Stories by Melinda Wenner Moyer

Flu Shots May Not Protect the Elderly or the Very Young

Despite government recommendations, there is little evidence that flu vaccines help individuals older than 65 or younger than two

Open Season on Salt: What the Science on Hypertension Really Shows

Shedding pounds may be a better way to promote cardiovascular health than avoiding the saltshaker

Fish Oil Supplement Research Remains Murky

Polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids are important parts of a healthy diet, but supplement studies have numerous sampling problems

Eye Contact Quells Online Hostility

Mean comments arise from a lack of eye contact more than from anonymity

A Lack of Safety Data on Kids’ Drugs Puts Pediatricians in a Bind

Few medications have been proved safe for children, leaving doctors in a bind

U.S. Task Force's Recommendations Stoke Debate over Calcium and Vitamin D Supplements

A task force found insufficient evidence to recommend supplements to healthy people to prevent broken bones or cancer, but this could overlook several categories of people

Nothing to Sneeze At: Allergies May Be Good for You

Allergies may have emerged to protect us from environmental toxins

The Stats on Statins: Should Healthy Adults Over 50 Take Them?

Although a meta-analysis of statins suggests that healthy people over 50 take cholesterol-lowering drugs as a preventative measure, some researchers argue the benefits may not outweigh the risks...

Weighing the Risks

Women who opt for epidurals are more likely to run a fever during labor that can endanger their babies

Motherhood, Not Discrimination, May Account for the Gender Gap in Tenure-Track Science Jobs

Family responsibilities, not discrimination, may explain why fewer women than men pursue tenure-track jobs in science

Nothing to Sneeze at: Allergies May Be Good for You

A new hypothesis argues that allergies emerged to protect us from harmful environmental substances

Boost Intelligence by Focusing on Growth

Why some people learn more from their mistakes

Deadly Duo: Mixing Alcohol and Prescription Drugs Can Result in Addiction or Accidental Death

Alcohol and Xanax, both found in Whitney Houston's hotel room right after she died, inhibit the central nervous system and depend on the same enzyme for bodily clearance

Brain Conducts a Subconscious Reality Check

Our subconscious notices incongruities in a scene

Vacuum Tube: Kids under 2 Should Not Watch Television

The new statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics warns of possible language delays. Instead, unstructured play is better for linguistic development

Why Is Pancreatic Cancer So Deadly?

The illness that ultimately felled Apple founder Steve Jobs often kills shortly after diagnosis

Of Tics and Compulsions: Brain Imaging Teases Apart Tourette's and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Is It Safe to Drink? The Problem with the Nation's Drinking Water Standards

The government may not be doing enough to regulate contaminants in tap water

The Sunny Side of Smut

For most people, pornography use has no negative effects—and it may even deter sexual violence

It's Time to End the War on Salt

The zealous drive by politicians to limit our salt intake has little basis in science