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Bad Science: Ben Goldacre and the Fight Against Misinformation
Are you tired of misleading health claims, dubious diet fads, and scientifically unsupported treatments? Do you yearn for a clearer understanding of how science works and how to spot bad science when you see it? Then you've come to the right place. This comprehensive guide delves into the impactful work of Ben Goldacre, a prominent figure in the fight against misinformation, exploring his insights and methodologies for critically evaluating scientific claims. We'll dissect his key arguments, providing you with the tools to become a more informed and discerning consumer of information, empowering you to navigate the complex world of science and health with confidence. This isn't just about understanding Ben Goldacre's work; it's about equipping yourself to combat the pervasive spread of bad science in our daily lives.
Understanding Ben Goldacre's "Bad Science"
Ben Goldacre, a physician and science writer, has dedicated his career to exposing the pervasive influence of bad science. His work, most notably his book "Bad Science," isn't just a critique; it's a detailed methodology for identifying flawed research, biased reporting, and the deliberate manipulation of scientific findings for profit or political gain. He highlights the crucial role of critical thinking in evaluating information, arguing that an understanding of basic scientific principles is vital for discerning truth from fiction in our information-saturated world. Goldacre doesn't simply point out flaws; he meticulously deconstructs the mechanisms behind them, illustrating how seemingly credible sources can perpetuate misinformation.
The Anatomy of Bad Science: Common Techniques and Traps
Goldacre's work systematically exposes various tactics used to propagate bad science. These include:
Cherry-picking data: Selecting only data that supports a predetermined conclusion while ignoring contradictory evidence. Goldacre expertly showcases how this tactic distorts the true picture, leading to inaccurate and misleading interpretations.
Correlation vs. causation: Mistaking correlation (two things happening together) for causation (one thing directly causing another). He demonstrates how this fallacy is often exploited to promote unsubstantiated claims, particularly in the realm of health and wellness.
Misleading statistics: Manipulating statistical data to create a false impression of significance or effect size. Goldacre emphasizes the importance of understanding statistical methods to avoid being misled by biased presentations of data.
Appeal to authority: Using the prestige of a person or institution to lend credibility to an unsupported claim. He emphasizes the need to evaluate claims based on evidence rather than the authority making the claim.
Anecdotal evidence: Relying on personal stories or individual experiences rather than robust scientific evidence. Goldacre highlights the limitations of anecdotal evidence and stresses the importance of larger, well-designed studies.
Confounding variables: Failing to account for other factors that might explain observed relationships. He demonstrates how ignoring confounding variables can lead to incorrect conclusions and the promotion of ineffective treatments.
Lack of transparency and reproducibility: Failing to disclose methodology or data, making it impossible to verify the findings. Goldacre stresses the importance of open science and the need for transparency in research.
Publication bias: The tendency to publish positive results while suppressing negative or null findings, creating a skewed perception of the evidence. He explains how this bias can lead to an overestimation of the effectiveness of interventions.
The Placebo Effect and its Misinterpretation: Goldacre addresses the power of the placebo effect, explaining how it can be mistaken for the actual effect of a treatment, highlighting the need for properly controlled studies.
Beyond "Bad Science": Goldacre's Broader Contributions
Goldacre's influence extends beyond simply identifying bad science. He actively promotes science literacy and encourages critical thinking. His work empowers individuals to engage critically with information, regardless of the source. He advocates for greater transparency in research and a more responsible approach to disseminating scientific findings. He also focuses on the ethical implications of bad science, highlighting the potential harm it can cause.
Applying Goldacre's Principles in Everyday Life
The practical applications of Goldacre's insights are far-reaching. By understanding his critiques of bad science, individuals can make more informed decisions regarding:
Health and wellness: Critically evaluating health claims, choosing effective treatments, and avoiding quackery.
Politics and policy: Assessing the validity of evidence used to justify policy decisions.
Media consumption: Distinguishing credible sources from unreliable ones and identifying manipulative reporting techniques.
Consumer choices: Making informed decisions about products and services based on robust evidence.
Ebook Outline: "Decoding Bad Science: A Practical Guide"
I. Introduction: The pervasiveness of bad science and the importance of critical thinking.
II. Ben Goldacre's Work: An overview of his career, key publications, and his central arguments.
III. Common Tactics of Bad Science: A detailed explanation of the techniques used to disseminate misinformation, including examples and case studies.
IV. Critical Thinking Skills: Practical tools and techniques for evaluating scientific claims, including assessing sources, interpreting data, and identifying biases.
V. Applying Goldacre's Principles: Practical applications in various aspects of life, including health, politics, and media consumption.
VI. Conclusion: The importance of science literacy and the ongoing fight against misinformation.
Detailed Explanation of the Ebook Chapters:
Chapter I: Introduction: This chapter sets the stage by illustrating the widespread problem of bad science and its impact on individuals and society. It introduces Ben Goldacre as a key figure in combating misinformation and outlines the purpose and structure of the ebook.
Chapter II: Ben Goldacre's Work: This chapter delves into Goldacre's career and significant works, focusing on his book "Bad Science" and other publications. It explores his central arguments and methodologies, explaining his approach to identifying and exposing flawed scientific claims.
Chapter III: Common Tactics of Bad Science: This chapter systematically dissects the various techniques used to propagate misinformation. Each tactic (cherry-picking, correlation vs. causation, misleading statistics, etc.) is explained in detail, illustrated with real-world examples and case studies from Goldacre's work and other sources.
Chapter IV: Critical Thinking Skills: This chapter provides practical tools and techniques for evaluating scientific claims. It covers assessing the credibility of sources, understanding basic statistical concepts, identifying biases, and interpreting data responsibly. It offers a structured approach to analyzing information critically.
