Search results

We count on innovation to improve our lives. In a quest to make innovations come faster we have considered how, and to whom, we entrust research and development. A new study suggests that the rate of innovation is driven mostly by how many simple and complex solutions might be available.

Bloomberg's recent hit piece on milk touches upon almost every sensitive issue that worries parents: food, school and their children. Toss in a conspiracy theory about "Big Dairy," and that's how Bloomberg came up with a fear-mongering headline, complete with a disgusting photo that is supposed to make readers feel queasy.

With cancer death rates declining 27% over a quarter century, there's much cause for celebrating. But now, complacency is not an option.

The questions keep coming. All sorts of questions. These days, they often revolve around some video that claims to have the answer to health problems, no matter what these may be. People want to know, "can this be true?" Invariably, the answer is no.

A new study on this form of diabetes, which is developed during pregnancy, puts forth the idea that simply watching what pregnant women eat and how much they exercise is sufficient prevention. However, it's important to note that doing one without the other is problematic.

Mayor Bill de Blasio is now on this healthcare bandwagon, and as is often the case with politicians this is more distraction than substance. Unfortunately, both ends of the political spectrum are more concerned with burnishing their image than solving the problem.

The pharmaceutical industry does not make a move without knowing what is coming down the pike, or without global projections years into the future. This latest maneuver is standard fare.

Most academic and policy discussions center on the cost of care for populations. But what does it cost us individually and can that "inform the debate"? Let's consider the trees for a moment rather than the forest.

It is very tempting to purposefully mislabel a product if you can make extra money and get away with it. But, using isotope analysis, chemists have devised a way to discriminate conventional and organic milk.

In order to predict someone's opinion -- on, for instance, Trump, or marijuana legalization -- is it better to know their age or in what year the question is asked? Does our upbringing influence our cultural choices ... or do we change with the times?

How often do you hear of someone using their spouse's antibiotic from a prior illness? Or, dispensing an Ambien to a colleague or friend? For those practicing medicine without a license in person, or through social media crowdsourcing, the harms can be considerable.

Accidental or intentional trauma from foreign bodies represents a large chunk of the preventable injury health care burden. That's not only costly in monetary terms, but also in degrees of anguish and unnecessary suffering. Though the items and circumstances vary, no age is spared.

It's difficult to imagine a fate worse than rabies. A 65-year-old woman experienced the full horror of that disease -- and suffered a death that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. A new CDC case study provides the gruesome details.

To begin to understand why it looks as it does, first off is that oxygen is both a friend and enemy of cut meat. Initially, it makes meat look appealing, But further exposure to oxygen makes meat look less so, even though it is not indicative of spoilage. Read more to learn about all the chemistry taking place under the plastic wrap.

The New York Times objectively reports on how the news media, politicians and science were wrong about "crack baby" epidemic. But they never apologize to their readers or accept responsibility.

The superfood phenomenon is likely the result of (1) Our cultural obsession with quick fixes and easy answers to complex questions; and (2) Marketing gimmicks that take advantage of widespread scientific illiteracy.

There's a phenomenon known as superheating. And in your typical microwave oven, the container is not heated -- only the water is. So to answer this question, we first must understand what boiling is all about. Let's take a look.

Bundled care, paying and calculating costs for an episode of care rather than fee-for-service, was thought in theory to be able to bring substantial cost savings. But as Yogi Berra said, "In theory, there is no difference in theory and practice. In practice there is."

The FDA has recalled medicine used to control blood pressure because it contains contaminants that might be carcinogenic. In the quest for more profit, a Chinese manufacturer broke the rules, thinking the ends justified the means.

Happy New Year from all of us at ACSH! We hope that 2019 has started well for all of you. Here at the American Council on Science and Health, we have been back to work, advocating for good science. Here's where our work has been featured in recent days.

The knowledge of a baby being big or small is just data, not meaningful information. Context is key.

How can we move scientific research in directions that are felt to be "socially optimal"? While there is no stick to get science redirected, government funding can supply the carrot. How big a carrot is needed? That depends. Let's take a look.

Branding normal phases of development and transitions have become a thing, mainly to sell books more than identify any new discovery. That said, the first three months of a baby’s life after birth and mom’s postpartum period is a rather unique time for many reasons.

Taking a bite out of something -- and then dipping it into a sauce or spread -- is by no means a sanitary practice. A group of Clemson University undergraduates investigated whether dipping a piece of food into several different dips would transfer bacteria. Was George Costanza right or wrong?

Some species of bugs in our intestine may contribute to weight gain more than others. And these may become more prevalent when competitors are reduced by antibiotics.