American Council on Science and Health

02/12/2026

Cognitive Speed Training Linked to Lower Dementia Incidence Up To 20 Years Later

Adults age 65 and older who completed five to six weeks of cognitive speed training — in this case, speed of processing training, which helps people quickly find visual information on a computer screen and handle increasingly complex tasks in a shorter time period — and who had follow-up sessions about one to three years later were less likely to be diagnosed with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, up to two decades later, according to new findings published today in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions.

Cognitive Speed Training Linked to Lower Dementia Incidence Up To 20 Years Later 02/09/2026 Computer-based cognitive training that mimics quickly completing tasks with divided attention was tied to a reduced likelihood of receiving a dementia diagnosis decades later Credit: Getty Images Fast Facts C...

02/12/2026

Bird Flu Cases Are Surging in 2026. What Does It Mean?

Bird flu is back with a vengeance, after subsiding temporarily in the summer and fall. The virus has been detected in 28 U.S. states since the beginning of 2026, affecting about half as many birds as it did in three months during the fall of last year, and prompting the governor of Colorado to declare a disaster in the state.

Millions of birds have been exposed to the avian flu virus since the beginning of January alone.

02/12/2026

Carl Sagan’s 9 timeless lessons for detecting baloney

The more informed we are, the more successful we’ll be in our decision-making endeavors. That’s only true up to a point: it’s only true if the information we’ve acquired is accurate and truthful. Making good decisions doesn’t merely rely on how much information we take in, it also depends on the quality of that information. If what we’ve instead ingested and accepted is misinformation or disinformation — incorrect information that doesn’t align with factual reality — then we not only become susceptible to grift and fraud ourselves, but we risk having our minds captured by charismatic charlatans. When that occurs, we can lose everything: money, trust, relationships, and even our mental independence.

Carl Sagan's baloney detection kit taught us how to separate good science from the work of charlatans. In 2026, that matters more than ever.

02/12/2026

Told you so.

Full read: https://tinyurl.com/bdhd9bay

02/12/2026

What does the Japanese word tsundoku describe?

A. Reading multiple books at the same time
B. Collecting rare or antique books
C. Letting books pile up without reading them
D. Memorizing books for academic study

Whether it’s a chemist’s reckless sweet discovery, a reader’s ever-growing “tsundoku” pile, or scientists tracing the hidden patterns of superspreaders, curiosity turns accidents, habits, and outliers into insight. Even something as small as the em dash reminds us that the stories we tell ...

02/12/2026

The Frivolous Costco Chicken Lawsuit

Two women in California are unhappy about phosphates and carrageenan in Costco’s rotisserie chicken. I’m fine with them—by which I mean the additives, not the women. Their lawsuit claims Costco misled customers with a “no preservatives” label, even though neither ingredient is a preservative, which makes this less a food safety issue than a masterclass in scientific confusion.

Two women in California are unhappy about phosphates and carrageenan in Costco’s rotisserie chicken. I’m fine with them—by which I mean the additives, not the women. Their lawsuit claims Costco misled customers with a “no preservatives” label, even though neither ingredient is a preservati...

02/11/2026

From Aspartame to Superspreaders: Curiosity Finds Meaning in Mistakes, Books, and Biology

What have virologists discovered about the spread of respiratory diseases?

A. Most people spread viruses at roughly the same rate
B. Children are responsible for nearly all transmission
C. Singing is required for superspreader events
D. A small number of people drive most infections

Whether it’s a chemist’s reckless sweet discovery, a reader’s ever-growing “tsundoku” pile, or scientists tracing the hidden patterns of superspreaders, curiosity turns accidents, habits, and outliers into insight. Even something as small as the em dash reminds us that the stories we tell ...

02/11/2026

Why Is Health Care Getting More Costly?

Americans have long lamented the high cost of health insurance, and the situation will soon get worse. Premiums for employer-sponsored insurance will go up by another 9 percent in 2026. Public spending on Medicare, Medicaid, and Obamacare is also surging.

This is not due to surging profits among insurers or hospitals. Insurance and entitlement programs are largely passing along the rising cost of care, even as average prices paid to hospitals, physicians, and drugmakers decline in real terms. The true driver is higher utilization of medical services—especially newly developed drugs and newly available outpatient procedures.

It’s not surging profits but expensive new medical services and increased usage.

02/11/2026

Scientists Could Help Reveal Fraud — and Get Paid For It

In 2014, scientists at West Virginia University brought to light a Volkswagen emissions cheating scandal that involved 11 million diesel-powered automobiles. As a result of the university’s investigation, Volkswagen admitted to deliberate cheating, which led to multiple class-action lawsuits, $2.8 billion in criminal fines imposed by the U.S. government, and a total cost to the company of more than $30 billion globally, including car buybacks and settlements. The Volkswagen “Dieselgate” scandal eventually led to significant legal consequences for top leadership in Germany.

Opinion | Whistleblower statutes should be changed to incentivize university research groups to investigate potential fraud.

02/11/2026

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02/11/2026

Strength training delivers the best and healthiest dieting results for both sexes

A new study conducted at the Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences and the Sylvan Adams Sports Science Institute at Tel Aviv University reveals a clear conclusion: strength (resistance) training is the most effective tool for achieving “high-quality” weight loss, reducing body fat while preserving, and even increasing, muscle mass.

A new study reveals a clear conclusion: strength (resistance) training is the most effective tool for achieving “high-quality” weight loss, reducing body fat while preserving, and even increasing, muscle mass.

02/11/2026

Glow or Gimmick?: The Science of Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy has gone from dermatology clinics to the wellness world, promising everything from younger-looking skin and thicker hair to weight loss, pain relief, better sleep, and even improved mood. It’s sleek, futuristic, and marketed as an effortless biohack. But when one product claims to fix everything, skepticism is the healthiest response — the consumer marketplace is flooded with underpowered gadgets, exaggerated claims, and claims that race far ahead of the science.

Red light therapy has gone from dermatology clinics to the wellness world, promising everything from younger-looking skin and thicker hair to weight loss, pain relief, better sleep, and even improved mood. It’s sleek, futuristic, and marketed as an effortless biohack. But when one product claims t...