Chapter V: Applying Goldacre's Principles: This chapter focuses on the practical applications of the concepts discussed in the previous chapters. It explores how to apply critical thinking skills in various contexts, including health choices, evaluating political claims, and navigating media narratives.
Chapter VI: Conclusion: This chapter summarizes the key takeaways from the ebook, reinforcing the importance of science literacy and the ongoing struggle against misinformation. It encourages readers to become active participants in identifying and combating bad science in their daily lives.
FAQs
1. Who is Ben Goldacre? Ben Goldacre is a British physician, science writer, and broadcaster known for his work exposing bad science and promoting science literacy.
2. What is "Bad Science"? "Bad Science" is both the title of Goldacre's popular book and a term describing the misrepresentation or misuse of scientific findings for various purposes.
3. What are the common tactics of bad science? Common tactics include cherry-picking data, confusing correlation with causation, misleading statistics, and appealing to authority without evidence.
4. How can I identify bad science? By developing critical thinking skills, learning to assess sources, and understanding basic statistical concepts, you can become better equipped to identify flawed scientific claims.
5. Why is understanding bad science important? Understanding bad science is crucial for making informed decisions in various aspects of life, including health, politics, and consumer choices.
6. What is the role of critical thinking in combating bad science? Critical thinking is essential for evaluating the validity of scientific claims, identifying biases, and distinguishing credible sources from unreliable ones.
7. How can I apply Goldacre's principles in my daily life? You can apply his principles by critically evaluating health claims, political statements, media narratives, and product advertising.
8. Where can I find more information on Ben Goldacre's work? You can find more information on his website, his books, and his various media appearances.
9. Is there a simple way to spot misleading statistics? Look for missing context, biased presentation of data, lack of transparency, and an absence of error bars or confidence intervals.
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| bad science ben goldacre: Bad Science Ben Goldacre, 2008-12-07 Ben Goldacre’s wise and witty bestseller, shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize, lifts the lid on quack doctors, flaky statistics, scaremongering journalists and evil pharmaceutical corporations. |
| bad science ben goldacre: Bad Science Ben Goldacre, 2010-10-12 Have you ever wondered how one day the media can assert that alcohol is bad for us and the next unashamedly run a story touting the benefits of daily alcohol consumption? Or how a drug that is pulled off the market for causing heart attacks ever got approved in the first place? How can average readers, who aren't medical doctors or Ph.D.s in biochemistry, tell what they should be paying attention to and what's, well, just more bullshit? Ben Goldacre has made a point of exposing quack doctors and nutritionists, bogus credentialing programs, and biased scientific studies. He has also taken the media to task for its willingness to throw facts and proof out the window. But he's not here just to tell you what's wrong. Goldacre is here to teach you how to evaluate placebo effects, double-blind studies, and sample sizes, so that you can recognize bad science when you see it. You're about to feel a whole lot better. |
| bad science ben goldacre: Bad Science Ben Goldacre, 2011-07-05 The informative and witty expose of the bad science we are all subjected to, called one of the essential reads of the year by New Scientist. We are obsessed with our health. And yet -- from the media's world-expert microbiologist with a mail-order Ph.D. in his garden shed laboratory, and via multiple health scares and miracle cures -- we are constantly bombarded with inaccurate, contradictory, and sometimes even misleading information. Until now. Ben Goldacre masterfully dismantles the questionable science behind some of the great drug trials, court cases, and missed opportunities of our time, but he also goes further: out of the bullshit, he shows us the fascinating story of how we know what we know, and gives us the tools to uncover bad science for ourselves. From the Hardcover edition. |
| bad science ben goldacre: Bad Pharma Ben Goldacre, 2014-04 Originally published in 2012, revised edition published in 2013, by Fourth Estate, Great Britain; Published in the United States in 2012, revised edition also, by Faber and Faber, Inc. |
| bad science ben goldacre: Being Mortal Atul Gawande, 2014-10-07 #1 New York Times Bestseller In Being Mortal, bestselling author Atul Gawande tackles the hardest challenge of his profession: how medicine can not only improve life but also the process of its ending Medicine has triumphed in modern times, transforming birth, injury, and infectious disease from harrowing to manageable. But in the inevitable condition of aging and death, the goals of medicine seem too frequently to run counter to the interest of the human spirit. Nursing homes, preoccupied with safety, pin patients into railed beds and wheelchairs. Hospitals isolate the dying, checking for vital signs long after the goals of cure have become moot. Doctors, committed to extending life, continue to carry out devastating procedures that in the end extend suffering. Gawande, a practicing surgeon, addresses his profession's ultimate limitation, arguing that quality of life is the desired goal for patients and families. Gawande offers examples of freer, more socially fulfilling models for assisting the infirm and dependent elderly, and he explores the varieties of hospice care to demonstrate that a person's last weeks or months may be rich and dignified. Full of eye-opening research and riveting storytelling, Being Mortal asserts that medicine can comfort and enhance our experience even to the end, providing not only a good life but also a good end. |
| bad science ben goldacre: I Think You'll Find It's a Bit More Complicated Than that Ben Goldacre, 2014 The very best journalism from one of Britain's most admired and outspoken science writers, author of the bestselling Bad Science and Bad Pharma. In 'Bad Science', Ben Goldacre hilariously exposed the tricks that quacks and journalists use to distort science. In 'Bad Pharma', he put the $600 billion global pharmaceutical industry under the microscope. Now the pick of the journalism by one of our wittiiest, most indignant and most fearless commentators on the worlds of medicine and science is collected in one volume. |
