When the media writes about vaccines in the U.S. and Europe, usually we’re reporting on the endless controversy over whether some vaccines cause autism. (Short answer: they don’t.) That’s the luxury of wealth and health — …
Medicine
Why the Federal Government Finally Acted on Chemical Safety
Our chemical safety system is an outdated mess — and for years, the failure of the government to act on formaldehyde was proof positive of that fact.
Dengue Fever Creeps Back Into the U.S. — and Climate Change Isn’t Helping
Dengue fever is nasty. Transmitted by the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, dengue infects an estimated 220 million people a year — 2 million of whom develop a severe form called dengue haemorrhagic fever, which has no known …
Source of E. Coli Outbreak in Germany — It Was the Sprouts After All
German officials announced on Friday that they believe bean sprouts are indeed the source of the deadly E. coli infections in that country, the worst such outbreak in recorded history.
Study: Why Quitting Smoking Makes You Fat
It’s an unfortunate fact that when smokers kick the habit, they often gain weight — a side effect that many smokers use as a reason for not quitting.
All Hype: Flaxseed Doesn’t Stop Hot Flashes
It was too good to be true: a study by Mayo Clinic researchers finds that flaxseed doesn’t help prevent hot flashes after all.
Arsenic, Chicken and Old Regulatory Standards
Now, before, I get started on this post, I want everyone to take a deep breath. O.K.? So it turns out that a common drug given to chickens — 3-Nitro, also known as Roxarsone — contains arsenic. You know, arsenic, that popular …
Studies: New Clues to the Genetic Roots of Autism
Random changes in genes, rather than changes handed down from parents, may be responsible for some cases of autism, say scientists who report in three new papers a major breakthrough in understanding where those genetic changes may lie.
Should a Gene Test Decide Which Sport Your Kid Should Play?
Millions of kids play sports. But are they playing the right ones? Forget fun; this is about — to borrow a catchphrase from Charlie Sheen — winning. Now, at least two companies are marketing DNA tests that purport to help …
No Decline in Sperm Counts After All, Danish Data Show
In the dystopian book and film Children of Men, human beings suddenly stop being able to have children. There’s no real explanation given for the change — though there’s talk of a precipitous decline in sperm count quality — but the loss of the ability to reproduce essentially robs humanity of its future, and leads to the utter …
Where Have All the Women Gone? Why Sex Selection Persists
Greater and greater numbers of boys are being born for every girl. In her new book, Unnatural Selection: Choosing Boys Over Girls and the Consequences of a World Full of Men, Beijing-based journalist Mara Hvistendahl investigates …
With Two False Starts, Why Officials Can’t Finger the Source of the E. Coli Outbreak
German officials were forced for the second time to retract a statement about the source of a deadly E. coli outbreak that has killed 22 and sickened hundreds.
Screening for Ovarian Cancer Doesn’t Increase Women’s Survival
In general, getting screened for cancer seems like the responsible thing to do, since preventing the disease is always better than treating it once it takes hold. But the latest research shows that screening women for ovarian …