Applied

Applied

Why 10,000 Steps Became the Magic Number

The 10,000-step daily target appears on fitness trackers, in public health campaigns, and in the default settings of virtually every step-counting app. A closer look at where the number came from and what the research actually shows.

Applied

What "This Activates Your Brain's Reward System" Actually Tells Us

“Activates your brain’s reward system” sounds precise. An examination of what that phrase actually measures—and why it rarely tells you what health claims imply.

Applied

Why There’s Rarely “A Gene For” Anything

Genetics coverage keeps finding 'a gene for' everything. The science tells a more complicated story. A closer look at what that framing gets wrong—and why it matters.

Applied

What “Cancer Breakthrough” Usually Means in Early Research

Headlines declare cancer breakthroughs regularly. Most of them describe findings that are years—or decades—away from helping patients. A closer look at what early-stage cancer research actually shows, and what gets lost in translation.

Applied

Why Most Mouse Studies Don’t Become Medicine

Mouse research has powered major medical advances. It has also led to many promising ideas that never worked in humans. A closer look at when mouse studies are useful and when headlines get ahead of evidence.

Applied

Biomarkers vs. Survival: Why Measuring Change Isn't the Same as Measuring Benefit

Biomarkers dominate headlines and health claims, but a change in a biomarker is not the same thing as a change in health. An examination of what biomarkers actually measure, when they reliably predict patient outcomes, and why promising results often fail to translate into real benefits.