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Brucellosis is a bacterial infection often associated with the consumption of raw food. Apparently, another source of infection is Chinese pharmaceutical companies. Who wants a Chinese COVID vaccine?

As the possibility of a vaccine for COVID-19 draws nearer, so does the consideration of who is "first" in line to receive it. Should we protect the vulnerable, like the elderly, or reduce the spread by prioritizing "superspreaders"? More importantly, beyond this utilitarian consideration are there additional ethical concerns? Let's take a look.

Scientific American, a once preeminent magazine that thoughtful and curious people read (or at least respected), has become an outlet for pseudoscience and politics. What a shame.

Should you happen to be in the vicinity of Albuquerque don't miss the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. It is fascinating. It's also bewildering to see what people were putting in, and on, their bodies in the 1920s and 30s. The exhibits in this New Mexico museum make today's quackery look like peer-reviewed studies in JAMA. Here are some of them.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just updated its COVID-19 statistics on kids. You can find the full report referenced at the end of this article. But here's what the agency found. 

What we can learn from ice cores, is there a climate migration already underway, a healthy behavior that costs little and is oh so restful, and a bit of relevant science history about vaccinations and epidemics.

A new paper claiming that the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus was genetically engineered in a laboratory has several red flags. It should not be taken seriously.

Things pretty much suck. Three states are on fire. There are five tropical cyclones in the Atlantic for the first time ever. Our social fabric is hardly intact. And there is this annoying little virus blowing up people's lungs -- and it isn't going away anytime soon. But, thanks to the CPSC at least we can sleep at night. Dr. Duck's lead buttons will threaten us no more.

How about a little something not COVID-19? Coffee is, far and away, one of our most popular beverages, with an estimated 400 billion cups poured annually in the U.S. Despite that figure, powered by Starbucks, McDonald's and other big brands, we aren't even in the Top 10 consuming countries. So while sipping that cup of java or mocha, let's take a look at the history of coffee.

What happens to the global economy if the medicine ends up harming those it is meant to cure?

Geofencing is a virtual fence in the real world. When combined with our homing beacon -- the smartphone that identifies us everywhere we go -- it becomes a tool with extraordinary powers, for good and evil. Several recent court cases, which likely have escaped your attention, may give you more than a moment's pause in this era of the coronavirus. 

The West Coast is aflame; thousands are being evacuated. Before we jump to a conclusion of why, can research inform our thinking? Yes, especially for, "Communities that meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland vegetation, creating zones known as the wildland-urban interface…."

Welcome to the 15th Dreaded Chemistry Lesson From Hell. This time you will be (mis)treated to a plethora of knowledge about bismuth - information so critical that it would be hard to imagine surviving the day without it. And reader comments from Joe, the ball bearing salesman, and Candy, a decertified yoga instructor. Could there be a better way to start your day?

Europe used to be the voice of reason in antibiotic discovery and development, but that is no longer the case. The European Medical Agency, Europe's equivalent of the FDA, is requiring so many clinical trials for antibiotics that it is no longer feasible for companies to market the drugs in the E.U. ACSH advisor Dr. David Shlaes (pictured) explains.

Dr. Paul Offit, Chief of Infectious Diseases and Director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, discusses COVID-19 vaccines with Eric Topol, MD, Editor-in-Chief of the website, Medscape. From safety to side effects, to how protective they might be.

Four stories: Phylogenetic analysis suggests that coronavirus arrived in the U.S. between late January and early February. The coronavirus has resulted in more than 1.2 million years of life lost (YLLs) in the U.S. The coronavirus isn't the only game in town. And some people who are most likely to be affected by coronavirus are also refusing to go to the hospital.

Pop quiz! Who's dumber? Those courting health risks at the Sturgis motorcycle rally or the authors of the "study" making the rounds on the thousands of infections they created? OK, it's a trick question, because both groups have some explaining to do.

It is difficult to overstate the potential damage that an ineffective or unsafe coronavirus vaccine could inflict on confidence in public health institutions. Conspiracy theories already abound and would multiply further.

It's time for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to withdraw this page to correct its many errors and distortions.  A principal author of the 2016 CDC Guidelines on the prescription of opioids to adults with chronic pain is responsible for many of these errors. Richard Lawhern (pictured) addressed these mistakes in this open letter.

The beginner's mind, a video of Tesla production (can you see what is missing?), a video that will put a smile on your face and bring back the joy of opening a present when you were a tween, how will the rise in remote work change our lives, and finally, a question of expertise.

Are there geographical differences in the spread of COVID-19? Does a region's "culture" contribute to the pandemic or simply the population density? Good questions. Let's take a look.

Skin cancers are among the most common tumors; after all, we're all held together by our skin. The improvements in 3D-ultrasounds provide a one-step measurement of a suspicious area's size, depth, margins, and tumor aggression. More importantly, it identifies the tumor invisible to the eye, a critical factor in skin cancer recurrence. 

The University of Oxford, in collaboration with British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca, has produced a leading coronavirus vaccine candidate. However, the Phase 3 clinical trial was paused because one patient is thought to have developed a serious adverse reaction. What could it be?

What happens when politics and science mix? Scary stuff. Dr. Henry Miller examines the considerable downside of releasing any COVID vaccine prior to the completion of Phase 3 trials. The founding director of the FDA's Office of Biotechnology, Dr. Miller argues that precise science, not the date of an election, is critical at this time.

I read a short article this week about the social history surrounding epidemics. Like much of history, it has eerie similarities to our current times. Is it a precautionary tale, or a random pattern we imbue with meaning as we try to connect the dots?