Science Facts & Fallacies

Many people simply refuse to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Is their skepticism justifiable, or are they plagued by biases that hinder their ability to consider the evidence? Your genetics determine a lot about your health, but developing the right habits can modulate the impact of your genes and extend your lifespan. Can you be "addicted" to junk food? A growing body of research suggests the answer may be "yes."

Join geneticist Kevin Folta and GLP contributor Cameron English on this episode of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Viewpoint: A psychological deep dive into the minds of COVID vaccine ‘refuseniks’

Science educators have spent years trying to understand what drives people into the anti-vaccine movement. Some studies have posited that vaccine "refuseniks" have a propensity to believe conspiracy theories and may come from segments of society that feel alienated from the broader culture. But is there more to the story? And why has vaccine refusal reached such a fever pitch during the COVID-19 pandemic?

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* Living longer: Genes set limits, but diet and exercise can extend lifespans

Is your lifespan dictated by your genes? The answer is complicated. While your genetics certainly influence your overall health, research continues to show that the habits you cultivate can modulate the impact of your genes, helping you avoid obesity, for example, or a serious disease that may run in your family. These factors tend to be most important in middle age; if you can avoid them, then your chances of living longer increase significantly.

* How the brain drives food addictions

One well-known origin story of the obesity epidemic tells us that ther...

Poison Ivy plagues outdoor enthusiasts everywhere. Is a vaccine on the horizon? Exercise is great for your health, but a new study shows that working out might not help you lose as much weight as you had hoped. Several new videos promoting essential oil vegetable washes and demonizing pesticides are making the social media rounds. Let's take a look at everything they got wrong.

Join geneticist Kevin Folta and GLP contributor Cameron English on this episode of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* We have little relief for poison ivy rashes — but a vaccine is in the works

For many of us, poison ivy is just a fact of life—though it may not be in the coming years. Researchers are developing a compound called PDC-APB, which contains a synthetic version of the active component in urushiol, the chemical that causes those irritating poison ivy rashes. If approved, the drug would be administered once or twice a year, giving the immune system of an individual prone to poison ivy rashes a head start.

* Why exercising more doesn’t necessarily lead to weight loss

A recent study shows that exercise may result in roughly 25 percent less weight loss than projected by the simple calories-in-calories-out calculation we're all familiar with. The research adds to existing evidence showing that the human body evolved complex energy-sparing mechanisms designed to help our ancestors retain calories for the long fasting periods they often experienced. What does this mean for those of us today who regularly hit the gym in hopes of slimming down?

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* Videos: Debunking three viral social media videos that promote ‘snake oil’ products and spread misinformation about the ‘dangers’ of pesticides on produce

New pyramid-marketing videos promoting pesticide "cleansing" products have garnered lots of attention on social media. The viral TikTok clips, while perhaps compelling to the unsuspecting viewer, are based on a fundamental misunderstanding of agriculture.

Recommended Twitter follow: @Thoughtscapism and @GadSaad

Kevin M. Folta is a professor, keynote speaker and podcast host. Follow Professor Folta on Twitter @kevinfolta

Cameron J.

Smokers appear to face a reduced risk of catching COVID-19. Does their deadly habit offer them some sort of protection? CRISPR crops may mimic nature, but that doesn't mean they should evade strict regulation, a team of researchers argues. After losing several expensive lawsuits, Bayer has finally successfully defended its Roundup weedkiller against a claim that it causes cancer.

Join geneticist Kevin Folta and GLP contributor Cameron English on this episode of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Smokers are less likely to get COVID: French researchers explore whether nicotine might prevent transmission

A new study adds to the growing body of epidemiological evidence that smokers are less likely to catch COVID-19. In a region of France with high smoking rates, the researchers found that non-smokers faced a 400 percent higher risk of illness than smokers. Does something in tobacco smoke, perhaps nicotine, offer protection against the deadly SARS-COV-2 virus?

* Viewpoint: CRISPR gene edited crops ‘mimic nature’ — but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be regulated

Many advocates of CRISPR gene editing have defended the technology, in part, by arguing that it mimics natural processes that induce mutations in the DNA of plants and animals. Critics of the new breeding technique aren't impressed. Who cares, they ask, if CRISPR approximates nature? That has no bearing on the risk the technology poses and, as a result, how it should be regulated. Nuclear weapons are natural in many ways, critics claim in comparison, yet we tightly regulate them. Does this argument stand up to scrutiny?

* Bayer claims first victory in glyphosate litigation, as jury rejects claim weedkiller caused a child’s non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Bayer has been pummeled in court over the last few years. Three plaintiffs have convinced as many juries that the company's glyphosate-based Roundup weedkillers caused their non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, though there is no evidence to support that charge. Those losses, two of which Bayer has appealed to the US Supreme Court, forced the company to settle 96,000 similar  lawsuits.

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Earlier this month, however, Bayer won its first case.

