Category Archives: Science

Can You Predict A Hit Song?

Posted on March 1, 2015 by Bruno Van de Casteele

There was a time I listened to the Top 30 charts every week . Not so much anymore. But apparently the top hits are still interesting for scientists. A Belgian team for instance, from the University of Antwerp, has analysed … Continue reading →

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Does Water Fluoridation Cause Diabetes, Obesity, Or Depression?

Posted on February 28, 2015 by Stephen Propatier

For some reason water fluoridation seems to generate fear and dread. Brian Dunning covered this in Skeptoid episode #58. Generally anything can be toxic if given in high enough doses. Conversely anything is safe at low enough doses. Fluoride, like all things, … Continue reading →

Posted in Conspiracy Theories, Science, Skeptoid Podcast | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Devil(ish Illusion) in a Blue (and Black) Dress

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Alison Hudson

Yesterday was a momentous moment for the Internet. Not because we won Net Neutrality; not because the 24-hour news cycle chose to devote all their resources to following two llamas around Arizona; but because we all had a night-long freak-out … Continue reading →

Posted in Science | Tagged , , , | 16 Comments

Explore Your Inner Geek… By Cooking!

Posted on February 15, 2015 by Bruno Van de Casteele

When I listened to this week’s Skeptoid Podcast by Craig Good on Cooking Myths, I had to think about a book I read a couple of years ago. Sure enough, I located it in my library (I confess, I never … Continue reading →

Posted in Cool Stuff, Science, Skeptoid Podcast | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

IMO: Safety

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Mike Weaver

Safety is something that weighs on the minds of most folk, I think it’s safe to say. We worry about many perceived risks and dangers of the world around us. Parents worry about keeping their children safe, people worry about their … Continue reading →

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Thinking Clearly About Medical Marijuana

Posted on February 6, 2015 by Stephen Propatier

Medical cannabis (aka medical marijuana) is currently being used as a medical treatment. It has many concerning similarities to many types of alternative medicine. Unlike most alternative medicine good research does show promise as a reliable medical treatment. This is a fascinating dichotomy to me … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Medicine, Pseudoscience, Science | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Are You Orthorexic? Our Obsession with Healthy Eating

Posted on February 4, 2015 by Brian Dunning

We seem to have forgotten that humans are omnivorous. Around the world and throughout history, people have thrived on diets diverse and extreme enough to shame the fad diet section in any modern bookstore. Populations have flourished on staples like … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, History, New Age, Science | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Winter Storm Juno: A Lesson in Reading and Thinking

Posted on February 2, 2015 by Noah Dillon

The Skeptoid Blog’s volunteer contributors are spread out all over the United States and even the world. I happen to live in New York City, where we’re currently experiencing winter weather. The following story might strike some readers as too … Continue reading →

Posted in Nature, Science, TV & Media | 3 Comments

Paying The Toll For Anti-Vaccine Rhetoric

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Stephen Propatier

The anti-vaccination movement has run a two-decade-long campaign of fear-mongering. It’s a well-funded campaign with a provocative narrative. They warn anyone who will listen that vaccines are dangerous, useless, and that they may cause autism. They spread propaganda originating from a fabricated 1998 study by ex-medical … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, Science | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Is Your Birth Control Contributing to the Spread of HIV?

Posted on January 17, 2015 by Stephen Propatier

Recent research about injectable long-acting hormone contraceptive suggests it may be increasing the risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Research with scary compelling narratives always get media exposure. This research is no different. Science reporting has become a lost art, and it is no … Continue reading →

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