"Top 10" Junk Science

[jmervyn]

FOX story - the top 10 junk science stories for 2006
1. The most toxic manmade chemical?
2. Dial “F” for Fear.
3. Powerline scare unplugged.
4. Hormone Hysterics.
5. Secret Science?
6. Obesity statistics lose weight.
7. ‘Ear-ie’ biotech scare.
8. PETA: Milk drinking makes for future felons.
9. Choking on chips.
10. The Mother of all junk science controversies. (Kyoto)

The Top 10 Junk Science Claims of 2005

1. Obese Statistics Get Liposuction.
2. Cruelty to Students.
3. U.N.-natural disasters?
4. Burger Baloney.
5. Franken-movie, not Franken-food.
6. Afraid-iation?
7. Warning: This Label Based on Junk Science.
8. Stem Cell Fast-One.
9. The Lone-Tree Theory.
10. Baby Bottle Battle.

What's your favorite? Or, if you prefer, why is this guy full of it and the sky really IS falling?

I like #2 and 10 from 2006, and #3 or 5 from 2005.

[Croup]

I personally like the Hormone Hysterics. The media jumps all over the study, praising something else that takes the blame OFF of people for the problems that they have.

And then it's proven false.

HAH!

[S Z]

Personally, I like the 'Afraid-iation' article, being somewhat of a physics geek. And I also believe that there is a lot of Junk Science out there, my own particular bugbear being both disease vaccination (esp with Bird Flu "just around the corner) and of course climate change.

I am somewhat surprised that the well-publicised faking of stem-cell research didn't register of his radar given that it was the most contraversial science story last year. An ideal candidate for 'Junk Science', surely. In addition the whole 'Passive Smoking makes baby Jesus cry' extravaganza over the last decade and a bit has stayed remarkably out of his top-10, as has the 'Panic: We are running out of oil' bit.

But then again, Milloy's 'debunkings' are often subject to the junk science tag themselves, often through the manipulation of economic statistical trends. He also seems to target science from a political bent, following a 'libertarian' standpoint of low regulation and a satisfaction with the ability of a free-market economy to deal with future problems. This has definitely been the case with a lot of his criticism of Global Warming research, but for a while now his objections have been more of a 'we cannot do anything about it' rather than disputing the fundamentals of the research.

Many of his articles are great, but some not worth the magnetic storage media they are stored on. As with all people that express an opinion I guess :wink3:

[buttershug]

Personally, I like the 'Afraid-iation' article, being somewhat of a physics geek. And I also believe that there is a lot of Junk Science out there, my own particular bugbear being both disease vaccination (esp with Bird Flu "just around the corner) and of course climate change.

You do realize this year's flu vaccination won't cover bird flu. And may not cover the flu that will go around, don't you? I think they try and cover three strains and hope to cover whatever does go around. Overall AFAIK the people working on it year round do an excellent job but they are hunting a moving target.

And the world could suffer a deadly outbreak of Venezualen beaver flu. Well it won't have that name but I mean something totally new and unexpected.

[S Z]

You do realize this year's flu vaccination won't cover bird flu.

Of course it wont cover bird flu, I am not suggesting it does. When it comes to disease vaccination I am more concerned with the media's negative portrail of the MMR-combined vaccine and the sort of crap science often used to justify no-vaccination of children, and the risk that such actions puts everyone under due to the risk of epidemic with a <90% uptake of vaccinations. The press has to take a large chunk of the blame for this simply because of the air-time they give to attention whore scientists whose research is clearly flawed and advice is dangerous.

And may not cover the flu that will go around, don't you? I think they try and cover three strains and hope to cover whatever does go around. Overall AFAIK the people working on it year round do an excellent job but they are hunting a moving target.

Current flu vaccinations are a preventative measure to provide some protection for 'at risk' groups, i.e. old people or the very young, from the major flu strains. This is a good thing. Making any link with Bird Flu and normal Influenza, apart from a 'this is how lethal it is' comparison, is a bad thing. Further, the assumptions that the press makes, for example on how significant 1 wild swan testing positive for BF and making it seem hugely meaningful, or on the effectiveness of any drug that combats the current form of the H5N1 virus, are unhelpful to the public at large. There is only so many times we can cry wolf before the public stops giving a crap.

Of course those currently researching H5N1, and indeed all viral types, are doing pretty well under though circumstances. This does not mean that the take of the press, esp. the print media, isn't wrongheaded and in many ways counter-productive.

[Merick]

It's so hard to know what to believe anymore without being an expert in the field isn't it?

[SaroDarksbane]

It's so hard to know what to believe anymore without being an expert in the field isn't it?

Indeed it is. On the other hand, it has taught me not to worry about almost anything, as the health-scare crazies are always dead wrong. Besides, people seem to forget that you never get out of this life alive, no matter how safe you play it, so have some fun and enjoy your life while it's here. I'd rather have 75 years of enjoyment than 80 years of dull misery.

Pass the hotdogs and Coke, thanks.

[Moosashi]

I didn't see the Intelligent Design movement on those lists. I guess FOX NEWS only takes issue with junk science that runs counter to conservative Christian values and environmental exploitation.

And where's the list for junk journalism?

[SaroDarksbane]

I didn't see the Intelligent Design movement on those lists. I guess FOX NEWS only takes issue with junk science that runs counter to conservative Christian values and environmental exploitation.

Because everyone knows ID isn't science of any kind? =P

[Dondrei]

Ugh, too many and too depressing. How about the oft-quoted statistic (don't know if non-Australian media does the same thing) that one quarter of Australians suffer from mental illness at some stage in their lives, one in five (sometimes the figure is even higher) Australians are obese, et cetera. I THINK I'D FREAKING NOTICE, DICKWADS!!!

Or, I don't know, practically all of psychology.

I am somewhat surprised that the well-publicised faking of stem-cell research didn't register of his radar given that it was the most contraversial science story last year. An ideal candidate for 'Junk Science', surely.

I agree. Actually, when was that big story about UFO cult that said it had cloned a full human? Was that last year? I remember it was in the news for ages and I just thought, what is this - a slow news day? Don't give the freaks the attention they so desire.