Society told PhD students that the world would be theirs one day. In truth, after six (or more) years of grueling work, PhDs find themselves exhausted, indebted and unemployable. Facing this reality, is it really any wonder there's evidence of a serious mental health crisis among graduate students?
Search
One of the many problems with academia is that it allows nutcases to flourish.
Foodborne illness happens; it's one of the hazards of eating. But when a company makes a concerted effort to claim its food is holy and righteous – while everybody else serves poison – management shouldn't be surprised when public backlash is severe. It's entirely predictable, self-inflicted and deserved.
C-diff is a bacterium that causes a life-threatening infection. Though the bacterium can infect healthy individuals, it is of particular concern to those who are hospitalized or are taking antibiotics.
This story should remind us how easy it is to pull off acts of terrorism. With drugs like fentanyl and carfentanyl pouring into our country, officials should treat synthetic opioids as a terrorist threat in addition to a public health threat.
Exaggerating the extent of the challenges we face might help someone sell a product, but it provides little confidence in its reliability.
Over-the-top rhetoric is not only prevalent in our political dialogue, it is also commonly adopted by epidemiologists and journalists. Instead of Hitler, they compare anything they dislike to smoking.
Only about 17% of Americans are "active science news consumers." At least most Americans seem to understand that the mainstream media is a terrible place to get science news.
Ancient parchments decay over time, showing purple spots. The cause appears to be a succession of microbial communities: First, purple, salt-loving microbes grow. Then, other environmental microbes invade.
Even under the best of circumstances, the five-year survival rate for pancreatic adenocarcinoma is devastating. According to the American Cancer Society, for stage IA it's just 14%. And for stage III – a horrifying 3%.
Kurt Eichenwald, a journalist with enormous influence, claims to have predicted features of Hurricane Irma using a climate change equation. A contributing editor to Vanity Fair and a New York Times bestselling author, he took to Twitter to boast about his accomplishment. It didn't take long for him to be rightfully mocked.
Whether one supports or opposes the death penalty, the debate should be based upon ethics and morality informed by evidence-based biomedical science. Not distortions and half-truths.
Mergers may be a great business decision, but they may not be great for society. If the European Union is not distracted by politics and anti-GMO activists – and if it's able to focus solely on the economic pros and cons of a merger – it is engaging in appropriate regulatory oversight. (But that's a big "if.")
Peer review is not a corporate conspiracy, even though at least one biology professor thinks so.
The authors claim that this is the world's first truly successful penis transplant because all functions were restored to normal. They are now recruiting for clinical trials.
There are three basic facts about death: (1) We all have to die. (2) All young deaths are tragic deaths. (3) Some of us die in ways that are more interesting than others, and those deaths often make their way into case reports. This story involves all three.
Compared to the U.S. national average, the homicide rate was 54% lower for whites, 14% lower for Hispanics, and 267% higher for blacks. Put another way, the homicide rate among African-Americans is nearly quadruple that of the national average.
To make progress in this investigation of a suspected sonic attack against American diplomats, the U.S. will Cuba's cooperation. That seemed to be occurring, but no longer. This week Cuban scientists declared that there was no sonic attack at all. Instead, they blamed stress and mass hysteria.
Surely, somebody can stop the most egregious offenders from spreading health misinformation that hurts or kills people, right? Actually, no, not in a free society. The only solution to fake news is better news.
It's Memorial Day Weekend – the unofficial start of the beach season. Although no one is likely to be swimming in the icy water of Ussuri Bay in Siberia, many will visit it because of "garbage" on the beach. But it's not typical garbage. Ussuri Bay is "littered" with a treasure – a vast amount of sea glass with an astounding variety of colors. Here's a look at this beautiful place and also a little chemistry about how sea glass forms.
The online magazine claims "the meat industry is pumping livestock full of antibiotics." Like many other farm-bashing headlines, this one is greatly exaggerated.
Which is more dangerous, sunscreen or the sun itself? Should we just wear sun-protective clothing instead? As summer approaches, let's examine the latest research and separate sun facts from myths before heading to the beach.
Rice farming, with intricate irrigation systems and tight-knit farming communities, has long been suspected of fostering collectivism. However, proving this theory requires navigating confounding variables. A new study, seizing upon a unique historical moment in China, will allow you to make your own decisions.
Chris Kresser has multiple books, a website, a supplement line, a health coaching certification program, and he was a co-founder of the California Center for Functional Medicine. He’s been on Joe Rogan, Dr. Oz, and NPR. With his increased media exposure, it’s important to understand more about who he is – and what he’s peddling.
COVID-19 has been particularly ruthless towards the elderly, even with those early-bird vaccinations. Turns out, it's not just about getting a little creakier or needing extra naps. Their immune systems seemed to be doing a sad little shuffle instead of the usual tango, and these dysfunctional immune responses play a leading role in the COVID-19 drama.
Pagination
ACSH relies on donors like you. If you enjoy our work, please contribute.
Make your tax-deductible gift today!