Stories by Melinda Wenner Moyer

DVD

Good Riddance: Human Creations the World Would Be Better Off Without

Our highly selective list includes Teflon, dropped calls and the space shuttle

Moral Animal

A sense of right and wrong starts with innate brain circuitry

Rainbow Cells

Biodiversity was the first step toward complex life

Urban Bug

Packed living conditions made the influenza virus a leading public health threat

Cheese Story

Swiss dairy farmers created an American institution

Origins: Going Back to Where the Story Really Starts

Sometimes we forget where a story really starts. Are electric cars new? Where did malaria start? Who invented spaghetti? Read on, for the surprising origins of many strange and familiar things...

Heartburn Headache: Overuse of Acid Blockers Poses Health Risks

Proton-pump inhibitors such as Nexium, Prevacid and Protonix treat acid reflux, but their use as a preventative to bleeding can lead to problems

Skip the Small Talk: Meaningful Conversations Linked to Happier People

Happier people have more meaningful conversations

Vaccinomics: Scientists Are Devising Your Personal Vaccine

A new breed of vaccine is being developed that will make possible immunizations tailored to your genetic profile. But how long will it be until your personalized booster shots are ready?...

Carbs against Cardio: More Evidence that Refined Carbohydrates, not Fats, Threaten the Heart

Whether the new thinking will be reflected in this year's revision of the federal dietary guidelines remains unclear

Static over Statins: Should Young People without Cholesterol Problems Take Statins?

New recommendations to expand statin use will save lives but also raise questions about aggressively treating the healthy

What Science Really Says about Spanking

There’s little evidence that the punishment is useful, but debate continues