The birth of the multivitamin

Do you need a multivitamin?

In 2013, several researchers declared multivitamins dead, stating that so-called supplements had no clear benefits and might be harmful. But the science isn't so clear-cut. This article explores the question of who would benefit from...

Why is there a Vitamin K but no Vitamin F?

The first vitamin was identified in 1913 by an American scientist performing rat studies while investigating dairy cattle nutritional needs. Elmer Vernon McCollum called this first vitamin, found in butter and egg yolk, "fat-soluble factor A." This...

At the beginning of the 20th century, a group of young men ate standard American food—replete with food additives like borax and formaldehyde—as part of government research to better understand food safety.

Humans need higher levels of water-soluble vitamins that easily pass through the body

There are two types of vitamins: lipid soluble and water-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins like B vitamins and vitamin C are in the watery parts of fruits and easily pass through the human body before being taken up by the bloodstream or exiting your body. But lipid (fat) soluble vitamins must be absorbed through the intestinal wall, carried by proteins, and then may be stored in the liver and other body parts—meaning there is greater risk of overdosing.

Vitamin B1 is linked to gut motility—helping fight constipation—in 2026 research

A study published in early 2026 found a link between vitamin B1 and the successful movement of food through your GI tract, known as gut motility. The work incorporated genetic and survey data about poop frequency to identify genes associated with gut motility and then separately linked poop frequency data with how much vitamin B1 people ingested, theorizing that the vitamin supports the production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that stimulates GI system contractions.

The chemistry of ancient tacos

This 16-minute podcast explores the chemistry of Mesoamerica's corn tortillas, which involve a 3,500-year-old chemical process called nixtamalization that releases vitamins, including niacin, one of the essential B vitamins. This process also makes the tortillas softer and more delicious. Corn tortillas were a staple in Mesoamerica, and the archaeologist interviewed in this podcast argues cultures like the Aztecs and Maya wouldn't have thrived without nixtamalization.

The first prenatal screen for disease was developed in 1961

Scientist Robert Guthrie created a method to test newborns for a metabolic defect called phenylketonuria, or PKU. This blood test didn't look for gene variants—it hunted for excess phenylalanine in the blood. The disorder is caused by an inability to digest the amino acid phenylalanine, leading to excess phenylalanine in the body. PKU results in intellectual disability, seizures, and other symptoms if it isn't caught early and treated with a specialized diet.

Before launching his cereal company, John Harvey Kellogg promoted natural food at a sanitarium

Kellogg was the director of the Battle Creek Sanitarium, a health resort in Michigan, where he served patients vegetarian dishes, including early experiments with meat substitutes. Kellogg espoused a philosophy of "Biologic Living," which suggested consuming natural food would lead to "racial hygiene" for white Americans, a tenet of the eugenics movement.

Merck developed MDMA in the early 1900s as part of its effort to create a blood clotting drug

The company's chemists were attempting to synthesize a substance that could compete with an existing patent for the best clot medicine of that time, hydrastinine. MDMA was the byproduct of that effort.

Michael Sveda discovered cyclamate by accident

When this lab researcher brought his hands to his lips to smoke his cigarette in 1937, he tasted something sweet, which he called cyclamate. It was quickly used in diet sodas, but it was banned from the US in 1969 after being linked to rodent bladder cancer in lab experiments.

The quest to find natural ways to extend lifespan

Tales of searching for the Fountain of Youth persist. Our modern-day version is marked by promises of pharmaceutical miracles and a proliferation of viral "biohacking" routines. One doctor’s quest to unlock the keys to longevity stimulated much of this renewed fervor, though his ideas are often taken out of context.

Uncrustables' reinvention of the PB&J

In the 1990s, David Geske and Len Kretchman came up with the ingenious idea to package and mass-produce a crustless version of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. This makeover to an American childhood staple resulted in a $1B business. Read this article in Mental Floss to learn more about the origins of the brand Uncrustables and its extraordinary success.

Learn the history of food science breakthroughs from the 20th century

Long after humans developed the means to produce sufficient food to feed civilizations, scientific research focused on a wide variety of objectives, such as developing methods to preserve food quality (accomplished via frozen food), speeding up cooking (leading to the microwave), and lowering the cost of sweetening food, which high fructose corn syrup provides.

Edward Jenner, the father of vaccinations

The British physician was the first to attempt to inoculate someone from smallpox using its milder cousin, cowpox. His innovations and documentations would prove crucial to the deployment of widespread vaccinations.

How a government chemist founded the FDA—by poisoning people

The Poison Squad tells the story of government chemist Dr. Harvey Wiley who, determined to banish these dangerous substances from dinner tables, took on the powerful food manufacturers and their allies.

Penicillin was hailed as a 'wonder drug' upon its release

When penicillin became widely available in the 1940s, newspapers and doctors alike celebrated it as a “wonder drug” that could cure infections once considered fatal.

Jules Verne helped popularize the banana

In his 1872 book "Around the World in 80 Days," the sci-fi writer described the banana, then mostly a novelty, as "healthy as bread and as succulent as cream." That mention, along with an appearance at the 1876 World's Fair in Philadelphia, helped transform the fruit into a standard part of a healthy diet.

