Who knew that the sharks on TV's Shark Tank were scientifically critical thinkers? On a recent episode, a woman from the company ENERGYbits gets ripped to shreds after the faux-science behind her algae supplements is exposed.
Other Science News
Given the media attention devoted to weak observational claims about health (miracle vegetables, chemophobia of the month) and the rampant mistrust of science that has resulted from them, it is worth asking if they're worth the expense. The answer: They probably are – but only for smaller programs.
The cholesterol goal posts are moving once again. The previous aggressive value of 70mg/dL is giving way to a new lower value because it has an acceptable safety profile, and further reductions in cardiovascular events.
Scientists are humans, too. And just like other humans you know, some of them aren't very good at their jobs. There are three main ways in which scientists can mess up. Here's how.
Statistics is difficult, and choosing the proper tools becomes more challenging as experiments become more complex. That's why it's not uncommon for large genetics or epidemiological studies to have a biostatistician as a co-author. Perhaps more biomedical studies should follow suit.
Mental health problems affect almost twice as many Americans as diabetes. Why is Congress declaring that the former is not an essential health benefit?
Turmeric pills are the latest version of snake oil promoted by healers and naturopaths. And although that may be bad, it's not as bad as their latest trick – administering turmeric using an IV and killing an otherwise healthy person.
Since nobody really knows what postmodernism is, it's becomes a nebulous concept that poses an existential threat to science and technology. How so? Because it's largely characterized by a rejection of objective truth. This is antithetical to scientific inquiry.
When our readers get upset, we hear it. The insults fly: Liar. Jerk. Sock puppet. Propagandist. Criminal. Corporate slut, to name just a few. And in a recent Op-Ed in the Baltimore Sun we explained why Wi-Fi is safe. That's when the pitchforks came out.
Some might argue that democracy not only leads people to believe that all humans are of equal value (which is true), but all humans are equal in their abilities, thoughts, and behaviors (which is completely false). Yet, many people in a democracy believe the latter. And it leads to a very bad outcome.
Last October, following the UN General Assembly, the former Secretary-General admitted the role that the UN had in starting Haiti's cholera epidemic in 2010. Ban Ki-moon spoke directly about the need for a new strategy to aid the country, before adding "I will give you details on this strategy." Looks like he played us for fools.
America's GDP is shifting from small-town America to the cities, and at the same time the opioid overdose epidemic has hit rural states, like Kentucky and West Virginia, especially hard. As a result, from 1999 to 2015 suicides in rural America have increased over 40%, according to the CDC.