| bad science ben goldacre: Testing Treatments Imogen Evans, Hazel Thornton, Iain Chalmers, Paul Glasziou, 2011 This work provides a thought-provoking account of how medical treatments can be tested with unbiased or 'fair' trials and explains how patients can work with doctors to achieve this vital goal. It spans the gamut of therapy from mastectomy to thalidomide and explores a vast range of case studies. |
| bad science ben goldacre: Do Statins Work?: The Battle for Perfect Evidence-Based Medicine Ben Goldacre, 2019-03-07 A campaigning handbook, a thrilling work of popular science, and a call to arms for doctors, researchers and patients from Britain’s finest writer on the science behind medicine. |
| bad science ben goldacre: Lies, Damned Lies, and Science Sherry Seethaler, 2009-01-13 “Comprehensive, readable, and replete with current, useful examples, this book provides a much-needed explanation of how to be a critical consumer of the scientific claims we encounter in our everyday lives.” —April Cordero Maskiewicz, Department of Biology, Point Loma Nazarene University “Seethaler’s book helps the reader look inside the workings of science and gain a deeper understanding of the pathway that is followed by a scientific finding—from its beginnings in a research lab to its appearance on the nightly news.” —Jim Slotta, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto “How I wish science was taught this way! Seethaler builds skills for critical thinking and evaluation. The book is rich with examples that not only illustrate her points beautifully, they also make it very interesting and fun to read.” —Julia R. Brown, Director, Targacept, Inc. Don’t Get Hoodwinked! Make Sense of Health and Science News...and Make Smarter Decisions! Every day, there’s a new scientific or health controversy. And every day, it seems as if there’s a new study that contradicts what you heard yesterday. What’s really going on? Who’s telling the truth? Who’s faking it? What do scientists actually know–and what don’t they know? This book will help you cut through the confusion and make sense of it all–even if you’ve never taken a science class! Leading science educator and journalist Dr. Sherry Seethaler reveals how science and health research really work...how to put scientific claims in context and understand the real tradeoffs involved...tell quality research from junk science...discover when someone’s deliberately trying to fool you...and find more information you can trust! Nobody knows what new controversy will erupt tomorrow. But one thing’s for certain: With this book, you’ll know how to figure out the real deal–and make smarter decisions for yourself and your family! Watch the news, and you’ll be overwhelmed by snippets of badly presented science: information that’s incomplete, confusing, contradictory, out-of-context, wrong, or flat-out dishonest. Defend yourself! Dr. Sherry Seethaler gives you a powerful arsenal of tools for making sense of science. You’ll learn how to think more sensibly about everything from mad cow disease to global warming—and how to make better science-related decisions in both your personal life and as a citizen. You’ll begin by understanding how science really works and progresses, and why scientists sometimes disagree. Seethaler helps you assess the possible biases of those who make scientific claims in the media, and place scientific issues in appropriate context, so you can intelligently assess tradeoffs. You’ll learn how to determine whether a new study is really meaningful; uncover the difference between cause and coincidence; figure out which statistics mean something, and which don’t. Seethaler reveals the tricks self-interested players use to mislead and confuse you, and points you to sources of information you can actually rely upon. Her many examples range from genetic engineering of crops to drug treatments for depression...but the techniques she teaches you will be invaluable in understanding any scientific controversy, in any area of science or health. ^ Potions, plots, and personalities: How science progresses, and why scientists sometimes disagree ^ Is it “cause” or merely coincidence? How to tell compelling evidence from a “good story” ^ There are always tradeoffs: How to put science and health claims in context, and understand their real implications ^ All the tricks experts use to fool you, exposed! How to recognize lies, “truthiness,” or pseudo-expertise |
| bad science ben goldacre: How to Read a Paper Trisha Greenhalgh, 2010-11-18 How to Read a Paper describes the different types of clinical research reporting, and explains how to critically appraise the publications. The book provides the tools to find and evaluate the literature, and implement the findings in an evidence-based, patient-centered way. Written for anyone in the health care professions who has little or no knowledge of evidence-based medicine, it provides a clear understanding of the concepts and how to put them into practice at the basic, clinical level. Changes for the 4th edition The fourth edition will include two new chapters on important developments in health care research and delivery, but otherwise retains its original style, size, and scope. New chapter on quality improvement – describing papers on quality improvement projects using ebm methods; this will extend the readership to non clinical health care professionals working in hospitals and family practice, and to nurse specialists and practice nurses working in this field New chapter on complex interventions - how to set up research projects involving both qualitative and quantitative methodology (known as mixed methods) Thorough revision and updating of existing chapters and references New illustrations – diagrammatic representations of ebm concepts |
| bad science ben goldacre: The God Con Lee Moller, 2017-06-24 The crucifix is in! You can fool most of the people most of the time. In The God Con, Lee Moller, a life-long atheist and skeptic, looks at organized religion through the lens of the con. Organized religion has been selling an invisible product, that it never has to deliver, for thousands of years. It has given us bigotry, rampant pedophilia, terrorism, and bloodshed beyond imagining. And its acolytes have, in turn, given organized religion power over their bank accounts, their reproduction, and their very “souls”. |
| bad science ben goldacre: Deadly Medicines and Organised Crime Peter Gotzsche, 2019-08-21 PRESCRIPTION DRUGS ARE THE THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AFTER HEART DISEASE AND CANCER. In his latest ground-breaking book, Peter C Gotzsche exposes the pharmaceutical industries and their charade of fraudulent behaviour, both in research and marketing where the morally repugnant disregard for human lives is the norm. He convincingly draws close co |
