Coast to Coast AM 2011.07.19 The State of Science

Host: George Noory
Guests: Charles Seife, Jonathan Emord

Hour 1 - Constitutional lawyer specializing in food and drug law, Jonathan Emord, shared updates on new FDA regulations.

The FDA has adopted a New Dietary Ingredient guidance plan, which could in effect force out of the market numerous supplements and herbs that are presently consumed safely, he warned. A proposed Dietary Supplement Labeling Act could also reduce product availability, he added.

Hours 2, 3 & 4 - Associate professor and science writer, Charles Seife, discussed the state of science including the end of the Space Shuttle program, as well as recent discoveries and theories in physics and astronomy. "Good riddance" to the Shuttle program, he said, noting that the program ate up a lot of NASA's budget ($400 million per Shuttle launch) and didn't produce that much in the way of scientific discoveries.