Thermometer Readings

(HealthDayNews) -- When it comes to thermometers for detecting fever, high-tech instruments are not necessarily the most accurate.

According to the University of Texas, mercury thermometers like the ones your parents used are often cheaper and more reliable than the state-of-the-art varieties.

For instance, high-tech tympanic thermometers take a temperature reading in about two to three seconds, but they're pricey and have the greatest potential for error.