Commentary

The case against early detection of cancer.
FiveThirtyEight

Breast cancer’s latest saga: misfearing and misplaced goalposts
Last Word On Nothing, February 13, 2014
Also published at Slate, February 14, 2014

Budweiser’s Despicable “Hero’s Welcome” Ad Leaves a Bad Taste
The cheap beer manufacturer gave Super Bowl watchers a cheap cry, at the expense of U.S. Veterans.
Dame Magazine, January, 2014

24 Reasons to Ignore Best Places Lists
How “best places” lists have transformed place into a commodity rather than a commitment.
Last Word On Nothing, January 23, 2014

What’s Wrong with the Kellers?
How Bill Keller’s grand ideas blinded him to the human being he sought to exploit for his argument’s sake.
Knight Science Journalism Tracker, January 14, 2014

I’m just saying no to mammography: Why the numbers are in my favor
Washington Post, October 7, 2013

What is a good death?
Last Word On Nothing, August 29, 2013

Guns on the brain
How holding a gun changes our thinking.
Last Word On Nothing, May 21, 2013

This is what a meaningless study looks like.
Why the naturopathy study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal proves nothing.
May 9, 2013

Want to save the planet? Shrink your habitat — not just your apartment
Grist, March 22, 2013

The Finkbeiner Test
What matters in stories about women scientists?
Double X Science, March 5, 2013

How creeps get away with it
Last Word On Nothing, December 19, 2012

The Risk-Benefit Calculation of Mammograms
Mammograms aren’t useless. Whether you should get one, though, depends on a variety of factors.
Slate, December 10, 2012

Blowing the whistle
Why it’s to difficult to call out corruption.
Last Word On Nothing, October 16, 2012

A real cancer hero
This is what a true cancer hero looks like.
Last Word On Nothing, October 12, 2012

Another Cheater Confesses
Jonathan Vaughters’s confession sends a clear message — Doping is bad, but if you do it and get caught and then promise not to do it again, it’s all good.
Last Word On Nothing, August 14, 2012

Can cheaters repent?
How can cheaters like Alexander Vinokourov and Jonah Lehrer earn forgiveness?
Last Word On Nothing, July 31, 2012

The real scandal: science denialism at Susan G. Komen for the Cure®
Last Word On Nothing, February 8, 2012
Winner, National Association of Science Writers 2013 Science in Society Award for Commentary or Opinion

When is it time to revise our story?
How much contrary evidence do we need before we decide it’s time to update our definition of normal?
Last Word On Nothing, January 6, 2012

Let’s stop pretending we give a damn about climate change.
Last Word On Nothing, December 8, 2011

Do readers grasp nuance?
Last Word On Nothing, November 10, 2011

You’ve got mail, you idiot!
Last Word On Nothing, October 26, 2011

How to build a better conference
Last Word On Nothing, July 20, 2011

You Don’t Live in the Twitterverse: a Plea to Ground Yourself in Place
Last Word On Nothing, July 8, 2011

For a moment, we could get along
Despite our deep political differences, most Westerners work together when it counts.
High Country News, January 19, 2011

To Dope or Not to Dope?
Will the incentives to compete clean ever exceed the payoff of taking drugs?
NPR, July 13, 2009