The foundation for computer viruses was published after its creator's death

In the late 1940s, Hungarian American mathematician, scientist, and engineer John von Neumann gave a series of lectures where he explained the theoretical framework for a computer program that could replicate itself—the von Neumann Universal Constructor. His lectures were later compiled and published in 1966, nine years after his death from cancer.

The unexpected origin story of the snow globe

In 1900, a Vienna tradesman named Erwin Perzy I was attempting to invent an inexpensive way to improve light amplification in hospital operating rooms. After experimenting with a glass globe filled with water, the idea for the snow globe struck. Industrious as well as inventive, Perzy eventually turned his idea into a successful business. Read the full article to learn how the invention grew to become recognized globally.

The health food industry grew significantly in the early 1990s

By 1996, there were over 6,000 health food stores in the US, which generated over $9B in sales. That was still a small number compared to traditional supermarkets, but it was a 17% improvement in annual growth over the previous five years, highlighting a rapidly growing industry.

A 15th-century university student documented a surprisingly detailed fitness plan

Modern fitness stems from the revolution in the knowledge we have of the human body, its cardiovascular systems, how muscles work, and more. Nonetheless, people through the centuries have had fitness regimes—including one university student whose fitness plan was preserved in an obscure document found between a manuscript.

Learn more about the history of fireworks, which dates back to an accidental invention during an alchemist's quest for information about immortality.

Mutual funds were first created and sold in the US in 1924

Mutual funds were created in 1924, became popular in the '80s and '90s when investors saw a better payoff. Since then, they’ve evolved to be one of the most popular investment options today.

Scientists first observed a sperm and an egg uniting in 1876

Throughout human history, scholars and researchers have speculated on the origin of human reproduction. It wasn't until the late-19th century that the physical process of egg fertilization via sperm cells was observed (in sea urchins), forming the basis for modern fertility research.

Why don't we all have cancer?

The creation of a single cell produces 120,000 genetic mutations that can lead to cancer. This video investigates how our bodies proofread and autocorrect those mistakes.

The history of the periodic table and how it hinted at atoms possessing internal structure

In 1869, more than two decades before the discovery of electrons, Russian chemist Dmitrii Mendeleev organized known elements by atomic weight and chemical properties using index cards. His organization revealed previously undiscovered elements and identified patterns in the reactivity of elements, which would later be linked to each element's outermost electron shell. (Some readers may experience a paywall.)

Modern physics suggests that many universes with different physical laws could exist

Physicists suggest that quantum fluctuations in the early universe could have given rise to these universes. Ancient Greek philosophers like Chrysippus proposed a version of the multiverse over 2,000 years ago—millennia before its adoption into various theoretical frameworks today.

The history of many kitchen appliances involves unexpected discoveries and applications, including wartime radar turned hamster defroster and replacing an 'ice king' with heat-stealing boxes.

Poison ivy was sent to Europe in the 1600s as an exotic, ornamental oddity, where it was purposefully grown in the English royal gardens at Kew, the Faculty of Medicine in Paris, and a few other locations.

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.

Budweiser stores yeast derived from the original 1800s strain in a secret bunker, which only the Head of Yeast Management can access—not even the CEO

The first line of 'immortal' human cells, which can divide indefinitely and are used in scientific research, was nonconsensually taken from a Black woman.

Studies suggest when you sleep is as important as how much you get, and syncing with your circadian rhythms may lead to less fatigue and improved long-term health outcomes

Read a deep dive on the 'all-purpose healing' peptide BPC-157.

The word 'jazz' evolved from 'jasm,' 19th-century American slang for 'energy'

Visualize how CRISPR-Cas9—a type of immune system used by single-celled organisms to attack invasive viruses—targets and makes precise changes to a gene's DNA.

The first robot in literature may have been a 'mechanical man' in 1907's 'Ozma of Oz,' a book in L Frank Baum's 'Wizard of Oz' series.

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.

Trace how the Bill of Rights, inspired by centuries of political theory, took shape between 1774 and 1789.

Elk Cloner, the first computer virus to spread in public, was written as a practical joke by Richard Skrenta, a Pittsburgh high school student.

Volcanic activity may have triggered the Black Death by spewing gases that led to crop failures in Europe, thus forcing the import of grain ships with plague-infested fleas.

The term 'algorithm' originated from the Latinized name of al-Khwārizmī, a 9th-century mathematician whose works introduced Arabic numerals and the decimal-based numeral system to Europe and whose treatise 'Al-Jabr' gave algebra its name.

Explore an interactive map built from more than 100,000 survey responses on where people find joy in their lives

Mid-century modern graphic designers, known for their bright colors and bold lines in advertising, also found success with children's books.

How Amazon operates a 'flywheel' business model, a self-reinforcing cycle that drives continuous growth

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.

The syncytiotrophoblast is the outer layer of the placenta and the largest human cell, spanning an area about twice that of a king-sized bedsheet.

Coral reefs get their colors from zooxanthellae—microorganisms that line corals' digestive tracts and provide them with sugars in exchange for a home within this protective tissue.

Sunflowers have long been a symbol of nuclear disarmament because they can extract large amounts of radioactive cesium from soil.

Some researchers have labeled nomophobia, the fear of being without your phone, as 'the phobia of the 21st century.'