| bad science ben goldacre: Risk Dan Gardner, 2009-02-24 In the tradition of Malcolm Gladwell, Gardner explores a new way of thinking about the decisions we make. We are the safest and healthiest human beings who ever lived, and yet irrational fear is growing, with deadly consequences — such as the 1,595 Americans killed when they made the mistake of switching from planes to cars after September 11. In part, this irrationality is caused by those — politicians, activists, and the media — who promote fear for their own gain. Culture also matters. But a more fundamental cause is human psychology. Working with risk science pioneer Paul Slovic, author Dan Gardner sets out to explain in a compulsively readable fashion just what that statement above means as to how we make decisions and run our lives. We learn that the brain has not one but two systems to analyze risk. One is primitive, unconscious, and intuitive. The other is conscious and rational. The two systems often agree, but occasionally they come to very different conclusions. When that happens, we can find ourselves worrying about what the statistics tell us is a trivial threat — terrorism, child abduction, cancer caused by chemical pollution — or shrugging off serious risks like obesity and smoking. Gladwell told us about “the black box” of our brains; Gardner takes us inside, helping us to understand how to deconstruct the information we’re bombarded with and respond more logically and adaptively to our world. Risk is cutting-edge reading. |
| bad science ben goldacre: Irrationality Stuart Sutherland, 2013 New, 21st anniversary edition, with a new foreword by Ben Goldacre, author of Bad Science and Bad Pharma, and an afterword by James Ball, covering developments in our understanding of irrationality over the last two decades. Why do doctors, army generals, high-ranking government officials and other people in positions of power make bad decisions that cause harm to others? Why do prizes serve no useful function? Why are punishments so ineffective? Why is interviewing such an unsatisfactory method of selection? Irrationality is a challenging and thought-provoking book that draws on statistica. |
| bad science ben goldacre: On the Take Jerome P. Kassirer M.D., 2004-10-18 We all know that doctors accept gifts from drug companies, ranging from pens and coffee mugs to free vacations at luxurious resorts. But as the former Editor-in-Chief of The New England Journal of Medicine reveals in this shocking expose, these innocuous-seeming gifts are just the tip of an iceberg that is distorting the practice of medicine and jeopardizing the health of millions of Americans today. In On the Take, Dr. Jerome Kassirer offers an unsettling look at the pervasive payoffs that physicians take from big drug companies and other medical suppliers, arguing that the billion-dollar onslaught of industry money has deflected many physicians' moral compasses and directly impacted the everyday care we receive from the doctors and institutions we trust most. Underscored by countless chilling untold stories, the book illuminates the financial connections between the wealthy companies that make drugs and the doctors who prescribe them. Kassirer details the shocking extent of these financial enticements and explains how they encourage bias, promote dangerously misleading medical information, raise the cost of medical care, and breed distrust. Among the questionable practices he describes are: the disturbing number of senior academic physicians who have financial arrangements with drug companies; the unregulated front organizations that advocate certain drugs; the creation of biased medical education materials by the drug companies themselves; and the use of financially conflicted physicians to write clinical practice guidelines or to testify before the FDA in support of a particular drug. A brilliant diagnosis of an epidemic of greed, On the Take offers insight into how we can cure the medical profession and restore our trust in doctors and hospitals. |
| bad science ben goldacre: Voodoo Science Robert L. Park, 2002 Occasionally in the world of science, unexpected results that appear to violate accepted laws of nature can herald revolutionary advances in human knowledge. Many of these 'revolutionary' discoveries do, however, turn out to be wrong, and eminent scientists must carry the burden of a tarnished reputation for mistakenly thinking they have made a great discovery. In this entertaining text, Robert Park examines the social, economic, and political forces that elicit or support flawed or fake science and then go on to sustain it in the face of often overwhelming contrary evidence. Readers are made aware of the fine line that exists between foolishness and fraud and are warned against irrational beliefs dressed up as scientific garb. |
| bad science ben goldacre: Teacher Proof Tom Bennett, 2013-07-04 ‘Tom Bennett is the voice of the modern teacher.’ - Stephen Drew, Senior Vice-Principal, Passmores Academy, UK, featured on Channel 4’s Educating Essex Do the findings from educational science ever really improve the day-to-day practice of classroom teachers? Education is awash with theories about how pupils best learn and teachers best teach, most often propped up with the inevitable research that ‘proves’ the case in point. But what can teachers do to find the proof within the pudding, and how can this actually help them on wet Wednesday afternoon?. Drawing from a wide range of recent and popular education theories and strategies, Tom Bennett highlights how much of what we think we know in schools hasn’t been ‘proven’ in any meaningful sense at all. He inspires teachers to decide for themselves what good and bad education really is, empowering them as professionals and raising their confidence in the classroom and the staffroom alike. Readers are encouraged to question and reflect on issues such as: the most common ideas in modern education and where these ideas were born the crisis in research right now how research is commissioned and used by the people who make policy in the UK and beyond the provenance of education research: who instigates it, who writes it, and how to spot when a claim is based on evidence and when it isn’t the different way that data can be analysed what happens to the research conclusions once they escape the laboratory. Controversial, erudite and yet unremittingly entertaining, Tom includes practical suggestions for the classroom throughout. This book will be an ally to every teacher who’s been handed an instruction on a platter and been told, ‘the research proves it.’ |
