Better Understandings of Science

03/11/2025

Measles is known for its characteristic rash, but it can have serious respiratory and neurologic complications.

03/11/2025

RFK Jr. is on a mission. He says the folks who sit on the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee—the ones who recommend what vaccines we get—are bought and paid for by industry. Claims they’re “beholden.” Corrupt. Basically the healthcare version of pro wrestlers pretending to fight while cashing the same check.

But Science Magazine actually checked. And here’s what they found: these experts? They’ve had about as much payoff as a gas station scratch ticket. Strict rules, mandatory recusals, public disclosures—you name it. No backroom deals. No smoking gun. Just a bunch of career docs doing public health work, and probably working way too hard for not enough money.

Meanwhile, RFK Jr. himself made nearly a million bucks referring clients to lawyers suing over the HPV vaccine. And that’s fine, apparently.

Now he wants to swap out the seasoned experts on vaccine policy for folks “not conflicted.” Translation: people who agree with him that vaccines are scary. Even if that’s not true. And if you’re thinking, “Surely this won’t affect me,” think again. These are the folks who decide what vaccines your kids get, which ones your insurance pays for, and how we avoid turning 2025 into the Oregon Trail.

The CDC already rolled out a new tool showing all the recusals and disclosures anyone could ever want. But it seems like RFK Jr.’s idea of transparency is more about clearing the room of anyone who disagrees with him.

Call me old-fashioned, but I like my vaccine experts with actual expertise.

A Science investigation finds no sign that members of a key CDC vaccine committee are compromised

03/11/2025

While the rest of us were wondering if eggs would ever come down in price, RFK Jr.—now actually running the Department of Health and Human Services—was busy spinning a yarn about measles. According to him, it’s not so much the lack of vaccines that’s the problem, it’s your diet. And if you do catch measles? Well, roll up your sleeve (not for a shot, mind you) and pass the cod liver oil!

In a rambling interview, RFK Jr. suggested the real reason kids are dying from measles isn’t because they aren’t vaccinated, it’s because they’re not healthy enough. Never mind that the Mennonite communities he’s talking about raise their own livestock and bake their own bread—they just need more push-ups and kale, apparently.

And while vaccines are “recommended,” he’s also dropping ominous warnings about “vaccine injuries,” promoting unproven treatments, and generally making it harder for doctors to convince people to get the shots that actually work.

Let’s be clear: measles kills. Vaccines prevent that. Natural immunity sounds nice until you’re the unlucky one who ends up in the ICU—or worse.

So yeah, transparency and personal choice are fine things. But confusing people in the middle of an outbreak? That’s just bad leadership. We need facts, not fish oil.

In a recent interview, the health secretary also suggested that the measles vaccine had harmed children in West Texas, center of an outbreak.

03/11/2025

The Trump administration, RFK Jr., and Elon Musk are teaming up to make the government “efficient”—which, in this case, means offering every single Health and Human Services employee $25,000 to just... leave. That’s 80,000+ people at HHS who’ve basically been handed a severance package and told, “Take the cash, or wait to see if you get kicked out later.” Classic Silicon Valley meets dystopian bureaucracy.

Sure, it sounds like trimming fat, but guess who works at HHS? The FDA, CDC, NIH, and all the folks who keep tabs on your meds, your Medicare, and that measles outbreak that’s back because, you know, vaccines aren’t popular with this crowd.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk is running through HHS with DOGE. Because why not hand public health over to a guy who sold us flamethrowers for fun?

$25K might buy a used Tesla, but good luck getting public health back once you fire the people who manage it.

All employees in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services were notified Friday of the option to voluntarily resign in exchange for a $25,000 payment.

03/11/2025

RFK Jr., our newly minted HHS Secretary and longtime conspiracy theorist-in-chief, just ordered the FDA to shut down a loophole that lets food companies "self-affirm" their ingredients are safe.

