Category Archives: Science

Slate: Is It Ethical to Prescribe Placebos?

It May Be Fake, but Trust Me—It’ll Work
 When is it kosher for doctors to prescribe placebos? Slate, March 16, 2011

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Los Angeles Times: The New Mammography Guidelines, a Year Later

The change in mammogram guidelines After a federal panel pulled back its recommendations for screenings, a debate continues to rage about the wisdom or risk of it. The Los Angeles Times, March 7, 2011 Here, I write about the US … Continue reading

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Runner’s World: What’s the best age to run the marathon?

Age Matters Are you too old—or too young—to run your best marathon? To find out, we asked top scientists, coaches, and elite athletes about the impact of aging on endurance. Their answers might pleasantly surprise you. Runner’s World, February 2009

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New Scientist: Gene Dopers

Gene Cheats Drug scandals in sport would be nothing compared to the potential for genetic engineering to create “super-athletes”. Christie Aschwanden investigates New Scientist, January 15, 2000. This appears to be the first media report about gene doping — genetic … Continue reading

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New Scientist: Tread Softly

Tread softly. New Scientist, February 3, 2000 Road networks play havoc with nature. But a new kind of route map will make it easier to treat the land more gently, says Christie Aschwanden

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Runner’s World: How to find the running event that best matches your natural talents.

Natural Selection What kind of runner are you? Were you born to run a fast 5-K, a strong marathon, or something in between? Here’s how to find out—and how to realize your full potential. Runner’s World, January 2009

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Runner’s World: Why do runners force ourselves through pain?

Enduring Questions: Why Do We Suffer? Running can hurt. This is one runner’s quest to understand the bittersweet symphony. Runner’s World, September 9, 2009

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Cell: Teaching management skills to scientists

Managing to Excel at Science Amid growing recognition that a successful scientific career requires skills beyond scientific acumen, institutions are racing to provide management training for newly minted principal investigators. Cell, March 2009

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Cell: How postdoc associations are improving the postdoc experience.

Professionalizing the Postdoctoral Experience The first postdoctoral association was launched in the United States 13 years ago. Although postdoctoral associations have made tremendous progress toward improving the lives of postdoctoral fellows, their job is not finished yet. Cell, February 10, … Continue reading

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New York Times: Agent Orange Lingers in Vietnam

Through the Forest, a Clearer View of the Needs of a People Vietnamese botanist Phung Tuu Boi is working to help forests and native peoples recover from Agent Orange. Filmmaker George Lerner produced a video of Christie’s travels with Mr. … Continue reading

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New York Times: The American Cancer Society’s deceptive awareness campaign about skin cancer

Doctors Balk at Cancer Ad, Citing Lack of Evidence Some doctors are questioning a cancer society ad campaign on sunscreen because most skin cancer is not life-threatening. The New York Times, July 10, 2007

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High Country News: Why science alone will not settle the West’s endangered species dilemmas

Is It or Isn’t It (Just Another Mouse)? Why science alone will not settle the West’s endangered species dilemmas High Country News, August 7, 2006 2007 recipient of an honorable mention for print journalism from the
American Institute of Biological Sciences. … Continue reading

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New Scientist: New blood doping test relies on old science

No Cheating in the Blood Test A new blood doping test relies on old science. New Scientist, Oct 2002

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