Testosterone prescriptions remain very low overall

The term 'low T' was coined in 2002, recasting testosterone therapy and elevating demand

The marketing shift and accompanying awareness campaigns, both by the company behind the first testosterone product approved by the FDA, changed the landscape for testosterone product demand. Testosterone is often considered low when it's below 300 nanograms per deciliter of blood. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

Men are flocking to hundreds of new online testosterone clinics for low T prescriptions

Many primary care clinicians may not be familiar with testosterone testing protocols and treatments, but online testosterone clinics are proliferating, with names like DudeMeds. COVID-era restrictions loosened remote prescribing rules, allowing them to expand online widely, though those more lenient prescribing policies are slated to expire in December 2026 unless they're renewed. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

Testosterone therapy can cause infertility, and has been explored as a contraceptive

Augmenting testosterone with testosterone hormone therapy suppresses sperm production, and the resulting infertility is permanent in some men. Though a high level of testosterone inside the testicles is essential for fertility, testosterone supplements suppress the production of the pituitary hormones that leads to that natural testosterone production in the testicles—causing infertility.

FDA removed its cardiovascular risk warning on testosterone products in 2025

The change came a decade after the FDA added the label. Recent work, including a gold-standard randomized trial, found that men receiving the products had similar cardiovascular risk levels as men taking placebo products. Testosterone, however, may hold other health risks, including infertility.

12% of adults were taking injectable GLP-1 for weight loss according to 2025 survey

Weight loss injectable use rose sharply between 2024 and fall 2025. The percentage of adults who reported taking this class of medicine specifically for weight loss increased to 12.4%, compared with 5.8% in February 2024 when Gallup first measured it.

HRT patches are popular partly because they have lower blood clotting risks than oral estradiol

Women taking estradiol for menopause or perimenopause are sometimes told oral HRT is not an option for them because it increases blood clot risks. But a large analysis in 2019 concluded that other forms of the HRT, such as the patch, creams, and gel, do not.

Hormone and peptide compounds imported from China soared in 2025

US customs data indicates that these imports doubled to $328M in the first three quarters of 2025, from $164M in the same period of 2024. The imports include GLPs, among other products. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

Telehealth demand for GLP-1s for weight loss is booming as consumers seek easier access.

About 250,000 patients accessed assisted reproductive technologies in 2022

In 2022, 251,542 patients tried assisted reproductive technologies—most commonly IVF—resulting in more than 98,000 infants. Those children represent around 2.6% of the babies born in the US.

Gen Z's love for perfume is boosting sales

Teen boys are the biggest driver in perfume sales as of the summer of 2025. They have increased their spending on fragrances 26% year-over-year as the trend blossoms on TikTok via #PerfumeTok. Additionally, users of weight loss drugs GLP-1 agonists are adding to sales, as they seek olfactory over culinary sensations.

It took 14 years to deploy penicillin after its discovery

Despite its promise, US production of penicillin remained minimal in 1942—enough to treat fewer than 100 patients nationwide. Within two years, output expanded into millions of doses to supply troops for D-Day.

Look up where your generic prescription drugs are made

This project from investigative journalism outlet ProPublica compiled source data for most generic prescription drugs in the US. Roughly 90% of drugs on the market are generic, and in rare cases investigators have noted issues with compliance or safety at some plants. Using your drug's name and the company on the label, find out any issues with your drugs here.

ETFs are rising in popularity

While less than half of retail investors hold ETFs in their portfolio, this figure is up dramatically in recent years, and experts forecast continued adoption as more options hit the market and total ETF assets under management continue to grow.

By 2030, roughly 6% of the world's population will be in menopause

An estimated 25 million women pass through menopause annually, with a projected increase in the number of women in menopause in both lower-resource and higher-income populations in the years ahead, highlighting the social and economic value of focusing on menopause care.

Teen depression levels jumped during the pandemic

US government data published in 2025 but gathered from August 2021 through August 2023 indicated that depression prevalence among teens aged 12 to 19 was at 19.2%. It was even higher among females of that age group—26.5%

As of 2025, perfect synthetic replication of natural organs remains elusive

Advancements such as 3D printing muscles, performing vaginal reconstruction with colon tissue, and growing organs in a lab have shown promise, but artificial options and transplanting substitutions continue to exhibit functional and performance limitations compared to their natural equivalents.

Only 3% of workers 18 and older had a 25+ year tenure at their current job as of 2024

Surprisingly, this statistic hasn't changed significantly between 1996 and 2024, despite news about job hopping becoming more common in recent years.

The widespread need for rechargeable batteries has fueled surging lithium demand

As of 2025, the average person uses 27 times more mined lithium than they did in the 1990s, with the US ranking second globally in consumption despite producing less than 1% of global supply. However, potential alternative materials and boom-and-bust cycles have challenged the profitability of mines and future demand for the mineral.

Why are there as many males as females?

Pretty much every species breaks down with an equal sex-ratio, with roughly the same number of males as females. But on the surface, it appears that most species wouldn't need many males to keep the population growing, with their energy-efficient, abundant sex cell production. So why is it equal? Scientists argue an equal ratio is the most evolutionarily stable. Learn about this quirk of biology here.

