Science Facts & Fallacies

Many harmful myths about farming persist on social media. Let's explore some of the most common falsehoods about agriculture you're likely to encounter on Twitter. New malaria and polio vaccines are on their way. Could these novel immunizations help us finally put two devastating diseases in check?

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Join host Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 225 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* US agriculture: a toxic soup of factory farming, corporate greed and gene-altered crops? Debunking 10 myths around modern agriculture

So-called "factory farming" harms animals? New technologies only benefit large companies? These and a handful of other myths about modern agriculture continue to circulate online, deceiving millions of people about the safety and ethics of food production. One farmer has had enough of the nonsense. Let's discuss her rebuttals to some of the most popular falsehoods about farming.

* A new malaria vaccine could save thousands of lives in Ghana. Here’s everything you need to know about it

Before 2015, the world had made significant progress in preventing the spread of malaria by controlling the mosquitoes that vector the disease. In recent years, and especially following the COVID pandemic, malaria has made somewhat of a resurgence. This unfortunate development had one silver lining, though: it spurred the production of a new malaria vaccine. Ghana is poised to begin giving the shot to thousands of people, hopefully encouraging surrounding countries to follow its lead. Combined with an earlier malaria vaccine and insect-control tools such as pesticides, experts are hopeful we can regain the ground we've lost to malaria over the last eight years.

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* Old polio vaccines can mutate into a dangerous version of the disease — but a new ‘super-engineered’ vaccine is much safer

Existing polio vaccines have nearly eradicated the disease; today the virus is endemic in just two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, one of the lingering problems is that the oral polio vaccine can, on rare occasions, mutate and allow vaccinated individuals to spread polio to their unvaccinated neighbors. Scientists may have devised a permanent solution to this alarming side effect by engineering a polio vaccine that cannot mutate. The enhanced immunization is undergoing clinical trials to en...

Does the sweetener aspartame, found in all sorts of foods and drinks, cause cancer? Controversy over the chemical's safety has erupted in recent weeks, even though there's little evidence to justify the concern. A new study adds fuel to the debate over the heart benefits of consuming alcohol. Why can't we figure out how booze affects our cardiovascular system? New health scares hit the headlines every week; here's an expert checklist to help you separate scares from genuine threats.

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Join guest host Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 224 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Viewpoint: IARC’s aspartame report echoes globally-rejected glyphosate cancer determination — Controversial organization ignores ‘back-off’ directive from WHO, US and Japan, releasing what scientists call an ‘illegitimate’ analysis

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has developed a reputation for declaring that chemicals pose a cancer hazard even when there's no evidence they harm human health. Some experts have speculated based on preliminary comments from IARC that the agency's upcoming monograph on the sweetener aspartame will conform to this pattern. Some 90 countries have authorized the use of aspartame in foods and beverages, and the FDA has conducted five reviews of the relevant research, all concluding that the sweetener poses no significant risk. "Scientific evidence has continued to support the FDA’s conclusion that aspartame is safe for the general population when made under good manufacturing practices and used under the approved conditions of use," the regulator's website notes. The stage is set for another international showdown over a benign chemical. Will the science win out?

* Alcohol is good for you, alcohol is bad for you? Here’s yet another study to fuel the debate

According to a recent study that monitored the drinking habits and heart health of thousands of people, moderate alcohol consumption (1-14 drinks per week) may lead to changes in the brain that reduce inflammation and ultimately lower a person's cardiovascular disease risk. Epidemiological studies can't demonstrate causation, so it remains to be seen if the results will hold up as additional research is performed in the coming years. Nonetheless, the study has put forward a plausible mechanism by which sipping the occasional cocktail or glass of wine may confer and import health benefit.

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Gene editing has yielded allergy-free eggs that might prevent severe episodes of anaphylaxis in young children. Ticks and mosquitoes are bringing potentially serious diseases to parts of the US where they are rarely seen. What can we do to stop the spread of malaria and other vectored illnesses? As RFK, Jr. gains popularity in the polls, should scientists debate him? Yes.

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Join guest host Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 223 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Allergic to eggs? Here’s how tweaking chicken genes can save kids from anaphylactic shock

Utilizing a gene-editing technology called transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), a team of researchers has cut out the gene in hens that encodes a protein responsible for many eggs allergies in young children. Their study, recently published in Food and Chemical Toxicology, has demonstrated that it's possible to produce low-allergen eggs, but that's only the beginning. The next step is a lengthy review process, including clinical trials, to show that foods containing these eggs are substantially equivalent to the items consumers already have access to in grocery stores and restaurants.

