Metal in Microwaves
If metal isn’t supposed to go in microwave ovens, why do some of them have metal racks?
Fear of Gluten
Gluten-free diets are all the rage, but only a small percentage of the population is truly sensitive to the wheat protein.
27 Club Myth
Statisticians test whether famous musicians are really more likely to die at age 27.
Baby Tooth Cavities
Baby teeth fall out eventually. But that doesn't mean cavities in baby teeth should be ignored.
Artificial Dyes
Some people argue that food dyes are harmful to human health, but do decades of safety research back up these allegations?
How Paleo is “Paleo”?
Did our hunter-gatherer ancestors really eat a “Paleo” diet?
2012 Apocalypse Myth Exposed – Encore presentation
The world is not ending today. Find out why in this Science Update encore presentation.
Left-Handed Brains
Left-handers suffer more from learning disabilities but can also excel in spatial visualization.
Podcast
SCIENCE OF SOUND: Male penguins attract females by the sound of their voice, tropical wrens sing duets, and there's a new screening test for autism that analyzes speech patterns. Also: exposing "facilitated communication".
*Image originally appeared in: https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.0020406
Facilitated Miscommunication
Wishful, rather than scientific thinking led health care professionals to believe that that a man in a persistent vegetative state was writing elaborate messages to them.
Podcast
THE BRAIN: Empathy and aggression share the same neural circuitry, chronic pain sufferers process acute pain differently, how a brain implant made of silk could help epilepsy patients, the effects of pre-natal air pollution exposure on children's cognitive performance, and the psychology behind the Ouija board.
Podcast
WEIRD SCIENCE: Behind the legend of the chupacabra, does cracking your knuckles cause arthritis? A physiological explanation for near-death experiences, and animals that live without oxygen.
Chupacabra
A legendary beast called the chupacabra has a surprisingly recent origin.
Gelatin Source
Reality Check investigates the urban legend that gelatin is made from cow hooves.
Podcast
THE FOOD SHOW - High school students expose food fraud in New York City. Does gelatin really come from cow hooves? And the hormone behind eating when you're already full.
Chewing Gum Myth
A listener asks: If you accidentally swallow chewing gum, does it really take years to go through your system?
Podcast
Ancient insect pollinators, your body's unique microbes, a marine creature that could fix broken bones. Also: does chewing gum really take years to digest?
Planetary Alignment Myth
A NASA scientist de-bunks the myth that an alignment of the planets affects gravity on earth.
2012 Apocalypse Myth Exposed
A planet called Nibiru won't be slamming into earth in December, 2012, but the hype surrounding the myth is hardly harmless.
Reading in Dim Light
In this episode our new series Reality Check: Does reading in dim light ruin your eyes?