Supplements are only typically recommended for those with a proven deficiency

Blood tests and other dietary screening tools by clinicians and nutritionists can indicate whether someone is deficient in needed vitamins or minerals, and those results can then lead to a personalized care plan that may include supplements. Supplements can negatively interact with certain medications, so it's important to speak with your doctor about supplements before taking them.

More than 97% of the world's particle accelerators are used for commercial purposes

Only a few hundred of the over 30,000 particle accelerators worldwide are used for research. Most are involved in medical imaging and treatment, food sterilization, semiconductor processing, cargo screening, and radioisotope production. They're also used to modify the properties of polymers.

In President Trump's first year of his second term, inflation fell from 3% year-over-year in January 2025 to 2.7% in December

While the price of eggs and bread went down over Trump's first year in office during his second term, coffee and beef prices rose. Utility bills and home insurance continued to surge, but mortgage rates, rent, and home prices began to stabilize in 2025.

Antidepressants alone may fail to help an estimated one-third to one-half of depressed patients

There are three major categories of antidepressants—tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine oxidate inhibitors, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. This podcast notes these first-line depression drugs are not effective for many patients and may also come with concerning side effects. Other therapeutic approaches—either in combination with medication or as an alternative—include therapy, meditation, and consistent exercise.

OTC hearing aids are now available in the US and cheaper than prescription ones

The devices, available in recent years, are typically more affordable than prescription ones and are intended for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, yet surveys suggest people often don't feel comfortable choosing one on their own. The nonprofit Consumer Reports ranked available OTC options to help patients navigate the market.

In June 2025, apprehensions of illegal border crossings at the US-Mexico border reached an all-time low

Total US-Mexico border encounters fell to just 25,228—the lowest monthly figure ever recorded by Customs and Border Patrol—with only 8,024 Border Patrol apprehensions and a single-day low of 136 detentions on June 28.

Less than half of TikTok's US users have posted a video

Like most platforms, content is driven by a small number of active users—in TikTok's case, 25% of accounts are responsible for an estimated 98% of content posted.

US housing costs have risen by roughly 175% between 1991 and 2026—but a growing number of Gen Zers are becoming homeowners anyway. In 2025, 4% of homebuyers were Gen Z, up from 3% the year before.

While the first exchange-traded fund (a 'basket' of different assets that can be bought and sold on a stock exchange) in the US only launched in 1993, the global ETF market has grown to more than $10T in the short time since.

Fireworks-related ER visits are on the rise—in 2024, they increased by 52% as compared to the prior year.

The hormonal disorder PCOS was renamed PMOS in 2026, a move designed to improve care and research by shifting the focus to the hormonal causes of this condition that affects 1 in 8 women.

The 2026 Ebola outbreak is hampered by a lack of vaccine against the species of the virus, heightening the need for rapid tests to aid in disease control.

Indefinite cloning of some endangered species may not sustain their longevity because cloning success rates decrease as genetic mutations accumulate.

About 2,000 US babies are born annually without some portion of their limbs, potentially leading to a lifetime of pricey prosthetics.

The price of gas is a composite made up of several different factors, with the federal gas tax making up less than 20% of what drivers pay at the pump.

Despite being favored by 87% of Americans, Congress does not have term limits.

Animal phobias are likely the most common type of phobias, followed by an extreme fear of heights.

As of 2025, the most cited papers in science include a review of graphene, methods to improve image recognition, streamlining electron density calculations, and optimizing protein studies.

While atoms are normally made of protons, neutrons, and electrons, exotic ones have been built with antimatter—alternate versions of normal matter that live for fractions of a second and are about a billion times as rare.

Electrical grids worldwide must double their power delivery capacity by 2050 to meet surging demand from AI and electric vehicles.

Hookworm infection, though risky, may help fight certain autoimmune conditions by tamping down the immune system's inflammatory response.

20,000 letters to the advice columnist 'Dear Abby' provide insight into prevailing sex, religion, and LGBTQ fears, anxieties, and concerns from the 1950s onward.

The most expensive ad of all time was for Chanel No. 5 perfume and cost roughly $33M to produce in 2004—about $57M in today's dollars.

Most of the observable universe's volume consists of voids and supervoids—enormous regions of space with little to no galaxies, stars, or light.

Objects can be 3D printed with light by projecting 2D computerized tomography (CT) scans onto rotating cylinders of resin, which solidify upon exposure.

Brandi Chastain, the star of the 1999 US victory over China in the 1999 Women's World Cup, was a last-second choice to take the penalty kick that sealed the victory.

The United States has had a tumultuous relationship with Cuba since its 1959 revolution, highlighted by a nuclear crisis and a decades-long trade embargo.

In 2025, four executives from large tech companies were given positions in the US Army Reserves—including Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar, which reinforced Palantir's ties with the US military and its role as a leading defense partner.

The distributor behind 'Rocky Horror' pulled the film from its scheduled national release, believing it would be a failure, though it eventually amassed a dedicated fanbase through midnight showings, a trend that continues over 50 years later.

Take a 3D tour of the Hajj, Islam's annual pilgrimage to Mecca, undertaken by more than 1.5 million Muslims each year.

For centuries, it was common to sleep in two shifts: a few hours at the beginning of the night, and a longer period beginning around midnight