balance. And let’s not forget: the only thing “natural” here is how naturally gullible their audience can be.

This week, despite the holiday cheer, I have been drawn to true crime – perhaps to avoid navigating the politics of family dinner. Between debates about the systemic costs of bullets, DIY ghost guns that make Ikea furniture look complicated, and the sorry state of crime clearance rates, I’m wondering if crime is the coal in our stockings. For emotional relief, I turn to eating, replacing the concerns about crime with Caputo 00 flour – a pizza offers a slice of optimism in a world that often feels half-baked.

What does it mean to be an expert in a world where credentials and experience are no longer enough to inspire confidence? The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the limits of traditional expertise, where even seasoned institutions like the CDC struggled to navigate novel and uncertain terrain. As the Great Barrington Declaration’s advocates step into leadership roles, we’re left questioning whether we’ve learned anything—or are simply swapping one set of flawed approaches for another.

As a dedicated AI user, I'm slowly learning about its capabilities. Then it became a literary critic, comic, and marital counselor. On its own. Insane.

This week we dive into a world where health insurers are more than just insurers, where nutrition labels aren’t simply about informing shoppers, and where “simple truths” are anything but obvious. These readings challenge the neat narratives we often accept at face value. So, strap in for a December 19th reading list that spans big medicine, big questions, and a bit of tongue-in-cheek Disney princess health hazards.

The science community is in an uproar over the probability that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., will head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in the second Trump Administration. How worried should we be about his nomination? Is the public health truly in jeopardy? Let's take a closer look.

While rare, babies have been switched at birth. Typically, discovery happens when the children are adults, with little room to accommodate the error. But given the “wild west” of an unregulated fertility industry and the prevalence of switched gametes, it should come as no surprise to find that embryos, too, have been switched. Those discoveries happen when the child is an infant, with biological and birth mothers both claiming the child is “theirs.” Splitting the baby is, obviously, not an option.

Hospital gown – equal parts wardrobe malfunction and psychological assault – somehow managing to make even the healthiest among us feel fragile and exposed. But guess what? Researchers have decided to dig deeper into its flaws, suggesting these backless wonders mess with our heads.

There have been some mighty strange choices to lead the U.S. healthcare system starting in 2025. Instead of complaining, let's sing about them!

Jay Bhattacharya's recent history is a cautionary tale of how ideology and misinformation can undermine public health. His flawed views led to unnecessary suffering and eroded trust in science, making him a wholly unacceptable choice to head the nation's premier research institution.

Voluntary COVID vaccination mandates for staff in nursing homes during the pandemic were important. There was no evidence that the marginally increased staff turnover at vaccine-mandated facilities compromised patient care while there were positive effects of employer-imposed vaccination mandates. Nursing home residents experienced a significant reduction in both COVID infections and mortality.

Imagine unelected bureaucrats wielding unchecked power to interpret laws with minimal oversight. Now, picture courts reclaiming authority to ensure Congress's intent prevails. Though controversial, the Supreme Court's Loper Bright decision is a vital reaffirmation of constitutional balance between the executive and legislative branches.

As global life expectancy rises, so too does the number of years people spend burdened by chronic disease. Modern medicine has turned death sentences into "manageable conditions," but manage is the key word here. Should we measure population health solely on how long people live or shift our attention to the years they spend healthy and active?

Just when you thought the opioid crisis may have peaked, Dr. Andrew Kolodny, arguably the world’s foremost anti-opioid zealot, has found a shiny new way to inflate the numbers. In the HHS’s redefining of opioid use disorder (OUD) to include patients responsibly taking their prescribed meds, he’s managed to conjure millions of “new” cases out of thin air. But don’t worry, it’s all in the name of “progress.” That's because nothing says compassionate care like labeling chronic pain patients as addicts and patting yourself on the back for the chaos you helped create.

Not long ago, people thought computers couldn’t communicate in English! Dr. Grace Hopper put that notion to rest. She also wrote the first computer manual. Trained in mathematics and mathematical physics, she was a computer scientist long before the profession existed, changing the paradigm of programming and setting the stage for large-language AI models. On the way, she became a Rear Admiral, widely recognized for her leadership abilities, wit, and wisdom.

Dive into tales of secretive stargazing, animal factories that save lives, and the immunological sleight-of-hand in pregnancy. Is Joe Rogan “mainstream media?”

Cows don’t typically get the flu. The recent H5N1 flu outbreak in U.S. dairy herds is a wake-up call, not just about the virus but about a federal system failing to protect our food supply.