* Ticks and mosquitos are bringing Lyme disease and other vectored illnesses to new places across the US

Warming temperatures, land-use changes and increasing global travel have enabled disease-vectoring ticks and mosquitoes to spread to parts of the world in which they're rarely seen, including regions of the US with more temperate climates. Most of these illnesses remain uncommon. For example, the CDC reports that the US has experienced roughly 150 locally acquired cases of malaria and 60 limited outbreaks over the last five decades, and 2,000 cases found in returning international travelers. Nevertheless, slight increases raise an important question: how do we prevent malaria and other nasty diseases from regaining a foothold in the United States?

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A pesticide ban in France has sent the country's sugar beet production to a 14-year low, a troubling result that could boost consumer food prices to alarming levels. Environmental activist groups that complain about industry "greenwashing" make dubious scientific claims to promote their agendas. Why do lawmakers and voters tolerate this double standard? Americans generally pay little attention to the politics of farming. But the recent push to further restrict pesticide and fossil fuel use in agriculture could force the public to pay more attention to farm policy.

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Join guest host Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 222 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* France sugar beet production hits 14-year low, analysts blame neonicotinoid pesticide ban

Sugar beet growers in France are battling unfavorable weather conditions and a pesticide ban that have sent their yields plummeting to 14-year lows. Experts have long argued that the prohibited insecticides, seed coatings known as neonicotinoids, pose minimal risks to human health and the environment while helping farmers control aphids that spread several deadly plant viruses. Will regulators reconsider the neonic ban in light of its potentially disastrous impact on the country's sugar production?

* Viewpoint: ‘Organic is good’? — Greenwashing propagated by environmental advocacy group lobbyists and marketing-savvy green industry

Food and consumer goods manufacturers are routinely accused of "greenwashing," using dubious claims to market their products to sustainability-minded shoppers. The oft-overlooked problem is that the politicians and activists who complain about greenwashing are guilty of promoting falsehoods about agriculture, energy and recycling as they try to generate public support for their environmentalist causes.

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* Viewpoint: The politics of farming affects every American. Here’s why agriculture will be the next presidential election’s big issue

American voters tend to focus on a handful of highly polarizing, controversial issues during presidential elections. But the federal government's recent push for "green" farming—that is, growing crops with access to fewer pesticides ...

Social media companies are experimenting with new technologies that measure human brain activity. Does this drive to fine tune the ads we see on Facebook threaten our privacy? Developing countries are increasingly rejecting the anti-technology views of Greenpeace and other environmental activist groups. Scientists have discovered a new compound capable of killing one of the many "superbugs" that are difficult to treat with existing antibiotics.

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Join guest host Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 221 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* New wave of neuroscience: Tech companies experimenting with controversial brain-focused products?

Technologies such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), implanted electrode systems, and electroencephalograms (EEGs) serve important medical purposes. For instance, fMRI scans allow doctors to see which parts of the brain control certain actions and abilities and prepare for surgical procedures. Now tech giants like Meta (Facebook) are investing money in these same tools in hopes of tracking the brain activity of users on their platforms, the idea being to more accurately the target the ads that people see.

Does this pose a threat to our online privacy? Are governments prepared to regulate these uses of powerful brain-imaging tools? Should they be trusted with this responsibility? The answers to these questions could have profound implications.

* Viewpoint: ‘Rejecting the luxury green beliefs of the privileged West’ — Why developing countries are rebelling against Greenpeace’s anti-technology policies

The citizens of developing countries are increasingly rejecting the anti-technology message proffered by Western activist groups. Nonprofits such as Greenpeace have pressured these nations for years to forgo the use of GMOs, pesticides, fossil fuels and nuclear power to protect the environment, but the message is falling on deaf ears as people around the world see the value of these technologies in improving their living standards.

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* AI helps discover new drug that kills antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs’

AI remains a controversial technology, though it seems to have already proven its worth i...

