Investigations: Dentists Using More High-Radiation Devices

While doctors have mounted campaigns to limit radiation use on children and adolescents, dentists are going in the opposite direction, reports this New York Times investigation. Not only do most dentists still use outmoded X-ray equipment; they are also increasingly using devices called cone-beam CT scanners that emit hundreds of times more radiation than an airport scanner. They provide 3-D images of teeth and the skull and are widely used when kids get braces.

The device's makers often market the product with the help of dentists paid or sponsored by the companies, who the Times says have peddled misleading information.

Investigations: Who Killed Lebanon's Rafik Hariri?

Interesting CBC-TV investigation here on the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri in 2005.

Tools: Blogger's Guide for Libel

So you've had a threatening legal letter over a blog post. What do you do? This interesting pamphlet from the UK group Sense About Science, which advocates for libel reform, gives some good tips. It applies to the UK, but some of the info could be instructive for bloggers elsewhere, especially in Commonwealth countries that might share Britain's difficult legal climate. Be sure to check the legislation and case law in your own country.