New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio really hates salt. But, we suspect it goes deeper than this. He may be a "condiment bigot." Possibly even a mustard hater, or an anti-mustite.
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Epigenetics is everywhere. Nary a day goes by without someone telling us something it explains. Epigenetics pops up frequently among non-scientists in all manner of discussions about heredity. And as guest writer Michael Eisen tells us, all manner of crackpots slap “epigenetics” on their fringy ideas to give them a veneer of credibility.
There is a lot of false equivalence in giving the fringe 1 percent of the anti-science movement any attention at all.
In this organic-crazed world, preservatives are essentially equated with deadly cyanide in terms of human harm. But, when you examine things a little more closely, the scare doesn't match reality. And it shouldn't. Most preservatives occur naturally in your diet, or in your body.
While new-rule skeptics and baseball purists are already howling that creating a time limit for pitchers will not speed up a Major League Baseball game enough to justify its creation, there's another precinct checking in to voice concern about the controversial proposal: medical science. New research suggests more pitcher injuries could result.
The language of science has been hijacked. Those who are looking to make a quick buck (or in the case of the organic industry, 43 billion bucks) have no qualms about twisting the definition of highly precise scientific terminology to suit their own profit-driven agendas. Here's a brief glossary of the some of the most commonly misused scientific terms. (Note: the health food and fad diet industries are among the biggest abusers.)
An environmental group is scaring the public about hydroxyapatite in baby formula. The problem is it's natural calcium, and even sold as supplements.
Before you go all science on us, let's be clear: We're not advocating you stop drinking something because you can't spell it. In fact, we are saying just the opposite. If we lived by that mantra, we would dehydrate, since we'd have to forgo Dihydrogen Monoxide (water, duh.)
The FDA is finally advising the food industry to stop using the euphemism "evaporated cane juice" for sugar on food labels. Ingredients on food labels should be couched in terms that the average person is familiar with. It's just too bad the advisory isn't binding.
The Food and Drug Administration has announced that it has approved Probuphine, an implant for treatment of opioid dependence. It's designed to provide a constant, low-level dose of buprenorphine to patients for six months.
Susannah Mushatt Jones, who passed away at the age of 116 after a brief illness, lived though an extraordinary period in American medicine, one which we should all take a moment to appreciate. Up until May 12, Ms. Jones was the very last American alive who was born in the 19th century.
Researchers from Boston report that eating white potatoes, even as potato chips, are linked to developing high blood pressure (the increased risk is small). But we question whether anyone should change their diets because of studies like this that show only associations, not causation.
In approximately one-third of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer with locally invasive tumors but without metastases, surgical removal of the tumor conferred significant survival benefit if done in conjunction with pre-operative chemotherapy and radiation.
Watch our video for tips on how to avoid becoming a tick's next meal
With the recent discovery of polymyxin-resistant infection here in the U.S., there's a renewed pledge among drug developers and the government to incentivize research for developing new antibiotics, previously a seemingly abandoned effort.
Ever since the first cells evolved about 3.8 billion years ago, they have had to contend with other life forms intent on killing them. Today, wherever cells exist, viruses exist. It is likely this relationship goes back to time immemorial. Meet the eukaryotes that suck.
The rate and number of higher order births (triplets and up) in the United States declined between 1998 and 2014. This is a positive trend that should result in better infant survival and health, as well as a reduction in health care costs.
California is ranked 47th in the U.S. in science education. So, it is not terribly surprising that the Golden State is making some rather poor choices in wine (whine) country, and looking mighty foolish in the process.
The scientific enterprise is something of a paradox. Science moves incrementally, and the status quo is preferred to radical new ideas. Yet, simultaneously, creativity is encouraged, but scientists who become too creative can become outcasts. Let’s consider a few of those here.
While we often pooh-pooh the claims of marketers for the efficacy of dietary supplements, we're not blind to the possibilities. One supplement that has been studied in transgenic growth hormone (or TGM) mice may hold promise for treating or staving off neuro-degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. More work is needed, of course.
No, not by us, we are instead separating real health threats from manufactured health scares.
A growing number of parents are refusing to vaccinate their children, and one reason often given is that they don't trust that doctors and government agencies sufficiently research the potential harms of vaccines. Given that, we wanted to find out whether telling people about the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, which is monitored by the CDC and the FDA, and the information it gathers could influence their belief about vaccine safety.
It's common practice for your pharmacy to substitute a generic version of a drug for its brand counterpart. But another cost-saving policy is being considered: substituting an entirely different drug from the same class as what was prescribed. This is a terrible idea, as Dr. Robert Popovian explains.
The term epigenetics is being thrown around by many who incorrectly believe "genes are our destiny" by deliberately misinterpreting data. What is epigenetics, really? And how much stock should we place on its importance?
One "chemical" that fear mongers take potshots at is antifreeze. Except, there are really two antifreeze chemicals. One is toxic, and to get harmed by the other you'd have to drink enough to kill a horse. Literally. Chemical haters use this to trick you. To learn how ...
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