Science Literacy Project Daily Digest
‘Dangerous’: As measles cases reach a 30-year high, American Academy of Pediatrics blasts Trump/RFK Jr. vaccine order
The president of the American Academy of Pediatrics blasted President Trump’s ... executive order calling for fewer childhood vaccines. “As measles cases reach a ...
‘Sick Tok’: Viral social media videos push medical misinformation
Medical professionals across the globe are sounding the alarm over a dangerous explosion of health misinformation propagating on short-form video ...
Viewpoint: Bible radio and other social media falsely claim Heinz ketchup contains ‘dangerous GMOs’
A viral image circulating on social media platforms claims that Heinz ketchup has been “forced to now carry a ‘contains ...
Challenging common wisdom: Social media doesn’t much change what you believe
For years, social media companies have faced pressure from users and government watchdogs to stop misinformation from distorting elections, deepening ...
‘The child is terrified’: Doctors on the front lines of a measles comeback speak out
This isn’t just a bad year for measles. It looks to be the start of a bad era. Confirmed measles cases just ...
How RFK, Jr. and his family could rake in millions from vaccine tort cases
In a letter dated July 28 [2026], Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Angela Alsobrooks (Md.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) and Andy Kim ...
Viewpoint: Mel Gibson’s goofy endorsement of ivermectin as a cancer cure worries responsible physicians
The buzz started after actor Mel Gibson went on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast and said that his friends with ...
Chips, sodas and other ultraprocessed foods made with GMO corn or soybeans will have to carry bioengineered labels
[A federal] court’s ruling tees up a major rewrite of the U.S.’ bioengineered labeling rule, which for the first time ...
First viruses designed by AI raise hope for new medicines. What could go wrong?
Scientists have made the first viruses designed by artificial intelligence in a milestone that raises hopes for new medicines but ...
Viewpoint: RFK Jr.’s new cooking show is a bouillabaisse of misinformation
... The Real Food Show, featuring Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, premiered on YouTube to promote the ...
Death by mutation: Attempts to extend life will eventually hit the brick wall of accumulating damaged cells
A new paper investigates how the slow accumulation of certain mutations in DNA affects human life span. Called somatic mutations, ...
Viewpoint: From COVID lifeline to accused criminal—the bizarre story of how Stephen Miller’s pregnant wife turned on Anthony Fauci
Katie Miller, an erstwhile Trump administration official and wife of Stephen Miller, once relied on Dr Anthony Fauci to get through Covid ...
Misinformation vs Disinformation: Your guide through the increasingly wacky and dangerous world of social media
You may be familiar with the concept of health misinformation: conspiracy theories, well-intentioned advice not backed by science, or common misconceptions ...
White House ‘gold standard’ science? With RFK, Jr. at his side, Trump revives vaccine-autism myth, recommends splitting childhood shots
President Trump signed an executive order on [August 10, 20206] laying out new recommendations for childhood vaccinations, and during his remarks, he mentioned ...
What’s in our food? FDA proposes that food manufacturers disclose food additives and ingredients
U.S. health officials on [August 10, 2026] proposed a rule change that would require food manufacturers to notify regulators before ...
Reports on the positive health impact of weight-loss drugs have been consistent. These professors say, ‘not so fast’
Much of the evidence accumulated on weight loss drugs and mental health so far suggests they make us feel better ...
Disinformation that spreads during heat waves
Extreme weather typically brings a storm of disinformation with it; this [summer 2026] heat wave is no different. ... Spain's fake ...
Viewpoint: The misguided Trump-RFK, Jr. formula for improving health: promoting nutrition while undermining food safety
I spent nearly a decade leading FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. That role convinced me that food ...
The great data center backlash of 2026
For the past few decades, data centers have been quietly built all over the US, largely in areas with both ...
Genetic testing can save lives—but they can also complicate them
The expansion of genetic testing, though a success of modern medicine, nevertheless poses complex ethical questions for medical professionals. The ubiquity ...
Viewpoint: Is solar swallowing farmland? Environmental industry advocates challenge Trump administration claims
After the Trump administration accused the state of fast-tracking solar farms on prime farmland, New York leaders fired back last ...
Selling sickness: How RFK Jr. and wellness influence grifters turned “inflammation” into a racket
While some health advocates believe raising awareness about inflammation is important, the MAHA movement has twisted it, devaluing the struggles chronically ...
Tips on how scientists and health professionals can constructively engage with those with autism in an age of rampant misinformation
During a time of rapid growth in artificial intelligence and unprecedented access to information, misinformation can spread faster and farther ...
This is what the AI boom looks like
The milestones for artificial intelligence keep getting grander. In 2023, an A.I. system passed the bar exam. In 2025, the ...
Viewpoint: European farmers struggle in the face of record heat waves
This summer [2026] has seen record-breaking climate induced heatwaves scorch much of Europe, which combined with droughts and “apocalyptic” wildfires ...
Junk science alert: Does a recent ballyhooed study really prove that artificial sweeteners are worse for your brain than sugar?
Artificial sweeteners are in the news almost constantly. If you believe the headlines, they are terrible blights on our health ...
Viewpoint: ‘ICUs were empty in NYC and across the US’: RFK, Jr. accuses pro-vaccine liberals of exaggerating the number of COVID deaths
Data: CDC. Image: Jeremy Faust/Inside Medicine. Blue=hospitals, dark blue=at home, green=nursing homes, purple=medical facility (outpatient or ER). Robert F. Kennedy ...