Last week, high-profile anti-GMO activist Vandana Shiva lectured (via zoom) at the University of Missouri, Kansas City (UMKC). Amplifying the thesis of her book Earth Democracy, Shiva gave a meandering presentation about "her ideals for the planet Earth: our connection to it, the effects of corporate globalization on it, and the importance of protecting it and being sustained by it."

The scientific community blasted UMKC for inviting Shiva and paying her somewhere between $40,000 and $100,000 for an hour-long presentation. The university effectively subsidized the spread of demonstrable nonsense under the guise of promoting social justice and environmentalism. An open letter to the school's chancellor signed by dozens of experts outline the problems with Shiva's inflammatory rhetoric, including her habit of comparing GE crop cultivation to rape:

She compares farmers, who grow crops which are scientifically and legally recognized as safe, to rapists! It’s a grotesque insult to millions of honest workers who use modern technologies to farm more sustainably and efficiently. Understandably, her outrageous abuse raised many angry reactions ....

Shiva's UMKC lecture raises a number of crucial questions about the role universities and other public institutions play in sustaining fringe environmental activism. Should taxpayer-subsidized schools spend a king's ransom on speakers who promulgate dubious ideas? Should activists so far outside the scientific mainstream even be allowed on university campuses? There must be some way to balance an individual's right to free speech against the potentially harmful impacts of their message. How do we do it?

Join geneticist Kevin Folta and GLP contributor Cameron English on this episode of Science Facts and Fallacies as they answer these questions and examine Shiva's UMKC lecture.

Recommended Twitter follows: @drvandanashiva and @David Zaruk

Kevin M. Folta is a professor, keynote speaker and podcast host. Follow Professor Folta on Twitter @kevinfolta

Cameron J. English is the director of bio-sciences at the American Council on Science and Health. Visit his website and follow ACSH on Twitter @ACSHorg

CRISPR-edited, hypertension-fighting tomatoes are on sale in Japan. Dishonestly marketed supplements continue to evade FDA regulation. Why doesn't the agency act? We can now grow food at the bottom of the ocean. Yes, really. Is this a new avenue for sustainable farming?

Join geneticist Kevin Folta and GLP contributor Cameron English on this episode of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Japan ushers in CRISPR gene edited food revolution as hypertension-reducing tomato now on sale

Japan has commercialized its first CRISPR-edited crop, a tomato that produces higher levels of the amino acid GABA. The genetically engineered fruit is expected to help consumers reduce their blood pressure, and thus their risk of stroke and heart disease. Anti-GMO groups have criticized Japanese regulators for allowing an "untested" product on the market. Does this objection stand up to scrutiny?

* Clinically proven’ memory-boosting supplements like Prevagen don’t work. So how do they escape FDA crackdown?

The shelves of America's pharmacies are stocked with a wide variety of supplements. The problem is, many of these products don't live up to their marketing claims, and sometimes contain potentially dangerous ingredients. The FDA has thus far refused to step in and protect consumers. The agency has no problem regulating other industries when they step out of line, so why not the supplement industry as well?

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* Underwater farming? Biosphere grows strawberries, basil and lettuce deep in the Mediterranean

We grow food in the dirt, in the lab, in outer space—and now under water. Observing all the untapped real estate under the ocean surface, a few enterprising scuba divers are beginning to grow fruits and vegetables in underwater greenhouses. The idea, as with any new farming method, is to reduce the resources necessary to grow food. Is this a viable food-production technique or hype?

Recommended Twitter follow: @DrLizaMD and @Sarah_Mojarad

Kevin M. Folta is a professor, keynote speaker and podcast host. Follow Professor Folta on Twitter

A new book outlines a method for changing the minds of "science deniers"—and it's terrible, according to a particularly harsh review. Genetically engineered trees may be a doubly effective climate change solution, because they could boost carbon sequestration while helping to produce more lumber on less land. The organic food industry is on the warpath against hydroponic farming, which it sees as a serious threat to its ideological outlook on sustainable growing.

Join geneticist Kevin Folta and GLP contributor Cameron English on this episode of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Viewpoint: Hoping to change minds of ‘science deniers’ — from vaccine skeptics to GMOs rejectionists? Don’t use the tactics offered in this patronizing new book

In order to change someone's mind, you have to sympathize with them, demonstrate that you understand their concerns and take them seriously. How To Talk To A Science Denier, Harvard philosopher Lee McIntyre's new book, is based on this fundamental lesson of science communication, yet the author fails to apply it as he interacts with people who are skeptical of climate change, GMOs and other established theories and technologies. According to one reviewer, the book is a better example how not to talk to a science denier.

* Genetically engineered trees offer dual sustainability benefits: Carbon sequestration boosts and the ability to grow more trees on less land

GE trees that suck excess carbon out of the atmosphere and produce more lumber on the same amount of acreage look like a promising weapon in the battle against climate change. But there are some logistical challenges that remain to be solved, and, as always, public opposition poses a potentially serious roadblock to the technology. Can we overcome these difficulties as we work to keep earth's temperature in check?