Activist groups effectively use fear-based PR campaigns to drive pesticides and other important products off the market. What can scientists do to stem this threat to technological innovation? Mosquitoes tend to bite some people while ignoring others. A recent study may have uncovered why these "little flies" have a preference when it comes to whom they bite. Prominent anti-vaccine advocate and environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (RFK, Jr.) has many supporters on the political left and the right. How has a figure as polarizing as Kennedy earned the endorsement of people who have fundamentally different worldviews?

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Join guest host Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 220 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Mythinformation: ‘Fear campaigns from anti-biotech NGOs make it a challenge to even keep products on the market let alone introduce new technologies’

Technological innovation yields essential products that protect public health and promote sustainability. For example, low-toxic pesticides help control weeds and insects that threaten crop yields and jeopardize the safety of our food supply. Developing these technologies is an expensive, time-consuming endeavor on its own, but the science community faces another massive challenge: defending these products against ideological activist groups that spread falsehoods about pesticides, vaccines and other important products in order to get them banned. Scientists and the industries they work with have to continue developing their communications skills so they can answer these activist challenges to their work. If they don't, there's a risk that future innovations will never materialize.

* Blood dinner: Why are you targeted by mosquitoes but some lucky few are spared?

Why do mosquitoes bite some people but not others? A study recently conducted in Zambia indicates that certain individuals produce the right combination of chemicals—a mixture of carbon dioxide, carboxylic acids and other compounds—that mosquitoes find appetizing. Future research based on this study could help identify why certain chemicals in specific quantities attract the insects, potentially leading to the development of a repellent that could further prevent the spread of mosquito-borne illness.

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* Viewpoint: Trump of the left? Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

A viral Facebook post recently alleged that Goldfish crackers contain dangerous amounts of the weedkiller glyphosate. Is there any science behind this claim? Never mind the rumors you've heard; the COVID vaccine has not been added to our food supply. Could using marijuana cause schizophrenia? A recent study suggests a link between the two, but how compelling is the research?

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Join guest host Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 219 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

Glyphosate fact check: Micro-traces in food do not constitute a ‘dangerously high amount of weedkiller’

Are goldfish crackers contaminated by dangerous amounts of glyphosate? A viral Facebook reel recently spread that alarming message to millions of parents, but the evidence—gathered by independent scientists all over the world—continues to show that consumers of all ages are exposed to only trace amounts of this pesticide, which cannot possibly cause any harm. Moms and dads can rest assured that this popular snack poses no chemical risk to their children.

Snopes fact-checks claims by ‘deep state conspiracy grifters’ that US government adds COVID vaccines into our food supply

Some critics of the COVID vaccines have claimed the US government is developing edible plants that contain the mRNA found in Pfizer's and Moderna's shots. Rumors that the vaccines are entering the food supply through immunized animals have also spread like wildfire. The problem? There is no edible vaccine anywhere close to commercialization, and no mRNA shots have been approved for veterinary use.

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Marijuana and psychosis: Cannabis use linked to 30% of diagnoses in young men

There are few topics more polarizing than drug use. And a recent study linking heavy cannabis use to schizophrenia has only intensified the debate. The research generated a lot of media attention and support from some experts, though critics were quick to point out its limitations. Who's right here? Is marijuana a relatively harmless substance, or a potential cause of a serious psychological disorder?

Dr. Liza Dunn is a medical toxicologist and the medical affairs lead at Bayer Crop Science. Follow her on Twitter @DrLizaMD

Cameron J. English is the director of bio-sciences at the American Council on Science and Health.

Is ChatGPT more empathetic than your doctor? A recent study seems to suggest so. An emerging consensus of scientists is alarmed about falling sperm counts in western countries; their critics say that's a racist idea and should be discarded. Should we quit testing new drugs on animals and replace them with "cruelty-free" mini organs on microchips?

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Join guest host Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 217 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* AI medical assistants? ChatGPT answers patient questions with more empathy than human doctors

AI chat bot ChatGPT gave more empathetic and detailed answers to patient questions 79 percent of the time compared to doctors responding to the same questions, according to a recent study. While the research is preliminary, it seems to suggest that artificial intelligence, properly calibrated and regulated, could help physicians provide more personalized care at a time when giant stacks of paperwork and other administrative tasks cut the amount of attention they can give their patients. Are there any pitfalls that could limit AI's usefulness in medicine? And how do health care providers avoid them?

