Healing Spirits
On the uneasy relationship between magic and medicine.
On the uneasy relationship between magic and medicine.
Daniel Mason Lapham's Quarterly Jul 2012 Permalink
Controversy over the alleged gold standard of forensic evidence.
Michael Specter New Yorker May 2002 30min Permalink
How the CIA, under a program called MK-ULTRA, used a San Francisco apartment to dose johns with LSD.
Troy Hooper San Francisco Weekly Mar 2012 Permalink
An investigation into Erin Brockovich and the lawsuits that made her famous.
Eric Umansky The New Republic Nov 2003 20min Permalink
The story of dog-scent lineup innovator Keith Pikett and the not-so-scientific science behind forensics.
Michael Hall Texas Monthly May 2010 35min Permalink
The American medical establishment has gone to extraordinary lengths—some of which read like conspiracy theory—to discredit the notion (and its most visible promoter, Dr. Atkins) that carbohydrates, not fat, are the cause of obesity. It looks like they were wrong.
Gary Taubes New York Times Magazine Jul 2002 30min Permalink
On the expanding community of American parents who believe, despite abundant evidence to the contrary, that there is a link between routine vaccinations and autism.
Seth Mnookin Simon and Schuster Jan 2011 Permalink
How to kick heroin in 24 hours.
Joshua Davis Wired Jan 2005 15min Permalink
Mattathias Rath made a fortune selling cure-all vitamins in Europe before moving his business to South Africa, where he launched a massive campaign against retroviral AIDS medications and in favor of his own vitamin cocktails. When scientists, AIDS non-profits, and even Medecins San Frontieres objected, he sued.
Ben Goldacre Bad Science Apr 2009 20min Permalink
From the 1940s through the early 70s, incoming freshman at Harvard, Yale, Vassar, Wellesley, and several other top schools were photographed nude in the name of science–bogus science, as it turned out. Most of the photos were destroyed, but not all.
The cozy relationship between “the internet newspaper” and bogus medicine.
Rahul K. Parikh Salon Jul 2009 15min Permalink
Fifteen years ago, William Dranginis saw Bigfoot. He’s still trying to prove it.
Eric Wills Washington City Paper Jul 2008 20min Permalink
Why don’t TV weathermen believe in climate change?
Charles Homans Columbia Journalism Review Jan 2010 15min Permalink