| bad science ben goldacre: Trick or Treatment? Dr. Simon Singh, Professor Edzard Ernst, 2009-10-06 Welcome to the world of alternative medicine. Prince Charles is a staunch defender and millions of people swear by it; most UK doctors consider it to be little more than superstition and a waste of money. But how do you know which treatments really heal and which are potentially harmful? Now at last you can find out, thanks to the formidable partnership of Professor Edzard Ernst and Simon Singh. Edzard Ernst is the world's first professor of complementary medicine, based at Exeter University, where he has spent over a decade analysing meticulously the evidence for and against alternative therapies.He is supported in his findings by Simon Singh, the well-known and highly respected science writer of several international bestsellers. Together they have written the definitive book on the subject. It is honest, impartial but hard-hitting, and provides a thorough examination and judgement of more than thirty of the most popular treatments, such as acupuncture, homeopathy, aromatherapy, reflexology, chiropractic and herbal medicine.In Trick or Treatment? the ultimate verdict on alternative medicine is delivered for the first time with clarity, scientific rigour and absolute authority. |
| bad science ben goldacre: Medical Ethics Michael Dunn, R. A. Hope, 2018 Dealing with some of the thorniest problems in medicine, from euthanasia to the distribution of health care resources, this book introduces the reasoning we can use to approach medical ethics. Exploring how medical ethics supports health professionals' work, it also considers the impact of the media, pressure groups, and legal judgments. |
| bad science ben goldacre: The Body Talk System John E Veltheim, 1999-09-19 What do you get when you combine the wisdom of advanced yoga, the energy dynamics of acupuncture, the clinical findings of applied kinesiology, and Western medical expertise? |
| bad science ben goldacre: The Upstarts Brad Stone, 2017-01-31 A look deep inside the new Silicon Valley, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Everything Store. Ten years ago, the idea of getting into a stranger's car, or a walking into a stranger's home, would have seemed bizarre and dangerous, but today it's as common as ordering a book online. Uber and Airbnb have ushered in a new era: redefining neighborhoods, challenging the way governments regulate business, and changing the way we travel. In the spirit of iconic Silicon Valley renegades like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, another generation of entrepreneurs is using technology to upend convention and disrupt entire industries. These are the upstarts, idiosyncratic founders with limitless drive and an abundance of self-confidence. Led by such visionaries as Travis Kalanick of Uber and Brian Chesky of Airbnb, they are rewriting the rules of business and often sidestepping serious ethical and legal obstacles in the process. The Upstarts is the definitive story of two new titans of business and a dawning age of tenacity, conflict and wealth. In Brad Stone's riveting account of the most radical companies of the new Silicon Valley, we discover how it all happened and what it took to change the world. |
| bad science ben goldacre: The Angry Chef Anthony Warner, 2017-06-15 Never before have we had so much information available to us about food and health. There’s GAPS, paleo, detox, gluten-free, alkaline, the sugar conspiracy, clean eating... Unfortunately, a lot of it is not only wrong but actually harmful. So why do so many of us believe this bad science? Assembling a crack team of psychiatrists, behavioural economists, food scientists and dietitians, the Angry Chef unravels the mystery of why sensible, intelligent people are so easily taken in by the latest food fads, making brief detours for an expletive-laden rant. At the end of it all you’ll have the tools to spot pseudoscience for yourself and the Angry Chef will be off for a nice cup of tea – and it will have two sugars in it, thank you very much. |
| bad science ben goldacre: Culinary Reactions Simon Quellen Field, 2011-11-01 When you're cooking, you're a chemist! Every time you follow or modify a recipe, you are experimenting with acids and bases, emulsions and suspensions, gels and foams. In your kitchen you denature proteins, crystallize compounds, react enzymes with substrates, and nurture desired microbial life while suppressing harmful bacteria and fungi. And unlike in a laboratory, you can eat your experiments to verify your hypotheses. In Culinary Reactions, author Simon Quellen Field turns measuring cups, stovetop burners, and mixing bowls into graduated cylinders, Bunsen burners, and beakers. How does altering the ratio of flour, sugar, yeast, salt, butter, and water affect how high bread rises? Why is whipped cream made with nitrous oxide rather than the more common carbon dioxide? And why does Hollandaise sauce call for “clarified” butter? This easy-to-follow primer even includes recipes to demonstrate the concepts being discussed, including: &· Whipped Creamsicle Topping—a foam &· Cherry Dream Cheese—a protein gel &· Lemonade with Chameleon Eggs—an acid indicator |
| bad science ben goldacre: Funny You Should Ask . . . The QI Elves, 2020-10-13 ***PRE-ORDER FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK . . . AGAIN: MORE OF YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY THE QI ELVES NOW*** The perfect gift for all those big and little kids in your life who ask 'why...?'. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY ZOE BALLPre-order the next book in this series, 222 QI Answers to Your Quite Ingenious Questions, published in paperback on 3rd November.'QI have outdone themselves!' ALAN DAVIES 'Fabulous . . . A cracker of a book!' SUE PERKINS'The QI Elves are barnstormingly brilliant.' ZOE BALL'Genuinely useful and endlessly fascinating.' THE SPECTATOR'Hilarious.' DAILY MAILThe QI Elves are the brains behind the enduringly popular BBC TV panel show QI.Every Wednesday the Elves appear on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show where they answer the ponderings and wonderings of BBC Radio 2's most inquisitive listeners.Dive into this splendid collection of listeners' unusual questions and some unexpected answers that are sure to make your head spin on topics ranging from goosebumps to grapefruit, pizza to pirates and everything in-between. Generously sprinkled with extra facts and questions from the Elves, Funny You Should Ask . . . is essential reading for the incurably curious. How much water would you need to put out the Sun?If spiders can walk on the ceiling, why can't they get out of the bath?Why do dads make such bad jokes?Why does red mean 'stop' and green mean 'go'?Can I dig a tunnel to the other side of the Earth?How do plant seeds know which way is up?Can you fill up a black hole?Who popularised the recorder, and where can I get hold of them?For more from the team behind QI, visit qi.com. You can also follow QI's fact-filled Twitter account @qikipedia and listen to their weekly podcast at nosuchthingasafish.comFor more mind-boggling nuggets of wisdom check out the QI FACTS SERIES |
