“Disease X”: How pandemic preparedness talks spawned conspiracy theories online
On 17 January 2024, public health experts including Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), held…
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Variations on a theme: The evidence refuting the false claim that vaccines cause autism
While there has indeed been a rise in the number of autism diagnoses in the last decade, the evidence points not to vaccines as the cause, but to a broader diagnostic criteria of autism and increased awareness of the condition now as compared to the past.
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Of the many factors that cause wildfires, the influence of climate change and human activities is growing
Although there are multiple things at play when it comes to wildfires, climate change is becoming increasingly important. Wildfires are the result of complex interactions between biophysical and human factors, and it only takes one poorly managed campfire to cause a serious, widespread wildfire disaster. Many wildfires are indeed the direct result of human activities. However, many more and much worse wildfires are now possible because of climate change, leading to greater environmental and economic negative impacts.
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What do we know about the safety of COVID-19 vaccine mRNA in breast milk?
The mRNA inCOVID-19 mRNA vaccines can enter breast milk. However, research only detected small amounts of it, which were mostly degraded and non-functional form. COVID-19 vaccines are beneficial to pregnant women because they are particularly at risk of severe disease and poorer pregnancy outcomes. Furthermore, breast milk from lactating women contains antibodies able to neutralize the COVID-19 virus, meaning that vaccinated women can pass on some protection against COVID-19 to their babies.
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Are phthalates causing a decline in male fertility?
Introduction According to an estimate published by the World Health Organization in April 2023, infertility affects roughly one in six…
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What’s in a number? The significance of the 1.5°C warming threshold and reporting on its breach in popular media
In 2024, the global average temperature reached 15.1°C, 1.6°C higher than before the industrial era (1850-1900). This is the first time that a calendar year has exceeded 1.5°C of warming. But focusing on a single year is not enough to provide information on long-term climate trends.
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How much of a climate solution can technologies such as carbon capture and storage be?
Science has shown consistently that adding CO2 to the atmosphere is changing the climate in various ways, including raising the…
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Can mistletoe cure cancer?
Introduction Cancer is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. In 2020, an estimated 19.3 million new cancers were diagnosed and…
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Can you achieve a balanced diet by eating only meat? A look at the scientific evidence
While a person may be able to consume some form of the carnivore diet in the short run without many ill effects, it’s clear that the diet comes with significant restrictions that can eventually prove detrimental to human health. Nutritional deficiencies, like a lack of vitamin C, can soon lead to illness, like scurvy. And in the long run, excessive consumption of red meat, which is rich in protein and fat, but deficient in carbohydrates and dietary fiber, increases the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.
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What we know about the safety of mifepristone for medical abortions and the effectiveness of progesterone for “abortion reversal”
Introduction The World Health Organization considers access to safe and affordable abortion services as important for the good health and…
