A recent paper claims that even at low doses pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides are changing the behavior of insects. Though they are not able to show how it is happening, the authors use 'needs…

As part of my self-celebrations for XX years of blogging activities, I am reposting here (very) old articles I wrote over the years on topics ranging from Physics to Chess to anything in between. The…

A whole lot of classic liberals have discovered how goofy their progressive cousins have been for 25 years. All it took for this sudden embrace of critical thinking was for a Republican to say 'maybe…

Most of the country laughed when an expensive Los Angeles Times 'Foodie' event gave elites who paid up to $800 per ticket norovirus.  Norovirus is gastroentitis, a 'stomach flu', sometimes…

Most of the country laughed when an expensive Los Angeles Times 'Foodie' event gave elites who paid up to $800 per ticket norovirus.  Norovirus is gastroentitis, a 'stomach flu', sometimes…

A recent epidemiology paper links common weedkillers to prostate cancer and further claims four of them cause death.  Obviously they can't show that, there is no plausible biological mechanism,…

In the fall of 2020, the contentious election saw progressives claiming the COVID-19 vaccine was rushed and that the Republican president was risking lives to help his Big Pharma buddies. They won…

In the fall of 2020, the contentious election saw progressives claiming the COVID-19 vaccine was rushed and that the Republican president was risking lives to help his Big Pharma buddies. They won…

The US Defense Intelligence Agency National Center for Medical Intelligence, America's first line of defense against medical threats, expressed concern about gain of function research at the Wuhan…

The US Defense Intelligence Agency National Center for Medical Intelligence, America's first line of defense against medical threats, expressed concern about gain of function research at the Wuhan…

As part of my self-celebrations for having survived 20 years of blogging (the anniversary was a few days ago, see my previous post), I am re-posting a few representative, old articles I wrote in my…

GMOs had quietly been in use for decades when they became controversial - for saving a fruit in Hawaii that legacy techniques like breeding and chemicals had not. The Rainbow Papaya became a home run…

Anti-science activists are outraged that Mexican experts ruled against their government's publicity stunt claiming they would ban "GMOs" and the most popular weedkiller used by Mexican farmers. Some…

Anti-science activists are outraged that Mexican experts ruled against their government's publicity stunt claiming they would ban "GMOs" and the most popular weedkiller used by Mexican farmers. Some…

Once upon a time, environmentalists embraced biotechnology as key way to reduce pesticide use. Rachel Carson, author of "Silent Spring", was a fan of genetic engineering. That was before we all…

If you want to virtue signal your eating habits to others, Los Angeles is a great place to be. Everyone touts organic, holistic, free-range, wild-caught, artisanal, non-GMO, you name it and if the…

If you want to virtue signal your eating habits to others, Los Angeles is a great place to be. Everyone touts organic, holistic, free-range, wild-caught, artisanal, non-GMO, you name it and if the…

Twenty years ago today I got access for the first time to the interface that allowed me to publish blog posts for the Quantum Diaries web site, a science outreach endeavor that involved some 12 (then…

In ancient civilizations, rulers and nobles exchanged gifts as acts of prestige. Only when Assyria came into existence, and it had a need for manpower and resources to feed its conquering empire, did…

A recent paper claims the common weedkiller known as glyphosate gives mice Alzheimer's and therefore is a risk to humans. Arizona State University researchers created an association between…