As the “fifteen days to slow the spread” continues to extend indefinitely, the issue of mask mandates has become increasingly contentious. The debate has been exacerbated by the inconsistency of the recommendations of authorities (political, scientific, and imaginary). Early in the pandemic, both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) advised against the…
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The false-positive panic over Covid-19
Imagine an articulate chief lemming bragging that not only had his followers jumped off a cliff, but that they had done so in far greater numbers than any other slice of the rodents. This is the position occupied by the US regarding testing for Covid-19. We’ve done more testing than any other country and bragged a lot about doing so;…
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Do lockdowns work? Mounting evidence says no
The coerced economic "shutdowns"—enforced with fines, arrests, and revoked business licenses—are not the natural outgrowth of a pandemic. They are the result of policy decisions taken by politicians who have suspended constitutional institutions and legal recognition of basic human rights. These politicians have instead imposed a new form of central planning based on an unproven, theoretical set of ideas about…
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State lockdowns are creating a mental health disaster
Although state lockdowns have served governors well as a heavy-handed show of force, the policies are a patent neglect of the many nuances inherent in human action. They have led to a host of unintended consequences, including the emergence of a new health crisis—a dangerously sharp rise in mental illness. Though states are gradually wading out of lockdown, the damage…
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The biology of coffee, the world’s most popular drink
You’re reading this with a cup of coffee in your hand, aren’t you? Coffee is the most popular drink in the world. Americans drink more coffee than soda, juice and tea — combined.
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New Year’s anxiety hangover? Here’s what’s happening in your brain
Have you ever woken up in the morning (or afternoon) in a cloud of worry after having a few drinks the night before?
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How junk food shapes the developing teenage brain
Obesity is increasing worldwide, especially among children and teenagers. More than 150 million children in the world are obese in 2019. These children have increased risk of heart disease, cancers and Type 2 diabetes.
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OPINION: Farmers need flexibility to fight Lake Erie’s algae problem
Phosphorus from fertilizer running off cropland has been identified as the main culprit behind Lake Erie’s algal woes, and the potential for governments in my province of Ontario and elsewhere to implement farm-level regulations has some farmers nervous.
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Hardly anybody is safe from the estrogenic effects of plastic
You might've heard about BPA in the news a few years back. It's a chemical frequently used in production of polycarbonate plastics, which make up nearly all the disposable water bottles, food can linings, and food wrappers we use daily.
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In search of safe replacements for harmful chemicals used in cookware, carpets, clothing, cosmetics and more
When Donald Taves discovered two kinds of fluoride in his blood in the late 1960s, he immediately knew something was wrong. Everyone assumed that blood contained just one type of fluoride, a naturally occurring form that health officials added to drinking water to prevent cavities. But levels in people’s blood didn’t seem to relate to those found in their water…