On paper, this sounds great. More transparency, fewer mystery chemicals in our cheese puffs. Who doesn’t want to know what’s in their food? But let’s not pretend this is the silver bullet that’s going to Make America Healthy Again. The vast majority of these so-called “chemicals” are well-tested and safe in the quantities we eat them. Water is technically a chemical (dihydrogen monoxide), folks.

That said, cleaning up the GRAS process has been on the to-do list for years, and maybe RFK Jr. will actually get something done. Just don’t let this distract you from the fact that it’s not xanthan gum making us sick—it’s the fact we’re washing it down with 64 ounces of soda while scrolling TikTok for 4 hours.

Transparency? Yes. Scare tactics? Hard pass.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ordered the Food and Drug Administration on Monday to revise its rule allowing food companies to "self-affirm" that its ingredients are safe.

12/14/2024

NASA’s Juno spacecraft just got up close and personal with Io, Jupiter’s wild child and the most volcanic place in the entire solar system. Think of Io as that one chaotic friend who’s always erupting at every party—except this party has 400+ active volcanoes shooting lava miles into space.

Juno’s flyby was the closest we’ve been to Io in 20 years, cruising just 930 miles above the surface (which, in space terms, is basically “hey neighbor!”). The images are insane—towering volcanic plumes, rivers of fresh lava, and a molten hellscape that makes Mordor look like a kiddie pool.

Why should you care? Io is teaching scientists about volcanic activity, not just here but across the universe. Plus, it’s yet another reminder that our solar system is an absolute madhouse.

Juno out here doing work while we’re stuck in traffic. Respect.

A new study points to why, and how, Io became the most volcanic body in the solar system.

12/14/2024

NASA’s Perseverance rover just found a rock on Mars that’s giving off major “ancient life might’ve been here” vibes. The rock—named Cheyava Falls (because even space rocks need cool names)—has strange leopard-spot patterns and organic molecules, which are basically life’s calling card. On Earth, this kind of rock screams “microbes were here!”

So, is this proof of ancient Martians? Nope. Not yet. Scientists are cautious because space likes to punk us sometimes. But this could be a huge step in the search for life beyond Earth—provided we can haul those Martian samples back home by the 2030s. Because of course, Mars is like, “You want answers? Come and get ‘em.”

In the meantime, Perseverance is out there doing the Lord’s work—fighting dust storms, driving like a champ, and lowkey teasing us with “maybe life existed here” hints.

Stay tuned, folks. If Martians were a thing, this could be the first clue that they weren’t just bad sci-fi extras.

Now atop Jezero Crater, the robotic explorer found quartz indicative of habitable environments and possibly the oldest rocks yet seen in the solar system.

12/14/2024

Turns out, our ancient relatives were a lot more neighborly than we thought. Recent studies reveal that humans and Neanderthals didn't just exchange awkward glances across the prehistoric campfire—they were getting cozy as recently as 45,000 years ago. This interbreeding wasn't a one-time fling; it spanned thousands of years, leaving a lasting legacy in our DNA.

So, next time you feel an inexplicable urge to grunt or wield a club, just remember: it's probably your inner Neanderthal making a cameo.

Two teams using different methods both conclude that humans and Neanderthals had children together starting roughly 50,000 years ago.

12/13/2024

Just when you thought fungi were content munching on your leftovers, they’ve upped their game to radiation. Researchers discovered that certain fungi, armed with melanin—the same stuff that gives us our sun-kissed glow—can feast on radiation itself.

After the Chernobyl disaster, these 'black fungi' didn't just survive; they thrived, turning the nuclear wasteland into their personal buffet. Scientists found that when exposed to gamma radiation, these fungi grew faster, suggesting they can convert radiation into energy.

So, while we're busy slathering on SPF to avoid radiation, these fungi are out there having a five-star meal. Who knew the mold on your shower curtain had such ambitious cousins?

For the full scoop, check out the original article: Hungry fungi chomp on radiation

Nature - the world's best science and medicine on your desktop

12/10/2024

Let’s talk about the Mandela Effect and how Ed McMahon has all of us questioning reality.

