What is toxicology, and why might a toxicologist just turn out to be your best friend? Risk Bites takes a look in this brief introduction to the science of toxic chemicals that might harm you, and how it's relevant to risk assessment. Risk Bites was created by Andrew Maynard, and is supported by th
A Public Health perspective on getting the risks and dangers of the Ebola virus in perspective. Ebola is a serious infectious disease, and should never be taken lightly. Yet it's easy for lack of understanding of this virus to give way to fear, when what we really need to tackle it is knowledge. A
When something like the herbicide Glyphosate (Roundup) is labeled "probably causes cancer", what does this mean? This question was prompted by Grist, who asked us: "Hey Risk Bites guy, the WHO just said that the herbicide in Roundup probably causes cancer -- what's the deal with that? It seems lik
How long does it take to get frostbite? Inspired by the polar vortex, childhood myths and a bitterly cold Michigan winter, we set out to find out more about frostbite, and just how dangerous going out in cold weather is. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON FROSTBITE, CHECK THE LINKS: Medical stuff: Unde
Should you be worried about being exposed to bisphenol A (BPA)? The European Food and Safety Agency (EFSA) has just released its latest (draft) scientific opinion on the risks to public health related to the presence of BPA in foodstuffs. As it's over 500 pages long, we thought we'd summarize the
What are the benefits and risks of using silver nanoparticles in consumer products, including colloidal silver? Risk Bites' Andrew Maynard looks at seven things you should know about this nanomaterial. Silver nano has been hitting the headlines for a few years now, both as a smart new technology fo
Around one million people use tanning beds each year in the US. Yet the ultraviolet (UV) light they use causes skin cancer. The risk is so high that a recent article from researchers at the University of Michigan called for an immediate ban on the use of commercial indoor tanning by minors, and th
How much of someone else's pee could you be swallowing while taking a swim? And is it dangerous? This week, Risk Bites takes on the terribly important topic of peeing in swimming pools. Surprisingly, beyond the yuck factor of drinking someone else's urine, there is a more serious hazard -- produc
How worried should you be if 1,4-dioxane gets into your drinking water? 1,4-dioxane is an industrial chemical used as a solvent and a stabilizer -- and in areas where there's environmental contamination, safety is an important question, especially as the substance is a probable human carcinogen. T
As novel coronavirus affects more and more university campuses, a growing number of students, parents and families are looking for advice on how they can keep themselves and others safe—especially if they are living in student housing and practicing social distancing. This guide provides basic adv
Risk Bites is your guide to making sense of risk. We cover everything from understanding and balancing the risks and benefits of everyday products, to health science more broadly, to the potential impacts of emerging technologies, to making sense of risk perception. If you enjoy our videos, please s
If you play a contact sport like football, or know someone who does, what should you know about concussions and health risks? Not being the most active person around, I asked Doug Martini, a PhD student in the University of Michigan Neurosport Research Laboratory, what he thought it was important t
