Vaccine Scientist Warns Antiscience Conspiracies Have Become a Deadly, Organized Movement
Vaccinologist Peter Hotez explains how the movement to oppose science and scientists has gained power
Stories by Tanya Lewis
Tanya Lewis is a senior editor covering health and medicine at Scientific American. She writes and edits stories for the website and print magazine on topics ranging from COVID to organ transplants. She also co-hosts Your Health, Quickly on Scientific American's podcast Science, Quickly and writes Scientific American's weekly Health & Biology newsletter. She has held a number of positions over her seven years at Scientific American, including health editor, assistant news editor and associate editor at Scientific American Mind. Previously, she has written for outlets that include Insider, Wired, Science News, and others. She has a degree in biomedical engineering from Brown University and one in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
A Popular Decongestant Doesn’t Work. What Does?
The popular decongestant phenylephrine is not effective, an FDA panel found. Here’s what to use instead.
Should You Get a Blood Test For Alzheimer’s?
Consumers can now get easy tests for Alzheimer’s. But these tests may not really help patients that much—yet.
CDC Recommends Updated COVID Boosters for Everyone This Fall
Here’s what to know about the fall COVID boosters, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended for all people aged six months and older
This Tick Bite Makes You Allergic to Red Meat
The bite of the lone star tick makes people allergic to a sugar found in mammalian products, and many doctors don’t know about it.
When Will the Next COVID Vaccine Be Available, and Who Should Get It?
An updated COVID vaccine will be available soon, but certain groups may benefit more than others
A Pig Kidney Was Just Transplanted Into a Human Body, and It Is Still Working
Xenotransplants could help to solve the organ transplant crisis—if researchers can get the science right.
Hearing Aids Stave Off Cognitive Decline
Hearing aids may help maintain better brain functions in older people and better health overall.
How Wildfires Kill People
The deadly wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii, has killed dozens of people so far. Here’s how fires threaten human health
Red Meat Allergy Caused by Tick Bite Is Spreading—And Nearly Half of Doctors Don’t Know about It
The bite of the lone star tick can cause an allergy to red meat, as well as to dairy and some medications
Could Weight-Loss Drugs Curb Addiction? Your Health, Quickly, Episode 12
Drugs such as Wegovy and Ozempic might help people tackle substance abuse as well as shed pounds.
How Stress Messes With Your Gut
Inflammatory bowel disease flare-ups can be traced to mental stress
Aspartame Declared ‘Possible’ Carcinogen. Here’s What That Really Means
United Nations groups say the artificial sweetener poses a possible risk of liver cancer—but there’s no evidence for harm under the current daily limit
Doctor AI Will See You Now
ChatGPT and other AI programs can offer medical advice. But how good are they?
Cat Noses Contain Twisted Labyrinths That Help Them Separate Smells
Scientists hypothesize that coiled channels inside a cat’s nose may function like a gas chromatograph
How to Cool Down Fast in Summer Heat
Your body has a secret cooling method, and scientists explain how to use it.
MDMA Moves from Club Drug to Real Therapy
The party drug MDMA could soon be approved for treating people with severe PTSD.
Five Things You Need to Know about Wildfire Smoke Right Now
Where is it coming from? How long will it last? What's in the smoke? Whose health is at risk? How do you clean your own air?
The Pandemic Caused a Baby Boom in Red States and a Bust in Blue States
The COVID pandemic caused a U.S.-wide decline in fertility rates, but red states actually saw increases
The End of the COVID Emergency and What It Means for You
What you pay for tests, vaccines, and medicine will change
Pancreatic Cancer Vaccine Shows Promise in Small Initial Trial
An mRNA vaccine prevented tumor recurrence after surgery in eight of 16 patients, but the therapy still needs to be validated in larger trials
A 19th-Century Obscenity Law Is Being Used Again to Limit Abortion
Recent rulings on the abortion pill cite the Comstock Act, a 150-year-old law that’s still on the books
This 19th-Century Obscenity Law Is Still Restricting People’s Reproductive Rights
The Comstock Act is part of a federal case over access to abortion pills. A historical science-fiction writer weighs in on the legacy of 19th-century prudishness
The Bad Side of ‘Good’ Cholesterol
Very high HDL cholesterol levels almost double your risk of heart problems.