It’s been heartbreaking to follow the news of last week’s devastating wildfire in Maui. As recovery efforts continue, Purdue University environmental engineer Andrew J. Whelton explains the many public health hazards that follow wildfires. These include the release of toxic gases and particles, as well as harmful chemicals that can affect drinking water and wildlife. “Cleanup and recovery from a disaster of this magnitude takes years,” he writes.

As with many of our stories on food and nutrition, this one on “functional” foods was widely read and provides more nuance on the role of food in health. Nutrition and food science professor Janet Colson explains how certain foods, such as apples, carrots and peppers, contain bioactive substances that bring particular health benefits. Researchers are getting a better understanding of what those bioactive components are and the various health benefits they provide, she writes.

A panel of experts from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently updated its guidelines on skin cancer screening, concluding that there isn’t enough evidence to recommend annual exams of adults and adolescents by a clinician. But catching signs of skin cancer early remains crucial. Dermatology experts from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus offer a guide on what individuals can do, without visiting a professional, to lower the risk of skin cancer. One tip that I may well start following: Check the local UV index, where 2 is considered safest and 11 represents extreme danger.

Also in this week’s science news:

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Martin LaMonica

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Fire sites like Lahaina, where residents were allowed in on Aug. 11, 2023, are filled with hazards, both obvious and unseen. AP Photo/Rick Bowmer

After Maui fires, human health risks linger in the air, water and even surviving buildings

Andrew J. Whelton, Purdue University

Maui County issued an ‘unsafe water’ alert and urged precautions. Residents can face several toxic hazards from fires, as an expert in the chemical risks from fires explains.
While apples aren’t considered a superfood, they are considered a functional food. Caterina Oltean/500px Prime via Getty Images

Does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? A nutritionist explains the science behind ‘functional’ foods

Janet Colson, Middle Tennessee State University

Functional foods − which should not be confused with ‘superfoods’ − possess specific components that contribute to better health.
A history of sunburns may put people at greater risk of developing skin cancer. dnberty/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Skin cancer screening guidelines can seem confusing – three skin cancer researchers explain when to consider getting checked

Enrique Torchia, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; Neil Box, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; Tamara Terzian, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Widespread screening for skin cancer may not be necessary, but it is important to understand the risks behind UV overexposure and to get checked early if you have concerns.

The same people excel at object recognition through vision, hearing and touch – another reason to let go of the learning styles myth

Isabel Gauthier, Vanderbilt University; Jason Chow, Vanderbilt University

The idea that each person has a particular learning style is a persistent myth in education. But new research provides more evidence that you won’t learn better in one modality than another.

As the mental health crisis in children and teens worsens, the dire shortage of mental health providers is preventing young people from getting the help they need

Steven Berkowitz, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Millions of young people in the US are suffering, whether from abuse at home, pressure from social media or exposure to violence. But navigating the mental health care system can be disheartening.

What is most likely going on in Area 51? A national security historian explains why you won’t find aliens there

Christopher Nichols, The Ohio State University

You’re not allowed to visit the part of Nevada known as Area 51. That’s because it’s a top-secret government facility. But the secrecy has to do with spy planes, not space aliens.

New data reveal US space economy’s output is shrinking – an economist explains in 3 charts

Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University

With commercial space tourism on the rise and NASA planning to return to the Moon, you might think the US space economy is booming – but the data paint a more complex picture.