Why Precision Medicine Will Not Create a Medical Revolution
Medicine, with few exceptions, grows by evolution, not revolution. And geneticists working on complex diseases have a long, difficult road ahead.
Obama Just Announced the Next Big Thing in Medicine, but Will the FDA Kill It?
By imposing burdensome regulations on genetic testing, the FDA will put small, innovative players out of business and leave the field to "large commercial entities" with near-monopoly power and few incentives to keep up with the latest science.
Why Both Genetics and Lifestyle Matter in the Obesity Epidemic
People with a specific mutation in one gene are substantially more likely to be obese than those without it. But they are also at higher risk of suffering from environmental factors.
How Trustworthy Is Published Science?
There's some evidence of a reproducibility problem. But the more recent emphasis on exact replication of experiments may be misguided.
How Scientists Contribute to Bad Science Reporting
By not taking university press officers and research press releases seriously, scientists are often complicit in the media falsehoods they so often deride.
Why Scientists Hate Their Journals
The publishers seem to care more about their image and financial bottom line than their core scientific functions.
How Gut Microbes Can Help Us Detect Cancer
Behavioral changes in our gut ecosystems will likely become key to spotting cancer—but can the new diagnostic methods help scientists treat it?
To Read Our DNA, We Need to Crack Another Genetic Code
The only problem is that it may not be much of a code at all.
‘Shirtstorm’ and Sexism in Science
Following the recent T-shirt controversy, it's clear that sexism in science persists. But the forces driving the gender gap are still being debated.
The Ways Climate Change Is Already Killing Us
In ordinary ways, it's erasing some of the last century's impressive progress toward eliminating preventable illnesses and deaths.