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Social media is about 27 years old. Since its creation, it has developed almost demonic abilities to addict the young, luring them into harm by cyberbullying, enticing them to self-immolate via tantalizing and dangerous dares, provocative challenges, or other forms of psychological manipulation. If any of us had acted this way, we would be aptly labeled psychopathic – and likely prosecuted. Until recently, however, legal challenges against the Satans of Cyberspace have mainly been stymied. Last week, the Third Circuit inflicted another chink in their armor, Section 230 of the Communication Law.

While it's true that “racism” has left its fingerprints over medicine, STAT recently began a new investigative series looking at racial bias baked into the clinical algorithms used by physicians. As with all journalism, I believe they got some of the story right, and in other instances, nuances were lost in translation resulting in getting some things wrong. I encourage you to read their reporting, but here is my take.

Here's a great (albeit a bit complex) example of how organic chemistry can improve medical applications. If you dare to read this, you'll see some clever chemistry that was used to improve the properties of Crazy Glue in healing wounds. Cool stuff.

From Disney vacations that break the bank, Amazon's eerie ability to recommend prescription drugs based on your grocery cart, the root of placebo trials or discovering how much stronger weed is these days, there's something fascinating, and a little unsettling this week.

As a consumer, you often look to various reviews and Best-Of lists to help you choose between competing products. Education is no different. Fortune Recommends is in the business of reviews and Best-Of lists, so it's essential to understand more about those lists that are marketed as tools to help you, the consumer, make financial choices. Its recently released Best-Of list for health coaching programs exemplifies why you should be wary.

New research reveals that fibrin, a key component of blood clots, may be the secret culprit behind the devastating neurological and inflammatory aftermath of the virus, including long COVID. From dense, stubborn clots to brain fog, the interaction of COVID’s spike protein with fibrin could be the missing link — and a potential target for life-saving therapies.

When it comes to inhalers for respiratory diseases, we’re not just talking about puffing your way to easier breathing; apparently, we’re also blowing up the planet with greenhouse gases. The device keeping your lungs happy is perturbing Mother Earth. A new study suggests your prescription might come with climate guilt.

What do you do when internet answers to a scientific question are contradictory? Experiments reveal the truth, and sometimes – if they involve onions – these tests can be carried out in the kitchen. No need to weep.

Chemicals that contain fluorine have perpetually been in the news for two primary reasons. One is the controversy surrounding the fluoridation of drinking water. The other is the latest chemical scare over fluorinated "forever" chemicals. Fluorine, fluoride, fluorinated. Confusing? You bet. Maybe this will help.

When Lars Larson asked me during our on-air conversation whether black-robed judges, instead of white-coated scientists and physicians, should be trusted with healthcare decisions, I couldn’t help but wonder whether they or Congress are experts in gene therapy – or for that matter, air pollution or the siting of nuclear power plants. (Spoiler alert: They're not.)

In my recent radio conversation with John Batchelor (CBS Eye on the World), we delved into the sad saga of Golden Rice — a revolutionary crop engineered to combat Vitamin A deficiency, a condition that claims the sight and lives of hundreds of thousands of children in poor countries each year.

Lilly, the pharmaceutical giant, would love for you to believe that tirzepatide is the silver bullet we've all been waiting for — slashing your diabetes risk by 94% while you shed pounds. But dig a little deeper, and nearly two-thirds of those taking the placebo managed to normalize their blood sugar levels, too, just by eating better and moving more. Tirzepatide does the job. But is it the miracle cure, or another way to avoid those pesky lifestyle changes?

Who needs beach reads when we’ve got tales of pharmaceutical overreach, urban chaos, and big business playing doctor, right?

Sunscreens are essential in the fight against skin cancer. The FDA, in its proposed order on sunscreen products, ignored the best science and required expensive and outdated animal tests on ingredients already cleared and that have been used for in sunscreens for decades. In issuing this order, the agency threatens access for millions of Americans to products known to be effective.

Imagine a judge reviewing all the key scientific evidence regarding RoundUp’s alleged carcinogenicity – not an IARC or EPA monograph – but the studies themselves. Let’s say he also had a truly impartial expert, an “assessor,” to teach him the science behind the research. Well, this actually happened. Surprised you haven’t heard about it?

Let’s face it, healthcare has become less about care and more about cash. Enter UnitedHealthcare, playing a game of Monopoly with our arteries. In their latest feat of fiscal gymnastics, the corporate colossus with a stethoscope turned a dubious artery-screening program into a golden goose. Stat reveals how United Healthcare has perfected the art of diagnosing profits using a nifty little device called QuantaFlo, turning upcoding into an art form.

It’s another of my (Henry Miller's) weekly appearances on Lars Larson’s radio show. In it, we discussed the resurgence of measles due to declining vaccination rates and touch on the potential role of vitamin D in mitigating COVID-19 severity.

Food ads for kids, and on-screen exposure to tobacco for adults, are still a thing. Two studies suggest that the little ones are bombarded with junk food commercials, and adults are stumbling over tobacco promotions in the dark corners of streaming platforms. Maybe it's time to ask: Are we really this helpless, or just looking for something new to regulate?

Most people get their caffeine from coffee. But some, especially those who are younger, are increasingly turning to so-called "energy drinks," leading to concerns that teens are consuming too much caffeine. How risky is this?

The American Academy of Pediatrics warns that pesticides are endocrine-disrupting chemicals that harm children. Absurdly, AAP also endorses the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones — treatments designed to disrupt a child’s endocrine system. It’s the latest example of a major science institution promoting harmful, hypocritical nonsense.

The never-ending quest for the ultimate diet: satisfying, healthy, and tasty! With half the population opting for no diet, and the other half following a smorgasbord of contradictory rules, it's a wonder that anyone knows what to eat anymore. But as long as Dr. Google approves, who needs actual nutritional advice?

America's anti-opioid crusade routinely denies chronically ill patients access to adequate pain control, relegating them to an agonizing existence. Many of these individuals would rather die than withstand the anguish, and some advocates of physician-assisted suicide say we should help these patients end their lives. Is this an ethical solution to the crisis of untreated pain? We have our doubts.

Anyone who poo-poed the risk to the Olympic open-water swimmers from the disgusting Seine River is s### out of luck. Plenty of swimmers got sick, just like I predicted last month, from swallowing river water during the 10 km event. And a little toilet humor thrown in. No extra charge.

If you're too busy for an hour-long gym session, "exercise snacking" – short bursts of intense activity over several minutes – may help you stay fit despite your jam-packed schedule. That's according to a new study, but how compelling are the results? Let's take a look.

As the August sun sets on another summer, it's time to dive into conversations and debates across various spectrums. From the contentious discussions surrounding the banning of cell phones in schools to the emotional undercurrents fueling riots in the UK, the mounting criticism of ultra-processed foods, likened by some to the early battles against tobacco, and a visit to the timeless insights of Tom Wolfe, whose sharp observations continue to resonate. Here's a look at what I'm reading this August 22nd.