On November 26, 1959, "Mamie Eisenhower served applesauce with dinner." … America had been waiting with more-than-usual interest to see what the Eisenhowers would eat as Thanksgiving relish. The news came Friday, courtesy of the Associated Press: “No Cranberries for President.” Here's ACSH's take from our archives, in what was perhaps the first episode of chemophobia in the United States.
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Just as healthcare systems seek to maintain their tax-exempt status by providing “community services,” health insurers seek to dispense their largesse on the corporate term for those community services – the social determinants of health. A new study suggests that, like those not-for-profit, tax-exempt healthcare systems, the money flowing to social determinants is more for appearances. How surprising.
Contrary to the story pushed by activist groups and reporters, recent research has shown that genetically engineered crops and the pesticides often paired with them have yielded impressive environmental benefits.
“Anthropomorphism—the tendency to attribute human characteristics to nonhuman objects (Epley et al., 2007)—is a universal phenomenon” It is often used in marketing to strengthen our ties with some products, from Microsoft’s ill-fated Clippy to the widely successful California Raisins. A new study suggests that when we anthropomorphize foods, we may buy more but eat less. Why would that be?
It takes land to grow food. Going vertical allowed our cities to house more people. Could vertical farming reduce the food deserts of our urban centers? A new study considers production and crop yields.
Will taking cocoa or multivitamins slow the onset of dementia? A new study suggests at least one of these interventions may make a difference. COVID lockdowns quickly became a topic for partisan bickering, but did they actually work?
“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.” - Psalm 37:4-5
Could that be true? A study of Ethiopian small-holding farmers suggests that the answer is yes.
About a decade ago, many tears were shed over J&J’s baby shampoo, not by the babies, but by consumer groups trumpeting the latest chemophobia – formaldehyde, a known “human carcinogen.”
You would think this is an easily determined answer. As usual, it is complicated. So many factors to consider.
Upper respiratory infections have a seasonality; winter is their thing. The role of the changing temperature and humidity, in some entangled manner, contributes to the winter increases. But what is the role of one of our first barriers to those invading microbes, the nose?
Drought plagues much of the Western U.S. and its water woes are severe and worsening, threatening residents' prosperity and quality of life. But the problem isn't supply; it's distribution. We have a way to remedy it.
Stanford University harbors a profound paradox. It boasts superb research in academic departments but often uncritically embraces politically correct trends that contradict its reputation as a cutting-edge, science-grounded institution.
This has been a particularly notable year for me. I had a near-death experience and learned the joys of those who spend more time at doctors than they would like. I also had a chance to share some science and opinions with you, our readers. That makes me twice blessed.
The December 19 Consumer Reports headline, “Lead and Cadmium Could be in Your Dark Chocolate,” has chocoholics everywhere in great pain. But a closer look at the article shows that you may not have to give up your guilty pleasure.
Planned obsolescence
Bee vaccination
Are At-Home Diagnostic Tests A 1st Amendment right?
Alaska may have a better way to vote
You've probably been reading lately about kids running into trouble from eating marijuana gummies. Dr. Roneet Lev, an emergency department doctor and addiction expert, tells us what is going on in the trenches in this interview.
COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes are partly attributable to the staff bringing – and transmitting – the virus to vulnerable patients. That is why the nursing home staff was at the front of the line when vaccines were introduced; and why, when many didn’t rush to sign up, the federal government mandated that they be vaccinated. How did that work out for the staff and patients?
Heavy metals in baby food do not cause autism. Listen in as we discuss the evidence. Dropping an F-bomb now and again might confer an important health benefit, according to recent research. Do we finally have a scientific justification for the use of colorful language?
The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, is threatening to surge again. In the past few weeks alone, a recent version, XBB.1.5, the most infectious subvariant yet discovered, has quickly spread in the United States. As of the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control, this variant makes up about three-quarters of all cases in the Northeast and 27.6% nationwide. There is reason to be concerned.
Advertising of worthless nostrums to prevent or cure illnesses is common. Often, it consists solely of anecdotes, but sometimes it is bolstered by statistical sleight of hand. Don't be fooled, because your health and your money may be in jeopardy.
Today, there is much discussion about how agriculture contributes to climate change. Most agree that we should continue improving food production and processing while reducing agriculture’s detrimental environmental impacts. If we unleash biotechnology, our quality of life will improve significantly, and you won’t be asked to forgo your favorite steak.
Due to the ban on glyphosate by some cities and municipalities across the US, more and more fish and wildlife habitats are in danger. That is because glyphosate is the most effective tool for eradicating invasive plants that are destroying many native species. Without glyphosate, our country risks losing more and more critical wildlife and wetland habitats. Although everybody decries bad science, few people have considered the actual harm that can occur when faulty science is accepted as conventional wisdom.
The height of absurdity may have been reached in a recent article about how the firefighters’ union is warning its members about the health risks from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their protective gear. “We need to combat what’s killing us,” said the union president.
When I was young, my dad used to tell me, “The more you know, the more you are capable of knowing.” I think it was his way of encouraging me to read. And it worked. But what does that have to do with science?
Discrimination in the workplace is terrible. Some forms involving gender, or race, are more readily identified than others. This preprint, under peer review, suggests that attractiveness can be discriminative too. Ugly need not apply.
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