* Are endocrine-disrupting chemicals causing a decline in fertility in men? Here’s how ideology corrupts evidence-based science

Evidence gathered in recent decades seems to indicate that sperm counts among men in western countries are falling to alarming lows, exacerbating already declining global fertility rates. Scientists still aren't sure what's to blame for falling sperm counts, though some commentators have addressed the issue by simply denying that it exists. All the concern about sperm counts in the west "has deep roots in white nationalist discourse," a pair of philosophers from MIT and Harvard have asserted. As a result, they continue, we should reject the science behind declining sperm counts because it has political implications that are currently unfashionable. Is this skepticism justified, or is it just another example of ideology corrupting our understanding of biology?

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* ‘Cruelty-free’ lab-grown mini-organs could dramatically reduce need for animal testing

The Philippines recently approved the cultivation of Golden Rice to prevent blindness and death caused by vitamin A deficiency (VAD). A supreme court ruling has temporarily halted the crop's release. The weedkiller glyphosate is often maligned as an environmental hazard. In reality, the chemical helps control invasive weeds, protecting endangered plants and animals. Biopharming, growing medicines in plants, could lower the costs of and increase access to important drugs. But regulation may prevent us from taking full advantage of this technology.

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Join guest host Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 216 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Farmers in the Philippines blocked from commercially releasing GMO Golden Rice and eggplant by 10-day Supreme Court ruling

After decades of research, development and regulatory hurdles, the Philippines finally approved Golden Rice (GR) for commercial cultivation, which is poised to dramatically expand access to vitamin A in the country. Unfortunately, the supreme court stepped in and blocked the approval by food safety officials, declaring that GR may pose a potential environmental hazard. Did the court have sound scientific reasons to justify its decision? No.

* Viewpoint: Without glyphosate, critical wetlands and wildlife could be strangled by invasive plants

Many environmental activist groups allege that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Bayer's Roundup weedkiller, is a threat to plants and animals that may be inadvertently exposed to the chemical. In reality, glyphosate is a low-toxic chemistry that helps control invasive weed species. These unwieldy weeds threaten a variety of plants and animals, including some endangered species. In other words, groups that exist to protect the environment are standing in the way of protecting the environment.

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* Biopharming can help pioneer new treatments but cumbersome, outdated regulations block innovation

Most drugs we utilize today are developed in laboratories and mass produced in giant manufacturing facilities. That could change in the coming years as more pharma companies turn their attention to biopharming, the process of growing active ingredients for medicine in crop plants. Biopharing could enhance the efficiency of drug production,

Could ice cream reduce your risk of diabetes and obesity? A surprising amount of evidence supports that hypothesis. How do we make sense of the data? A study claiming that the COVID vaccines have caused 278,000 deaths has been retracted. How did a paper chock-full of mistakes get published in the first place? Many consumers are afraid of trace chemicals in their food; they also routinely drink alcohol, a documented carcinogen. Why are people so bad at assessing the risks they face?

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Join guest host Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 215 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Could ice cream be good for your health?

Multiple studies over the last several decades have suggested that eating yogurt can reduce your risk of obesity and diabetes. Oddly, similar evidence indicates that ice cream may also confer the same health benefits. The medical community has reacted very differently to the data surrounding these two foods. The potential health benefits of yogurt were trumpeted in the headlines ad nauseam, while the upside of eating a little ice cream daily was quietly sidelined. Why the divergent reactions? Do yogurt and ice cream really reduce diabetes and obesity risk, or should we approach these claims with skepticism?

* Anti-vaxxers based their rejectionism on a study claiming COVID shots caused excessive deaths. Now it’s been retracted

In January 2023, Michigan State University economist Mark Skidmor published a study alleging that nearly 300,000 people may have died as a result of getting vaccinated against COVID-19. The paper attracted fierce criticism following its publication and was finally retracted in April. Critics said Skidmor's study was fundamentally flawed because he inappropriately extrapolated from a survey of just under 3,000 people to make substantial and alarming claims about the safety of widely used vaccines. The question is, why was such a flawed paper published in the first place?

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* Viewpoint: People spread chemophobic drivel about ‘dangerous chemicals’ that science says are safe as used — then continue to drink alcohol

Are you worried about BPA in your food containers and receipt paper, or pesticides in your fruits and veggies? If so, you should stop drinking alcohol immediately. The reason is pretty simple. Although there is very little evidence to justify...