Those who spread misinformation love to use this catchphrase: "I did my own research!" But what is research, really? What is the kind of research that scientists do? How is that different from the kind of research that peddlers of fake science do? 

Find out in today's episode of Proper Science. 

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We're not just fighting off COVID-19. This pandemic has brought in a new breed of adversary called the 'infodemic', composed of loads of misinformation scattered across social media, dodgy websites, private messaging groups, and more. 

Now, finding the correct information on COVID-19, vaccines, and everything related to them is a lot harder. But it doesn't have to be if you know what information to find. In today's episode of Proper Science, Dr Amiel Villanueva (our previous guest) will guide you in finding accurate COVID-19 information while avoiding the wrong information about it.

COVID-19 is a scary disease, but there is hope in the form of vaccines. Lots of COVID vaccines are now available, offering excellent protection against the ill effects of SARS-CoV-2. Despite that, so many people are still hesitant to get vaccinated. 

Let's dispel some misconceptions about these vaccines, shall we?

For the first time ever in the history of Proper Science, we are having a guest on our show! Dr. Amiel Villanueva, an internal medicine physician from the Philippine General Hospital, shares his expertise and answers many common questions people have about the COVID vaccines.

Many individuals and groups, including some medical doctors, are pushing for the use of ivermectin against COVID-19. The drug is a common anti-parasitic used to treat roundworm infections, but they say it also works well against SARS-CoV-2. They even have evidence to back their claims.

How reliable is this evidence? Is it true that ivermectin is a good alternative treatment for COVID-19? Find out more in today's episode of Proper Science.

There have been rumours spreading online that the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna can completely rewrite your genetic code. With that, you should not take these vaccines.

But is it true? Let's pick apart this claim with a dose of molecular biology. Today's episode of Proper Science will answer the question:

Can mRNA vaccines alter your genetic code?

In this follow-up to the first vaccines episode (http://bit.ly/VAcC1), we'll take a look at a concept called Herd Immunity. Let's see how it can protect others around us when we are vaccinated.   

Further reading: 

What is herd immunity and how does it work? https://www.ovg.ox.ac.uk/news/herd-immunity-how-does-it-work   

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Merry Christmas! Here we are again in the season of gift giving. And with gift giving comes gift wrapping. We always love to make those presents look fancy, but the environment is not quite happy about that.

How, then, can we celebrate a more environmentally friendly holiday season? Find out in today's episode of Proper Science.

I referenced a previous episode (Are Plastics the Big Problem?) in the show. To listen to it, click here: http://bit.ly/plastic1ps

CORRECTION: I said in this episode that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the size of France, but it's really bigger. It is three times bigger than France, in fact. You'll hear that said in the Plastics episode above.

The "Triangle of Life" is purported to be the best earthquake survival technique available. It claims near-100% survivability in any strong tremor, but is it really true? Let's look at the science behind it.

Further Reading (click the links to find out more):

HowStuffWorks - The Triangle of Life Myth

US Geological Survey - Triangle of Life