Public HealthApril 3, 2020
Why the Coronavirus Slipped Past Disease Detectives
Groups of scientists tasked with identifying pandemic-prone microbes were stretched too far and thin
Stories by Charles Schmidt
Charles Schmidt has written for Undark, Nature, Science, NPR and the Washington Post, among many other publications.
MedicineNovember 1, 2019
Phage Therapy Could Beat Drug-Resistant Illnesses
Treatment first used in the early 20th century is showing promise against deadly infections
Climate ChangeAugust 28, 2019
New Elevation Measure Shows Climate Change Could Quickly Swamp the Mekong Delta
A surprise revelation means 12 million Vietnamese may need to retreat
BehaviorApril 5, 2019
Cyberchondriacs Just Know They Must Be Sick
Researchers are unraveling the psychological reasons why some people relentlessly self-diagnose themselves online for hours a day
Public HealthMarch 29, 2018
New Studies Link Cell Phone Radiation with Cancer in Male Rats
Researchers call for greater caution, but skeptics say the evidence from rat studies is not convincing
MedicineSeptember 1, 2017
Many Pediatric Studies Are a Waste of Time
New initiatives aim to lessen the obstacles to finding useful treatments for children
Public HealthApril 1, 2017
Scientists Struggle to Determine Risky Levels of PFCs in Drinking Water
More communities are emerging as hotspots for drinking water tainted with PFCs, but scientists and regulators are struggling to determine how much is unsafe
Public HealthDecember 1, 2016
Why the FDA Wants More Control over Some Lab Tests
The FDA finds that many so-called laboratory-derived tests may actually harm patients
Public HealthMarch 16, 2016
Is Agent Orange Still Causing Birth Defects?
Vietnam insists that children are suffering today from the lingering effects of the infamous defoliant sprayed by U.S. forces decades ago. Scientists are undecided
ChemistryMarch 1, 2016
For the First Time Chemists Measure the Energy of a Chemical Reaction's Transition State
The ability to quantify the elusive moment when entities in a reaction convert “is important wherever chemistry is important,” researchers say
Mental HealthMarch 1, 2015
Mental Health May Depend on Creatures in the Gut
The microbiome may yield a new class of psychobiotics for the treatment of anxiety, depression and other mood disorders