I learned a new word recently. A colleague introduced me to the term “chemophobia” — the fear of chemicals. He showed me an article in the New York Times Magazine about people’s preference for taking a “natural” remedy over standard medication. This feeling is understandable, and I’ve come across it many times, but I was surprised to see that it had actually been given a name and that people were writing in defense of it. What I find particularly amazing about people’s wish for “natural” remedies is that there really is no such thing as an “artificial” remedy. Read the full article in the Montreal Gazette.