Science

Sea Moss Does Not Cure Thyroid Disease. But People Sell It Online Anyway.
Hypothyroidism is easily treatable in almost everyone who has it. But social media is rife with bogus cures.

10 Years Ago, DNA Tests Were The Future Of Medicine. Now They’re A Social Network — And A Data Privacy Mess.
We were offered personalized medicine. Instead, we got Facebook for our DNA.

New York Lost A Landmark Climate Fraud Case Against Exxon
The finding dealt a big blow to climate change activists hoping to use the courts to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for their climate disclosures.

The Genealogy Website That Helped Crack The Golden State Killer Case Has Been Bought By A Forensic Genetics Firm
Crime scene DNA sequencing company Verogen has just acquired GEDmatch, a genealogy database credited with helping to solve some 70 rapes and murders.

This Was The Decade Drug Overdoses Killed Nearly Half A Million Americans
It was also the decade we finally started treating drug addiction like a disease, spurred by an overdose epidemic that ravaged white, rural America.

Trump Is Giving In To The Vaping Industry On A Flavor Ban, Lawmakers Say
A bipartisan letter to the White House is slamming President Trump for backing off a proposed ban on flavored e-cigarettes thought to be driving the teen vaping epidemic.

There Is A New Way To See Climate Change
This goes way beyond images of polar bears.

“We Cannot Afford To Fail”: A New UN Report Is Forecasting Potentially Catastrophic Warming
The world has already warmed 1 degree Celsius, and it’s on track to warm more than 3 degrees by the end of the century.

This Mom Is Buying Mutant Mice From China To Find A Cure For Her Son’s Rare Genetic Disease
“The only option was for me to create our own miracle,” said Amber Freed. “Nobody else was going to help.”

Elon Musk's WiFi Satellites Are Blocking Astronomers' Views Of The Sky
SpaceX launched 60 WiFi satellites last week, and hopes to launch thousands more.

Hundreds Of US Toxic Waste Sites Are At Risk Of Climate Disasters
A new federal report suggests about 60% of so-called Superfund sites are in areas at risk of wildfires, flooding, and other natural disasters that could be worsened by climate change.

Elizabeth Warren Wants To Punish Companies Like Exxon For Lying To Federal Agencies
Warren's plan targeting companies for spreading misinformation comes as Exxon has been sued in multiple states for lying to investors about climate risks.

CDC Investigators Have Linked Vitamin E To Deadly Vaping Injuries
“For the first time, we have a definite contaminant of concern,” the CDC said.

Three Teens Are Demanding Their Government Tell Them The Truth About The Air They're Breathing
“I’ve developed a chronic cough since I came to Lahore — and I haven’t even seen the worst of the smog season yet.”

New Orleans Officials Have Covered Up An Alarming Lead Report For Years
Secret documents obtained by BuzzFeed News allege that New Orleans failed to test for lead in the city’s highest risk homes — and covered it up for years.

Chile Just Pulled Out Of Hosting The Biggest Climate Conference Of The Year Because Of Violent Protests
On Friday, the United Nations announced the conference is being relocated to Spain.

As The Amazon Burned, Gun Sales Jumped
Gun sales in the Amazon have increased under Brazil's far-right president, new BuzzFeed News analysis reveals.

Juul Shipped At Least A Million Contaminated Pods, New Lawsuit Says
“Half our customers are drunk and vaping like mo-fos, who the fuck is going to notice the quality of our pods,” the former CEO allegedly said. Juul says the lawsuit is “baseless.”

A Fight Over Vaping “Bots” Is Blazing While E-Cigarette Bans Loom
“Dehumanizing opposition by calling people ‘bots’ is just a way to attack vaping,” said one vaping advocate.

Four Juul Executives Are Out As The Company Plans To Cut About 500 Jobs
In a tumultuous year for the e-cigarette company, the layoffs will amount to 10% to 15% of the 4,000-person workforce.

Massachusetts Is Now The Second State Suing The Oil Giant Exxon Over Climate Change
Exxon is currently on trial in New York facing similar climate fraud claims.

Here’s What You Need To Know About Today’s Historic Climate Fraud Case Against Exxon
“Exxon has been working very hard to prevent this day from ever happening,” said one legal expert.

Juul Will Stop Selling Most Flavored E-Cigs — But Its Competitors Won’t
“Juul should speak for itself,” said one of the e-cigarette maker’s competitors. A lack of trust in the vaping industry “is a direct result of its deceptive marketing activities.”

Johnson & Johnson Is Recalling 33,000 Baby Powder Bottles After A Sample Turned Up Positive For Asbestos
The company is facing a slew of lawsuits from women claiming the talcum products caused them to develop cancer.

Al Sharpton's Organization Has Canceled A "Both Sides" Vaccine Event
"We said both sides must be heard—we haven’t taken a position yet," the Reverend Al Sharpton said. The event was slated to occur this weekend in Harlem.

Dozens Of YouTube Videos Are Showing People How To Make Potentially Dangerous Vape Oil
After being contacted by BuzzFeed News, the platform took down some of the videos. Vaping-related injuries continue to climb by the day.

This Map Shows The Wildfire Risks That Are Causing California’s Utilities To Cut Off Power
Parched conditions, high winds, and utilities’ fears about incurring huge liabilities have triggered widespread precautionary power outages.

Three Scientists Have Won The Nobel Prize In Chemistry For Developing Lithium-Ion Batteries
John Goodenough, Stanley Whittingham, and Akira Yoshino developed rechargeable lithium-ion battery technology that today powers a variety of modern electronics.

Three Scientists Have Won The Nobel Prize In Physics For Astronomical Discoveries
James Peebles, Michel Mayor, and Didier Queloz will split the prize of 9 million Swedish kronor, about $908,000.

Three Scientists Just Won The Nobel Prize In Medicine For Discovering How Oxygen Affects Cells
William Kaelin, Sir Peter Ratcliffe, and Gregg Semenza were awarded the 2019 prize for discovering a fundamental process in animal life: how cells respond to oxygen.