| bad science ben goldacre: Mind Change Susan Greenfield, 2015-02-10 We live in a world unimaginable only decades ago: a domain of backlit screens, instant information, and vibrant experiences that can outcompete dreary reality. Our brave new technologies offer incredible opportunities for work and play. But at what price? Now renowned neuroscientist Susan Greenfield—known in the United Kingdom for challenging entrenched conventional views—brings together a range of scientific studies, news events, and cultural criticism to create an incisive snapshot of “the global now.” Disputing the assumption that our technologies are harmless tools, Greenfield explores whether incessant exposure to social media sites, search engines, and videogames is capable of rewiring our brains, and whether the minds of people born before and after the advent of the Internet differ. Stressing the impact on Digital Natives—those who’ve never known a world without the Internet—Greenfield exposes how neuronal networking may be affected by unprecedented bombardments of audiovisual stimuli, how gaming can shape a chemical landscape in the brain similar to that in gambling addicts, how surfing the Net risks placing a premium on information rather than on deep knowledge and understanding, and how excessive use of social networking sites limits the maturation of empathy and identity. But Mind Change also delves into the potential benefits of our digital lifestyle. Sifting through the cocktail of not only threat but opportunity these technologies afford, Greenfield explores how gaming enhances vision and motor control, how touch tablets aid students with developmental disabilities, and how political “clicktivism” foments positive change. In a world where adults spend ten hours a day online, and where tablets are the common means by which children learn and play, Mind Change reveals as never before the complex physiological, social, and cultural ramifications of living in the digital age. A book that will be to the Internet what An Inconvenient Truth was to global warming, Mind Change is provocative, alarming, and a call to action to ensure a future in which technology fosters—not frustrates—deep thinking, creativity, and true fulfillment. Praise for Mind Change “Greenfield’s application of the mismatch between human and machine to the brain introduces an important variation on this pervasive view of technology. . . . She has a rare talent for explaining science in accessible prose.”—The Washington Post “Greenfield’s focus is on bringing to light the implications of Internet-induced ‘mind change’—as comparably multifaceted as the issue of climate change, she argues, and just as important.”—Chicago Tribune “Mind Change is exceedingly well organized and hits the right balance between academic and provocative.”—Booklist “[A] challenging, stimulating perspective from an informed neuroscientist on a complex, fast-moving, hugely consequential field.”—Kirkus Reviews “[Greenfield] is not just an engaging communicator but a thoughtful, responsible scientist, and the arguments she makes are well-supported and persuasive.”—Mail on Sunday “Greenfield’s admirable goal to prove an empirical basis for discussion is . . . an important one.”—Financial Times “An important presentation of an uncomfortable minority position.”—Jaron Lanier, Nature |
| bad science ben goldacre: Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds Charles Mackay, 1852 Excerpt from Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions, Vol. 2 A forest huge of spears and thronging helms Appear'd, and serried shields, in thick array. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works. |
| bad science ben goldacre: Unscientific America Chris Mooney, Sheril Kirshenbaum, 2009-07-14 In his famous 1959 Rede lecture at Cambridge University, the scientifically-trained novelist C.P. Snow described science and the humanities as two cultures, separated by a gulf of mutual incomprehension. And the humanists had all the cultural power -- the low prestige of science, Snow argued, left Western leaders too little educated in scientific subjects that were increasingly central to world problems: the elementary physics behind nuclear weapons, for instance, or the basics of plant science needed to feed the world's growing population. Now, Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum, a journalist-scientist team, offer an updated two cultures polemic for America in the 21st century. Just as in Snow's time, some of our gravest challenges -- climate change, the energy crisis, national economic competitiveness -- and gravest threats -- global pandemics, nuclear proliferation -- have fundamentally scientific underpinnings. Yet we still live in a culture that rarely takes science seriously or has it on the radar. For every five hours of cable news, less than a minute is devoted to science; 46 percent of Americans reject evolution and think the Earth is less than 10,000 years old; the number of newspapers with weekly science sections has shrunken by two-thirds over the past several decades. The public is polarized over climate change -- an issue where political party affiliation determines one's view of reality -- and in dangerous retreat from childhood vaccinations. Meanwhile, only 18 percent of Americans have even met a scientist to begin with; more than half can't name a living scientist role model. For this dismaying situation, Mooney and Kirshenbaum don't let anyone off the hook. They highlight the anti-intellectual tendencies of the American public (and particularly the politicians and journalists who are supposed to serve it), but also challenge the scientists themselves, who despite the best of intentions have often failed to communicate about their work effectively to a broad public -- and so have ceded their critical place in the public sphere to religious and commercial propagandists. A plea for enhanced scientific literacy, Unscientific America urges those who care about the place of science in our society to take unprecedented action. We must begin to train a small army of ambassadors who can translate science's message and make it relevant to the media, to politicians, and to the public in the broadest sense. An impassioned call to arms worthy of Snow's original manifesto, this book lays the groundwork for reintegrating science into the public discourse -- before it's too late. |
