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The coronavirus has mutated to become more infectious. Does that mean it will become more or less lethal? And what implication does it have for a vaccine and herd immunity?

How old is your dog, in dog years? The widely used rule of thumb – human years x 7 – is apparently incorrect. The science behind the new formula tells us something about extrapolation and a lot about how both we, and our canine friends, age. And the Hanks-dog graph is kinda cool, too.

In the world of nutrition, potatoes seem to have fallen from grace. Meanwhile, sweet potatoes still -- largely -- get away scot-free. What is this travesty? We examine the evidence.

The Food and Drug Administration recently published an analysis of antibiotic development looking back over the last 40 years. In addition, the paper was accompanied by a compelling editorial. These papers are well worth reading and are highly recommended for everyone, whether they're familiar with antibiotic development or not. And most notably, the hubris of the FDA analysis is astounding.

While it remains popular to attribute the opioid‐​related overdose crisis to doctors prescribing pain relievers to patients, the evidence shows there is no correlation between prescription volume and non‐​medical opioid use or opioid use disorder.

Vaccines for COVID-19 get most of the headlines. But it is possible, if not likely, that a drug or combination of drugs may be quicker to develop, and possibly will be more effective in controlling the virus. Here's an opinion piece making the case that recently ran in the Baltimore Sun, co-authored by ACSH's Dr. Josh Bloom and ACSH advisor Dr. Katherine Seley-Radtke.

We must dismantle the perfect storm of incivility, anti-intellectualism, and tribalism -- worsened by the sewer pipe of social media -- that has gripped our country. In its place, we must foster a culture of intellectualism, skepticism, and empathy. But that lofty goal seems unreachable in the current milieu.

Maybe barbeque and beach trips were modified over the weekend in the face of COVID-19. But surely it's appropriate to have a time-tested cautionary article go with America's birthday.

An interview with the editor of The Lancet where he explains those recent retractions. A story of an ecologic problem in the voice of Rudyard Kipling. A query into fishy meanings of a name.

Much remains biologically uncertain about COVID-19, especially when it comes to its infectiousness. For example, how many particles must be taken to allow the virus to begin to replicate within oneself? On the other hand, the virus particle itself is subject to well-established laws of physics. So, when it comes to masks and social distancing, how can physics inform our understanding? Let's take a look.

Researchers in the journal Physics of Fluids  just published a visualization of the dispersion of droplets from simulated coughing. It's worth a look.

Strict lockdowns might work in some countries, but they aren't going to work everywhere. Americans, in particular, reject such restrictions on liberty, which is why a strict lockdown is sort of like abstinence-only sex education.

As the drumbeats for health systems to treat the socioeconomic determinants of health grows louder -- and administrators eye an enlarging “mission” and the funds that come with it -- ask yourself this: What exactly are those determinants? A new study provides some tentative answers.

Are those who claim that life will never go back to normal after the coronavirus, correct? Are we condemned to live in a Brave New World, governed by social distancing and disinfection protocols, in which perfect hygiene is the greatest good?

What do an island in the Aleutians, the Ides of March, and climate change resulting in famine have in common? Volcanism.

It's summer and COVID-19 is not only not going away, but it's getting worse by the day, largely because of idiotic public health policies. One of the worst was letting people pack themselves into indoor bars. This has worked out exactly how you'd expect it to. Plus a special visit from The Real Morons of New Jersey.

The FDA’s rigorous oversight – rather than a race to satisfy an aggressive agenda – is imperative during this pandemic.

Tweeting among politicians is not restricted to the thoughts of the President. Members of Congress also feel the need to tweet. What can be learned about their views of COVID-19? A new study of Twitter offers some clues.

Do people acquire long-term immunity to coronavirus? Will there be a second wave? Will there be more lockdowns? Some recent news helps shed light on these questions.

GNC, the giant dietary supplement company that has been selling questionable health products for 85 years, apparently had no "remedy" for COVID. The company is filing for bankruptcy, due in large part to the pandemic. A little bit of irony for your Friday.

Telemedicine, what our stories tell us about ourselves, can worms reason, and the role of plate tectonics in our lives and culture.

Timothy Litzenburg, one of the lead plaintiffs' attorneys in the shakedown of Monsanto, has pleaded guilty to the attempted extortion of $200 million from another company. Litzenburg also collaborates with Carey Gillam and her anti-GMO organization U.S. Right to Know.

While coronavirus is obviously concerning and a very real threat to some people (namely, the elderly and immunocompromised), these data also show that the risk for the rest of the population is quite low.

As we re-open society, science is beginning to return to some of its older memes, like the value of nutritional labeling and taxes. Two new studies by authors, using the same model and data, suggest that fully implementing labeling laws will improve our health and save us money. The same holds for taxing sugary beverages. But if COVID-19 has taught us nothing else, it is that we need to understand and believe the model's assumptions.

CDC policymaking is coming up short, according to Henry Miller, M.D., and John J. Cohrssen. The agency continues to relegate policymaking to value judgments instead of hard data.