You probably know that climate change is real and humans are a major cause of global warming. You probably know that life has evolved and the Biblical story of creation is false. Scientists have been actively promoting these ideas for decades and they've been relatively successful in most countries. What you may not know is that these are just two of the many controversial claims that scientists are fighting. You may even have been tricked into believing some of the other pseudoscientific claims that are out there.
Do you think genetically-modified organisms are dangerous? Do you think vaccines are a threat to your child's well-being? Do you consult a naturopath or a homeopath? How about a chiropracter? Do you take daily vitamin supplements? Do you avoid gluten or lactose? Do you think hamburgers and fries are unhealthy? Poutine? Have you ever had acupuncture? Have you ever been detoxified? Are you afraid of free radicals? Is Round-Up a deadly poison? Do you spend extra money buying "organic" food? Are you afraid of fluoride? Are preservatives always bad? Is Diet Coke gonna kill you? Do skinny people live longer? Are whole wheat bagels better for you than the regular kind? Do you take probiotics? Do you even know what they are? Can you avoid cancer by eating healthy and working out every day?1If you answered "yes" to any of those questions then chances are you've fallen for some fake science. It's more common than you might think. I have many friends who take vitamin supplements, for example, in spite of the fact there's no scientific evidence that they do any good. They've been sucked in by the fake "health" food industry who are more than willing to take your money. Last year the so-called "health and wellness" industry raked in a trillion dollars [Health and Wellness the Trillion Dollar Industry in 2017].
Fortunately, there are a few scientists out there who are fighting back and, even more importantly, the legitimate press is beginning to pay attention. This is important because those scientists are fighting a trillion dollar industry and they're mostly doing it for free. Today I was pleased to read the following article in Toronto Star: Scientists, researchers fight against online plague of nutrition pseudoscience.
This group is collectively working to debunk the most egregious health myths with evidence-based, factual information.It always a good thing when proponents of evidence-based facts get as much attention as the proponents of pseudoscience. One of the scientists highlighted in the article is Timothy Caulfield, a professor at the University of Alberta Health Law Institute. He's the author of Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything? (Spoiler Alert! - the answer is "yes.")
Finding health information online is easy. Cutting through the clutter and getting facts is very difficult. There’s a cacophony of voices, each saying something different. The confusion worsens when charlatans provide false hope and bad advice.It's fun to debunk the claims of pseudoscience but let's not forget that the important goal is to teach critical thinking in our schools so that our children grow up armed with the tools to avoid falling for false claims in the first place.
But there is a glimmer of hope. Scientists and researchers are working to debunk the most egregious health myths and educate readers with evidence-based, factual information. Let’s call them skeptics, myth-busters or debunkers. In any case, this group is collectively using science to fight back against the pseudoscience (such as fad diets and quack cancer cures).
1. If I haven't found at least one question that makes you want to post an angry rebuttal then please let me know and I will add some others.