| bad science ben goldacre: The Science of Everyday Life Marty Jopson, 2015-09-17 A fascinating and accessible guide to chemistry and physics using the everyday objects around us. |
| bad science ben goldacre: Life Ascending Nick Lane, 2010-10-01 Winner of the 2010 Royal Society Prize for science books Powerful new research methods are providing fresh and vivid insights into the makeup of life. Comparing gene sequences, examining the atomic structure of proteins and looking into the geochemistry of rocks have all helped to explain creation and evolution in more detail than ever before. Nick Lane uses the full extent of this new knowledge to describe the ten greatest inventions of life, based on their historical impact, role in living organisms today and relevance to current controversies. DNA, sex, sight and consciousnesses are just four examples. Lane also explains how these findings have come about, and the extent to which they can be relied upon. The result is a gripping and lucid account of the ingenuity of nature, and a book which is essential reading for anyone who has ever questioned the science behind the glories of everyday life. |
| bad science ben goldacre: The Tiger That Isn't Andrew Dilnot, Michael Blastland, 2010-07-09 Mathematics scares and depresses most of us, but politicians, journalists and everyone in power use numbers all the time to bamboozle us. Most maths is really simple - as easy as 2+2 in fact. Better still it can be understood without any jargon, any formulas - and in fact not even many numbers. Most of it is commonsense, and by using a few really simple principles one can quickly see when maths, statistics and numbers are being abused to play tricks - or create policies - which can waste millions of pounds. It is liberating to understand when numbers are telling the truth or being used to lie, whether it is health scares, the costs of government policies, the supposed risks of certain activities or the real burden of taxes. |
| bad science ben goldacre: The Other Side Kate Granger, 2012* |
| bad science ben goldacre: The Feather Thief Kirk Wallace Johnson, 2018-04-24 As heard on NPR's This American Life “Absorbing . . . Though it's non-fiction, The Feather Thief contains many of the elements of a classic thriller.” —Maureen Corrigan, NPR’s Fresh Air “One of the most peculiar and memorable true-crime books ever.” —Christian Science Monitor A rollicking true-crime adventure and a captivating journey into an underground world of fanatical fly-tiers and plume peddlers, for readers of The Stranger in the Woods, The Lost City of Z, and The Orchid Thief. On a cool June evening in 2009, after performing a concert at London's Royal Academy of Music, twenty-year-old American flautist Edwin Rist boarded a train for a suburban outpost of the British Museum of Natural History. Home to one of the largest ornithological collections in the world, the Tring museum was full of rare bird specimens whose gorgeous feathers were worth staggering amounts of money to the men who shared Edwin's obsession: the Victorian art of salmon fly-tying. Once inside the museum, the champion fly-tier grabbed hundreds of bird skins—some collected 150 years earlier by a contemporary of Darwin's, Alfred Russel Wallace, who'd risked everything to gather them—and escaped into the darkness. Two years later, Kirk Wallace Johnson was waist high in a river in northern New Mexico when his fly-fishing guide told him about the heist. He was soon consumed by the strange case of the feather thief. What would possess a person to steal dead birds? Had Edwin paid the price for his crime? What became of the missing skins? In his search for answers, Johnson was catapulted into a years-long, worldwide investigation. The gripping story of a bizarre and shocking crime, and one man's relentless pursuit of justice, The Feather Thief is also a fascinating exploration of obsession, and man's destructive instinct to harvest the beauty of nature. |
| bad science ben goldacre: Food to Grow On Sarah Remmer, RD, Cara Rosenbloom, RD, 2021-04-13 TASTE CANADA AWARDS SILVER WINNER The definitive guide to childhood nutrition, packed with practical advice to support you through pregnancy, and up until your little one starts school. Food to Grow On gives you the tools to confidently nourish your growing child, and set them up with a positive relationship with food for life. From the moment you know a baby is on the way, you want what's best for your child. Enter Food to Grow On to coach you through every stage of feeding your child in their early years of life. Laid out in an easy-to- navigate question and answer style, this book provides practical advice and support from Sarah Remmer and Cara Rosenbloom, two trusted dietitians (and moms). With an empathetic tone and hint of we've-been-there-too humor, Food to Grow On is packed with hard-earned parenting wisdom and the very latest research in pediatric nutrition, so you will feel supported, understood, and ready to help your child thrive. Included inside are answers to pressing questions like: How often should I breastfeed or bottle-feed? Should I spoon-feed or try baby-led weaning? What do I need to know about raising a vegan child? My toddler is a picky eater, what should I do? How can I make school lunches my child will eat? Sarah and Cara's advice covers what to feed your child, but also dives deeper into how to feed your child. With this broad approach, you'll learn eating well is much more than just the food you serve. It's about cultivating positive experiences around food at every stage of your child's development, whether they're about to start solids or about to start school. |
| bad science ben goldacre: The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore Benjamin Hale, 2010-11-01 Bruno Littlemore is quite unlike any chimpanzee in the world. Precocious, self-conscious and preternaturally gifted, young Bruno, born and raised in a habitat at the local zoo, falls under the care of a university primatologist named Lydia Littlemore. Learning of Bruno's ability to speak, Lydia takes Bruno into her home to oversee his education and nurture his passion for painting. But for all of his gifts, the chimpanzee has a rough time caging his more primal urges. His untimely outbursts ultimately cost Lydia her job, and send the unlikely pair on the road in what proves to be one of the most unforgettable journeys -- and most affecting love stories -- in recent literature. Like its protagonist, this novel is big, loud, abrasive, witty, perverse, earnest and amazingly accomplished. The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore goes beyond satire by showing us not what it means, but what it feels like be human -- to love and lose, learn, aspire, grasp, and, in the end, to fail. |
