Science & Society

The term "fake news" has been popularized by media due to President Donald Trump using it about corporate news outlets in recent years, it was even the plot of the recent Marvel move "Spider-Man: Far From Home" and while its precise meaning has been hotly debated, the spreading of false information to fulfill a political agenda is now a new concept. And it's not just an American thing. Dani Madrid-Morales, assistant professor of journalism at the UH Jack J. Valenti School of Communication and Herman Wasserman at the University of Cape Town, have found that in sub-Saharan Africa -- where…

This is surely going to be one of the 93% of bills that never make it to law. First there is his op. ed. and surely this is not serious: First his “maybe we’d be better off if Facebook disappeared.” is part of an argument. He is saying we need to be tough on social media and not let ourselves be shoved around by them. Confront the industry, we’re told, and you might accidentally kill it — and with it, all the innovation it has (supposedly) brought to our society. Maybe. But maybe social media’s innovations do our country more harm than good. Maybe social media is best understood as a parasite…

A color additive petition submitted by Impossible Foods Inc. requesting the FDA to issue a regulation listing soy leghemoglobin as a color additive for use in such products such as Impossible Burgers has gotten FDA approval. The regulatory agency is amending the color additive regulations to provide for the safe use of soy leghemoglobin as a color additive in uncooked ground beef substitute products (e.g., vegetable burgers).  Impossible Foods already used soy leghemoglobin to optimize flavor in its plant-based beef substitutes in cooked form, such as burger chains and restaurants. The…

If you want to find a nexus of conspiracy theories about science (it's a vast corporate conspiracy among the anti-GMO, anti-vaccine and anti-nuclear crowd, and a deep state conspiracy among the chemtrails crowd) YouTube is a good way to go, shows a new study (open access.) They are able to effectively spread their message using keywords to hijack the discourse against science. Unlike with writing, which requires some literacy to create or understand, video has no barrier to entry and someone legitimately seeking answers won't know they're dealing with a crank until they start watching the…

The Morrison government has introduced new legislation responding to recent protests by animal rights activists in Australia. The bill –named The Criminal Code Amendment (Agricultural Protection) Bill 2019 – will tighten up existing laws, creating harsher penalties for those who incite others to trespass on farms. Minister for Agriculture Bridget McKenzie and Attorney-General Christian Porter have said this legislation will deliver on the government’s election commitment to protect the privacy of Australian farmers and primary producers […] from the unlawful actions of animal activists". The…

Despite believing that self-care is a vitally important part of health and overall well-being, many physicians overlook their own self-care, according to a new survey released today, conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Samueli Integrative Health Programs. Lack of time, job demands, family demands, being too tired and burnout are the most common reasons for not practicing their desired amount of self-care. "Doctors seem to understand the physical as well as mental, emotional and social value of engaging in self-care, and that's encouraging because we are in a powerful position to help…

If I have a choice between an emissions-belching factory near my home or clean, high-paying jobs from a diverse group of educated people 13,000 feet above where citizens live, I am siding with science. This is why while I was a successful environmental fundraiser, many of their positions made no sense to me, even when I was young and naïve. Many of the positions I was supposed to believe in weren't about the environment, they were about manufacturing hype to raise money. Hawaiʻi's Thirty Meter Telescope is another example where it is not about the environment - 13 observatories and telescopes…

The term sexting has been used to describe incidents where people take nude or semi-nude photos or videos of themselves and exchange that content via text or private social media messages. To adults it is recognized as somewhat ridiculous but at least there is the pretense of mature consent, that it is only being shared with trusted romantic partners, while with teens there is concern these images will find their way into the hands of others and follow them throughout their early lives at a time when everything is already dramatic. The good news is teen sexting is not an epidemic as being…

Understanding the Voynich Manuscript #3 Plants and the moon. For thousands of years, people from many lands have believed that the planets and stars affect their lives. The belief in astrology is widely known. Less well known is the equally ancient belief that the moon affects the germination and growth of plants. Unlike the case with astrology, there is at least some scientific basis1 for the idea of a connection between the phases of the moon and the growth of plants. It is tempting to assume that some of the illustrations in the Voynich Manuscript represent star charts and that they…

This is an internet joke event. Lots of people saying they will go just for the fun of it. Out of those 2 million or more, it would be a surprise if 50 actually turn up. This is what they plan to do, a Naruto run (click to watch on Youtube) UPDATE - THE EVENT GOT CANCELLED The music festival event got canceled, and the original organizers say to stay away saying: “If any event still happens it is going to be a pretty sad affair with no bands, very little infrastructure and a lot of unhappy campers,” It kooks like the local inn is going to stage some kind of a party with "20 bands, two…