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* Dismissing sizable sustainability benefits, organic industry petitions USDA to block hydroponics from being classified as organic

Organic agriculture centers around fostering healthy soil. Since hydroponic growing methods require no soil, you may think pro-organic activists would welcome hydroponics with open arms—but you'd be wrong. Seasoned anti-GMO groups like the Center For Food Safety see this burgeoning sector of agriculture as a threat...

If women have a right to abortion, does everyone else have a right to refuse a COVID shot? The "my body, my choice" rhetoric has raised some awkward questions in the wake of the federal government's proposed vaccine mandate. A large study suggests that drinking coffee reduces your risk of heart disease. After hundreds of similar papers, how seriously should we take these results? Evolution favors traits that encourage reproduction, so why does homosexuality persist? A new study may have an answer.

Join geneticist Kevin Folta and GLP contributor Cameron English on this episode of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Wide disagreement among religious groups about vaccine mandates

Abortion is now a dividing line in the debate over the ethics of vaccine mandates. If you're pro-life, say abortion advocates, you have an obligation to get a COVID-19 shot, because immunization protects your community from severe infection and death. Nonsense, retorts the other side. Why does bodily autonomy only apply when a woman wants to terminate her pregnancy, they ask? The dispute raises awkward questions about individual liberty and public health and, perhaps, distracts us from the key issue—ending the pandemic as soon as possible.

* Coffee and heart disease: Yet another study funds multiple cups a day reduces death risks

Coffee is good for you. No, coffee is bad for you. Actually, coffee is good for you. The research on the health effects of America's favorite morning beverage continues to yield confusing and contradictory results. Can we make sense of all these data? Should we even bother?

* If evolution encourages reproduction, why do people have same-sex preferences?

Evidence uncovered in recent years has clearly shown that genetics exerts significant influence on our sexual preferences. But since evolution encourages reproduction, why does homosexuality, which offers no reproductive benefit, persist today? A new study of genetic data from more than 350,000 people in the UK has put forth an intriguing hypothesis that may help explain this "Darwinian paradox."

Recommended Twitter follow: @ComicDaveSmith. Check out the hashtag #ScienceHug

Kevin M. Folta is a professor, keynote speaker and podcast host. Follow Professor Folta on Twitter @kevinfolta

Cameron J. English is the director of bio-sciences at the American Council on Science and Health. Visit his website and follow ACSH on Twitter @ACSHorg

Human-caused climate is occurring, but the science community may be amplifying the public's skepticism with failed "alarmist" predictions. Is kratom a safe, pain-relieving supplement or a potentially harmful drug in need of FDA regulation? Organic-food activists say ice cream made with lab-grown dairy proteins is a dangerous "GMO" that could put lives at risk. Fortunately for ice cream lovers, there's no evidence behind that assertion.

Join geneticist Kevin Folta and GLP contributor Cameron English on this episode of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Viewpoint: ‘Alarmism undermines public support to fight climate change and alienates young people’

While there's no denying the reality of climate change, predictions about the rapid rate of warming the world will experience have grown a little too alarming. As Science reported in July:

Many of the world's leading [climate] models are now projecting warming rates that most scientists, including the modelmakers themselves, believe are implausibly fast. In advance of the [2021] U.N. report, scientists have scrambled to understand what went wrong and how to turn the models, which in other respects are more powerful and trustworthy than their predecessors, into useful guidance for policymakers.

In light of this information, some commentators argue that it's time to put climate predictions on hold, because failed forecasts have provided ample fodder for skeptics seeking to undermine the public's trust in otherwise well-established science. Is there a middle ground between predicting disaster and communicating the reality of climate change?

* Should we aim for harm reduction or absolute safety? Herbal supplement Kratom puts FDA risk calibration to the test

The herbal extract Kratom is used for everything from mood enhancement to pain relief. While many swear by its therapeutic efficacy, drug regulators like the FDA are suspicious of the supplement's opioid-like effects, and may begin restricting its use the way they do with similar substances. What does the evidence tell us about Kratom's safety profile? Is the FDA acting in the interest of public health, or just being overzealous?

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[dropcap]C[/dropcap]limate change could boost crop yields in the coming decades, but pests enabled by the warmer temperatures may offset whatever gains we see. There’s no evidence that the herbicide paraquat causes Parkinson’s Disease. How will this dearth of evidence impact hundreds of pending lawsuits against two of the pesticide’s manufacturers? The New York Times has ... Read more

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he evidence is in: genetic engineering promotes sustainable farming; vaccines save lives; and nuclear energy is our best hope of powering society in a changing climate. But the question remains, how do you convince a generally skittish public to embrace the science behind these technologies? Throwing facts and figures at people doesn’t work, neither do ... Read more