Health

The Flu, Explained

This year's flu season is the worst in recent history. Here's what you need to know.

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| Mon Jan. 14, 2013 4:00 AM PST

Are Big Cities More Dangerous Than Small Ones?

A little, but the reason why will surprise you.

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| Fri Jan. 11, 2013 4:00 AM PST
Cessna 172

Leaded Fuel Is a Thing of the Past—Unless You Fly a Private Plane

Thanks to FAA foot-dragging, many small planes still use the leaded fuel banned from automobiles in the mid-'90s.

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| Thu Jan. 10, 2013 4:00 AM PST

Is Health Care Spending Finally Under Control?

Or are people just spending less on health because they don't have the money?

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| Wed Jan. 9, 2013 10:39 AM PST

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Fiscal Deal Could Make Health Insurance More Expensive

The deficit-reduction deal the president just signed guts an Obamacare loan program designed to help reduce health insurance costs.

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| Fri Jan. 4, 2013 11:33 AM PST

"Just One Lick": The Hidden Lead That Could Sicken Your Kids

An interview with pioneering lead toxicologist Howard Mielke.

By

| Fri Dec. 14, 2012 6:17 PM PST
smoking gun

How Dangerous Is the Lead in Bullets?

A new report finds dangerously high levels of vaporized lead at military firing ranges. Here's what this means for civilians.

By

| Wed Dec. 5, 2012 4:41 PM PST

Is There Lead In Your House?

The neurotoxic element may be lurking in your pipes, window frames—even garden plants. What to look out for, especially if you have kids crawling around.

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| Thu Jan. 3, 2013 4:00 AM PST
lead molecule

America's Real Criminal Element: Lead

New research finds Pb is the hidden villain behind violent crime, lower IQs, and even the ADHD epidemic. And fixing the problem is a lot cheaper than doing nothing.

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| Wed Nov. 28, 2012 2:42 PM PST

Can Antibiotics Make You Fat?

Factory animals are pumped full of antibiotics to make them gain weight. What does that mean for our waistlines?

By

| Wed Jan. 2, 2013 4:00 AM PST
Lydia Brown

The Media's Post-Newtown Autism Fail

After the shooting, "experts" weighed in on the condition with stereotypes and worse.

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| Sat Dec. 22, 2012 4:03 AM PST

Mental Health Checks for Gun Buyers: Weak, Chaotic, Full of Loopholes

Federal law technically prohibits sales of firearms to the mentally ill. Here's the reality.

By and

| Fri Dec. 21, 2012 8:00 AM PST
airport security

TSA Finally Investigating Cancer Risk of X-Ray Body Scanners

Lingering questions on the safety of backscatters have forced the TSA to commission an independent study.

By Michael Grabell, ProPublica

 | Wed Dec. 19, 2012 4:00 AM PST

How to Talk to Kids About Newtown

How to help children and teens face their fears about school shootings—without freaking them out even more.

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| Fri Dec. 14, 2012 6:45 PM PST
vaccination

Is the Pentagon Planning to Inject Us With Super-Human Invincibility Juice?

New DARPA project seeks injectable elixirs to protect against all kinds of scary things.

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| Fri Dec. 14, 2012 4:00 AM PST
green christmas trees

Should I Buy a Fake Christmas Tree or a Real One?

How I tried—and failed—to buy the "greenest" tree possible.

By

| Wed Dec. 12, 2012 4:00 AM PST

More Stuff for Pregnant Women to Worry About

A new study finds that doctors aren't warming mothers-to-be about chemicals in the environment.

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| Tue Dec. 11, 2012 4:00 AM PST
beef on the grill

Grosser Than Pink Slime: Poop-Contaminated, Mechanically Tenderized Beef

To make tough cuts more palatable, beef producers use a process that translates to an E. coli party, reports the Kansas City Star.

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| Tue Dec. 11, 2012 4:00 AM PST
Lewis Lapham

Lewis Lapham's Drug Diary

Better living through chemistry, from LSD to alcohol to Viagra.

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| Mon Dec. 10, 2012 12:00 PM PST

Is Your Baby Sleeping in Carcinogens?

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| Thu Dec. 6, 2012 3:07 PM PST