| bad science ben goldacre: A Grain of Salt Joe Schwarcz, 2019-10-08 “This enlightening collection offers every reader something new to learn and marvel over.” — Booklist Bestselling popular science author Dr. Joe Schwarcz debunks the baloney and serves up the raw facts in this appetizing collection about the things we eat Eating has become a confusing experience. Should we follow a keto diet? Is sugar the next tobacco? Does fermented cabbage juice cure disease? Are lectins toxic? Is drinking poppy seed tea risky? What’s with probiotics? Can packaging contaminate food? Should our nuts be activated? What is cockroach milk? We all have questions, and Dr. Joe Schwarcz has the answers, some of which will astonish you. This collection is guaranteed to satisfy your hunger for palatable and relevant scientific information as Dr. Joe separates fact from fiction with an assortment of new and updated articles about what to eat, what not to eat, and how to recognize the scientific basis of food chemistry. |
| bad science ben goldacre: Quantum Manjit Kumar, 2008-10-02 'This is about gob-smacking science at the far end of reason ... Take it nice and easy and savour the experience of your mind being blown without recourse to hallucinogens' Nicholas Lezard, Guardian For most people, quantum theory is a byword for mysterious, impenetrable science. And yet for many years it was equally baffling for scientists themselves. In this magisterial book, Manjit Kumar gives a dramatic and superbly-written history of this fundamental scientific revolution, and the divisive debate at its core. Quantum theory looks at the very building blocks of our world, the particles and processes without which it could not exist. Yet for 60 years most physicists believed that quantum theory denied the very existence of reality itself. In this tour de force of science history, Manjit Kumar shows how the golden age of physics ignited the greatest intellectual debate of the twentieth century. Quantum theory is weird. In 1905, Albert Einstein suggested that light was a particle, not a wave, defying a century of experiments. Werner Heisenberg's uncertainty principle and Erwin Schrodinger's famous dead-and-alive cat are similarly strange. As Niels Bohr said, if you weren't shocked by quantum theory, you didn't really understand it. While Quantum sets the science in the context of the great upheavals of the modern age, Kumar's centrepiece is the conflict between Einstein and Bohr over the nature of reality and the soul of science. 'Bohr brainwashed a whole generation of physicists into believing that the problem had been solved', lamented the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Murray Gell-Mann. But in Quantum, Kumar brings Einstein back to the centre of the quantum debate. Quantum is the essential read for anyone fascinated by this complex and thrilling story and by the band of brilliant men at its heart. |
| bad science ben goldacre: The Tenth Nerve Dr. Chris Honey, 2023-08-29 Combining a humane perspective, lively anecdotes, and a deep curiosity about the uncharted territories of the human brain, The Tenth Nerve is a richly fascinating memoir that will fill you with wonder. “The scalpel can only go so deep, and technical skill can only take one so far.” In this absorbing narrative, Dr. Chris Honey, an accomplished neurosurgeon at Vancouver General Hospital, weaves his personal journey together with case studies that reflect the thrill of scientific discovery and the limitations of medicine. Operating on a terminally ill child amid an Ebola outbreak in Liberia, he questions his preconceptions about what it means to win against a disease. Reflecting on his own path into neurosurgery, he brings to life a relatively new, high stakes field of medicine—one that historically demanded emotional detachment and often attracts extreme personalities. With a compassionate eye, he traces the courage and determination of several patients suffering from mysterious, unrecognized illnesses, and invites us into the operating room with Dr. Honey and his team to witness the extraordinary discovery—involving the tenth cranial nerve—of an entirely new disease and its cure. And, outside the OR, an unusual friendship with a former patient alters his perspective on clinical detachment, and what quality of life really means. Riveting and dramatic, The Tenth Nerve offers a rare window into the world of a pre-eminent neurosurgeon and seven exceptional patients that made him a better doctor. |
| bad science ben goldacre: The Reason of Things A.C. Grayling, 2010-12-09 The follow-up to THE MEANING OF THINGS which continues A.C. Grayling's philosophical journey through life The most important question we can ask ourselves is: what kind of life is the best? This is the same as asking: How does one give meaning to one's life? How can one justify one's existence and make it worthwhile? How does one make experience valuable, and keep growing and learning in the process - and through this learning acquire a degree of understanding of oneself and the world? A civilised society is one which never ceases debating with itself about what human life should best be. Some would, with justice, say that if we want ours to be such a society we must all contribute to that discussion. This book is, with appropriate diffidence, such a contribution. It consists of a collection of Grayling's regular 'Last Word' columns in the Guardian. This time topics include Suicide, Deceit, Luxury, Profit, Marriage, Meat-eating, Liberty, Slavery, Protest, Guns and War. |
| bad science ben goldacre: You Are What You Eat Gillian McKeith, 2006-03-28 A clear, no-nonsense nutritional guide to a healthier life, from the author of Gillian McKeith’s Food Bible and Slim for Life. With over 2 million copies sold worldwide, Gillian McKeith’s You Are What You Eat is a national bestseller that has changed the way people think about food and nutrition. You Are What You Eat features real-life diet makeovers and case studies, easy to use lists and charts, and beautiful full color photographs. By encouraging you to eat more nutrient-dense, flavorful whole foods, You Are What You Eat will teach you how to stay healthy and satisfied. This healthy guide also includes: • Gillian McKeith’s “Diet of Abundance” • A 7-Day jumpstart plan • The Food IQ Test • Complete shopping guide and meal plan • Healthy and delicious Mediterranean-inspired recipes |
| bad science ben goldacre: Science Fictions Stuart Ritchie, 2021-09-16 |
