The NYT summarizes a new report in Science that finds a majority of high school biology teachers skimp on their teaching of evolution to avoid controversy and a sizable percentage explicitly teach creationism. One of the study’s authors believes the answer is more and better science education for teachers. “Students are being cheated out of […]
Archive | Junk Science and Quackspertise
If You Don’t Understand Science, It’s Best to Shut Up
By Jonathan H. Adler on January 30, 2011 11:17 am in Junk Science and Quackspertise, Politicizing Science
This recent TV performance by Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) is quite embarrassing. The worst part is, I doubt he’s embarrassed by it.
Salon Sanitizes the Record
By Jonathan H. Adler on January 17, 2011 4:32 pm in Junk Science and Quackspertise, Politicizing Science
Salon has withdrawn a 2005 article by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (aka “America’s Most Irresponsible Public Figure®“) alleging a link between vaccines and autism. The article, co-published with Rolling Stone, had an “explosive premise,” according to Salon‘s editors. Too bad it was scientifically bogus and completely irresponsible. Salon was forced to publish several corrections to the article, […]
Vaccine-Autism Study an “Elaborate Fraud”
Last year, The Lancet withdrew a controversial study that had purported to find a link between autism and childhood vaccination because “several findings” of the paper were “incorrect.” The study, by Wakefield, et al., was the only study published in a respected medical journal reporting a potential link and was routinely cited by those claiming […]
Vaccine-Autism Link Rejected (Again)
Today the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the Special Master’s finding that plaintiffs had failed to demonstrate any link between childhood vaccines and autism or autism spectrum disorders. More from BLT here. I’ve previously blogged on the efforts to link autism and vaccines here, here, here, and here.
That Explains It
Washington Times:Pornography normalizes sexual harm, Dr. Cooper said. It shows children a lack of any kind of emotional commitment or relationship between two consensual partners, shows unprotected sexual contact and visual examples often of violent rape. “When a child sees this image of adult pornography, the mirror neurons that are in their brain will convince […]
Lancet Retracts Vaccine-Autism Study
The Lancet, one of the premier medical journals, has retracted the controversial study purporting to link the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine to autism in children. The journal issued this statement: It has become clear that several elements of the 1998 paper by Wakefield et al. are incorrect, contrary to the findings of an […]
Anti-Vaccine Scientist Acted “Dishonestly and Irresponsibly”
Claims that childhood MMR vaccines cause autism are unfounded and irresponsible. As Ron Bailey notes, “study after study has debunked” the claim that MMR vaccines are linked to autism, and there are credible allegations that the study that prompted the initial scare was faked. As the BBC reports, British medical authorities have also concluded that […]
Homeopathy
I’ve met a lot of well-educated people who think that a “homeopathic” remedy is simply a “natural” remedy. Here’s a welcome reminder that it’s actually quackery of the highest order. Meanwhile, if you have “brusing and injury”–or any other malady, really–I’d be happy to sell you patented Bernstein© brand Placebo Pills for an even lower […]