If you live in Philly and want to know information about your tap water quality, start with the latest consumer confidence report, which is required to be produced annually by…
Category: Anthropology
Flawed studies linking hormone therapy to breast cancer made doctors reluctant to prescribe it for menopause relief – especially for breast cancer survivors
Although menopause is not a new phenomenon by any means, the past few years of what some have called the “menopause moment” have brought it to the forefront of national…
Should you wash your prewashed lettuce? An infectious disease expert explains how to eat your greens safely during the cyclospora outbreak
Salads – along with other fresh produce – are some of the healthiest foods you can eat. Leafy greens are rich in vitamins A, C and K, folate, potassium and…
Cholera still kills thousands each year – in places without clean water, it’s far from history
Many Americans have heard about cholera only from “The Oregon Trail,” the retro computer game in which players try to get their 1830s pioneers to the Oregon Territory. If your…
What I found when I scanned the brains of kids creating tunes on the piano
Research shows that improvisation and creativity are good for the brain. In an episode of the Greater Good Science Center’s “Science of Happiness” podcast, host Shuka Kalantari talked to Karen…
Cyclosporiasis sickens some people worse – why your diarrhea could be more explosive than others
As you may have seen in news headlines or social media memes, there’s explosive diarrhea going around. Understanding how the immune system responds to the parasite that causes the unfortunate…
How vaccine skeptics use storytelling effectively to create powerful but medically inaccurate messaging
As long as there have been vaccines, there have been people who doubted their science and safety. Back in 19th-century England, people rioted against a mandatory smallpox vaccine, claiming that…
What makes muscles contract? A physiologist explains how muscles move
Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to [email protected]. What makes the cells of…
The Benadryl Challenge isn’t going away – here’s how public health officials are trying to stop this deadly viral trend
A dangerous social media trend that started in 2020 has persisted into 2026, with heartbreaking consequences. In May and June 2026, four American teens died participating in the “Benadryl Challenge.”…
South Dakota’s abortion pill advertising ban runs into free speech roadblock
South Dakota is having trouble enforcing a law banning advertising about abortion pills. On July 17, 2026, less than three weeks after the ban took effect on July 1, U.S.…