You know Ed McMahon—the guy we ALL remember showing up at people’s doors on TV with balloons, a giant check, and that “you’ve just won!” energy? That memory feels so real you can practically hear the dogs barking and see the neighbors peeking through their curtains.

But here’s where reality pulls a fast one: Ed McMahon never worked for Publishers Clearing House. He was actually part of American Family Publishers—a totally different company that mailed their prize announcements. That’s right. Ed McMahon never showed up to anyone’s front porch with a check in hand, no matter how vividly we all “remember” it.

So why do we swear it happened? It’s called the Mandela Effect—when a bunch of people collectively misremember something. It’s like our brains agreed to rewrite history behind our backs. Between Publishers Clearing House being the face of giant checks and pop culture (looking at you, The Simpsons and Family Guy) reinforcing Ed McMahon as the patron saint of surprise money, we all just... made it up.

It’s both funny and a little spooky—like realizing your brain is less “reliable hard drive” and more “imaginative storyteller.” So the next time someone brings up Ed McMahon and Publishers Clearing House, you can blow their mind with the truth: it never happened, but we all wish it did.

Reality is weird, y’all. Hold onto your giant checks—just don’t expect Ed to bring them.

Here are several reasons why so many Americans think they remember entertainer Ed McMahon working for Publishers Clearing House.

12/08/2024

Arctic Ice: The Ultimate Disappearing Act 🧊

In a plot twist straight out of a climate change thriller, scientists now predict that the Arctic could experience its first ice-free day as early as 2027. That's right—before your new car loan is paid off, we might witness the Arctic Ocean shedding its icy armor, leaving polar bears scrambling for solid ground.

This isn't just a polar problem; it's a global wake-up call. An ice-free Arctic could wreak havoc on weather patterns, making your local forecast as unpredictable as a cat on catnip. Think more extreme storms, rising sea levels, and heatwaves that make your AC bill skyrocket.

The culprit? Our insatiable appetite for fossil fuels, pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere like there's no tomorrow. But here's the kicker: there is a tomorrow, and it's looking hotter than a jalapeño in July.

So, what's the game plan? Cutting emissions isn't just a good idea; it's essential. Every ton of CO₂ we keep out of the atmosphere buys us time—time to adapt, innovate, and maybe, just maybe, keep the Arctic's icy reputation intact a little longer.

Remember, the Arctic's not just some far-off frozen wasteland; it's a linchpin in Earth's climate system. Its meltdown is our problem, too. Let's act like it.

The first day with no sea ice in the Arctic will be a visible sign of climate change. This work reveals that this could occur before 2030 already and becomes more likely as the world warms. As the ice thins, the triggers are extreme weather events.

12/08/2024

Siberia: Where Asteroids Go to Party ☄️

A 27-inch asteroid—small enough to look innocent, fast enough to ruin your day—came tearing through Earth’s atmosphere over Siberia, lighting up the sky like it owed the Sun money. The cosmic fireball burned up harmlessly in the atmosphere, treating the locals to a light show that screamed "Tunguska Lite."

Here’s the kicker: astronomers only spotted this space rock 12 hours before it arrived, which is a little like hearing the doorbell and realizing it’s a distant cousin crashing on your couch. But don’t panic—NASA and observatories worldwide are getting better at tracking these celestial surprises, which is reassuring when space rocks have a habit of showing up uninvited.

Meanwhile, a much larger asteroid—about the size of a football stadium—just whizzed past Earth at a polite 1.37 million miles away. So, while Siberia got the fireworks, the rest of us got a reminder: in the grand roulette of space, Earth sometimes gets grazed, but the house always wins… for now.

The moral? When you see a shooting star, it’s not always a romantic wish. Sometimes, it’s just Earth flexing its atmosphere like a champ, turning a rogue rock into an impromptu light show.

The asteroid entered Earth's atmosphere at 11:15 a.m. ET over Yakutia in northeastern Siberia, creating a massive fireball.