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As our population ages and our medical care improves, we have increasing numbers of frail patients. The frail require gentler, longer, and frequently more expensive care. A new study looks at these outcomes.

What's more effective when it comes to debunking science? Turns out that ad hominem attacks work as well as disproving the "facts" of a given argument.

In the conversation about Medicare for All, do you really know what Medicare provides? It may be surprising what a bargain it is, especially compared to private insurance.

Healthcare consolidation involves economies of scale and standardization. Neither is a guarantee of better outcomes. For patients on dialysis, in fact, consolidation has made their care worse.

The United States is not the only country where drug pricing is disjointed. Referring to Europe, ACSH advisor Dr. David Shlaes writes that it is "definitely still a tapestry of nations or even the Wild West." Especially in the world of antibiotics.

Twitter is not that mythical town square where you can get on your soapbox and be heard. It is more like a carnival barker seeking attention by being outrageous. It is not a forum for truth or to communicate science.

This week's offerings: An economic lesson from a trout ... a consideration of what a good home may mean ... a series of connections from the B-17 bomber, to the 737 Max, to Steve Jobs ... and the apps on your phone. And lastly, a shout-out for Bill Bryson's new book.

While the Germans' no-nonsense approach to life can be irritating to some, it also has some very notable benefits. They will no longer tolerate parents who refuse to give the measles vaccine to their children.

In between the fa la la la la, I had time to read about snowflakes and avalanches, an example of surprise billing that makes me ashamed for my profession, an article on the year's best articles, and for all of you readers, a discussion of how to read a book.

Here's today's lineup: Why are there smell receptors in the kidney? ... Men and women see the world differently ... Spotify shows us how big data can inform and delight us ... and robots come for the village blacksmith.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest is often consulted by the media as a legitimate voice on scientific issues. On some topics, such as the worthlessness of many dietary supplements and the dangers of raw milk, CSPI is absolutely correct. On other topics, such as sugar substitutes and pesticides, it spreads misinformation.

This article was initially printed in PRIORITIES, our quarterly periodical.

What do you get when you mix a warming climate and criminals? According to a new study, you will get more crime. Should you add that to your list of downside events as our world heats up? Not so fast.

Facial recognition and both Carnival Cruises, and every journalists' current favorite, the Coronavirus. ... Is eating local inherently more "green?" ... And the most important science of all: Why Cheerios clump together in milk.

On tap this time: Why coronavirus containment failed, learning from history, and how COVID-19 hijacks your body. Also, a ritual in troubled times ... giving moss the attention it deserves ... and finally, the reason to slack off. (There had to be a good reason, right?)

For those of you staying at home who might be considering performing CPR, a tracheostomy, or intubating someone in the neighborhood [1], an N95 mask is a necessity; otherwise, you are diverting "war-time" supplies from the first responder and health care army.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently issued a national emergency order to pay doctors for services rendered to patients in states in which they are not licensed to practice, so long as they hold an equivalent license in another state. This would be a good move. Luckily, many states are already ahead of the federal government on implementing such measures.

There is a persistent belief that COVID-19 is "like seasonal flu." While there are similarities, the clinical course is very different.

Sometime, hopefully in the not too distant future, we will need to look at how this tragedy unfolded and come to grips with what we could have done to make it, at least, somewhat less tragic. The fact that several countries and societies were able to escape the worst of the pandemic provides us with opportunities to learn and to act.

The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has in the parlance of public relations, "sucked all the oxygen out of the room." And while the evidence shows that it is probably 5 times as lethal to its susceptible victims as seasonal flu, it is not the treatable disease that quietly takes 50% more lives every day

Two great articles on what we really know about COVID-19 and a graphic explanation of vaccines, how government regulations are working against us, and having spent the last two months indoors, perhaps we should become a bit more serious about our indoor air quality.

The most general advice physicians give to patients is this: watch your weight, exercise, drink if you must (but only in moderation) and don’t smoke. Turns out, given the current value put on a quality year of life, that advice is worth almost a million bucks. Here's why.

There are so many risks to consider

Here's this week's menu of ideas: We are all stressed at times, especially now. Can mitochondria hold a key? ... How exactly did police wind up issuing traffic citations in the first place? ... What could bring foodies and "factory farmers of meat" together in alliance? ... And, lastly, a consideration of the "hard problem."

On tap this time around: Is natural always best, or even better? ... Channeling Rod Serling on digital clutter ... "Slow down, you move too fast" ... How do penguins survive the winter? ... And, can food coloring help against COVID-19?