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Recently a baby boy was born in India with two penises and four legs. How do '"parasitic twins" develop and what causes this? And what conditions prompt duplications in the female anatomy?

A co-founder of the "March for Science" says that it's "time for everyone to get on board." Okay, sure. We'll get on board – pending satisfactory answers to serious science policy questions.

Public health experts have noted the unexplained increases in childhood asthma and autism spectrum disorders over the past few decades. A recent review has linked such ills to the coincident increases in obesity in women of childbearing age.

If we could spend pretend money, California savings due to regulations would end the budget deficit in 2 months.

Do you want to know how to make VX gas? Ask a chemist. Or look online. Just don't try it because a variety of things will happen—all bad. 

Beginning in May of this year, all cigarettes sold in the UK must be packaged to standards regulating material, size, shape, opening mechanism and more importantly with plain packaging.
And by plain packaging, I mean a "mud-green box" stripped of all branding. Like this: 

 
 
 
 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just announced they are temporarily suspending work by lab scientists in BSL-4 (aka biosafety level 4) facilities. They recently learned their current stock of air hoses that  attach to the protective suits worn by staff have not been certified for breathing air.

The FDA confirmed the presence of of the poisonous substance, belladonna, in the homeopathic teething remedies linked to the deaths of 10 infants. More importantly, its analysis detected amounts that were inconsistent between samples, meaning some of the levels were much higher than what the product's label indicated. 

Wouldn't it be nice to stroll along your favorite beach and not see the litter of plastic trash all around. In fact, there is a place where you can stroll and not see plastic at all – since the trash consists of millions of seaside gems. All you have to do is go to Siberia. 

ACSH's "on-site mother" Marge Bloom turns 90 on Saturday, February 4th, 2017. We get to see plenty of her, but the rest of you have not been so fortunate. Until now. Happy Birthday Marge!
                      
 
                     

During his address to Congress this week President Trump shone a spotlight on Megan Crowley, a 20-year-old Notre Dame sophomore with Pompe Disease, which is caused by mutations in the GAA gene.

Multivitamins are likely the most widely used supplements in the U.S. Research has failed to substantiate that for healthy adults they're useful for health preservation, or disease prevention. A new collaborative study has analyzed the accuracy of their labels, producing conflicting results. 
 

Drinking raw milk, or consuming products made from it, can be dangerous, as evidenced by a recent outbreak of listeriosis stemming from unpasteurized cheeses made in New York state. Although the risk of death is not as great as it would be from playing Russian roulette, it's not zero, as two deaths to date can attest.

Regardless of our brain's natural security, some pathogens still get in. One is called Cryptococcus neoformans, a fungus that can be found in the excrement of flying tree rats, like pigeons and bats. After being inhaled into the lungs, the fungus makes its way into the brain using a clever mechanism.

We all remember Rebecca Black. Oh, do we remember. She sang "Friday," that awful but irresistibly catchy tune (viewed 105 million+ times on YouTube!!), which will forever be a part of our culture. Had she sung about Pi Day, however, perhaps the song would have had a more positive reception.

In the battle against antibiotic resistance, here's an interesting proposal: salted doorknobs [in hospitals, or elsewhere] could fight super bug infections. Intrigued? So are we. Bummed you didn't think of it first? So are we.

1. Conspiracy Fantasy Camp

Good dental hygiene can prevent periodontal disease and tooth loss. And according to recent research, it just might also be a means of preventing rheumatoid arthritis, by eliminating a bacterium whose products incite the immune system to attack the joints.

"Lying" is considered one of those words civilized people should never say. That's why politicians never use it. Instead, their opponents are "misinformed" or "misspeaking" or "using alternative facts." 

Plagues, like tuberculosis and leprosy, have devastated mankind for millions of years. Steve Schow, Ph.D., a 40-year veteran of biomedical research and an amateur medical historian, examines some of the most deadly diseases. In a 10-part series written for ACSH, he asks: What's next? Part One: Going Back to Neanderthals.

It's relatively easy to accidentally overdose on acetaminophen. The compound is found in headache and cold medicine. When people get sick, they often take a combination of over-the-counter drugs to relieve symptoms. But there may be an option.

Why are strawberries, spinach, and 10 other nutritious fruits and vegetables killing us? Because of pesticides, says the clueless Environmental Working Group, whose mission is scaring you about perfectly safe and healthy food. 

Kawhi Leonard is intelligent, soft-spoken, modest and a thoroughly likable young man with an incredible work ethic. But during a recent interview the NBA star helped perpetuate one of the worst health scams around — that drinking alkaline, or high pH, water has health benefits. Should Leonard be called for a technical foul?
 

Gluten-free is one of the latest food fads to take America by storm — but does everyone who espouses a gluten-free diet really need one? A recent study sought to examine who requires such a regimen, and how reliably such determinations are made.

Since they are easily overlooked, it makes sense to check in with your kidneys to see how they're doing – and more importantly, to learn whether you're caring for them properly. Millions of Americans are not, and they're unaware of the damage they're doing because it can be symptomless.