Science Facts & Fallacies Cameron English

Once fiercely skeptical of "Big Ag," even adamantly progressive media outlets like Mother Jones are beginning to embrace the use of conventional farm technologies like synthetic pesticides and genetically engineered crops. What explains this dramatic opinion shift? A reporter for the Atlantic recently discovered, much to her surprise, that organic farmers don't take better care of their cows. What led her to that conclusion? Every culture seems to have some appreciation for music, but researchers are still uncertain about why humans would evolve to love music. What does the latest science tell us?

















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Podcast:





Join hosts Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 268 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:



* Viewpoint: Mother Jones takes stand against American Academy of Pediatrics’s misguided case against GM crops and glyphosate



After years of criticizing the science behind crop biotechnology, progressive magazine Mother Jones has had a change of heart. The outlet recently joined the coalition of science publications and individual experts that has blasted the American Academy of Pediatrics for publishing a critically flawed--and some would say intentionally deceptive--guidance document attacking biotech crops and synthetic pesticides. Mother Jones' sudden acceptance of mainstream agricultural science appears to be part of a larger trend of formerly hostile environmental groups and media outlets embracing biotechnology as an important means of boosting food security and farming sustainability.



* Podcast: Do you buy organic milk because you believe organic farms treat their cows better? Here’s a reality check



If you think certified-organic products promote animal welfare, Atlantic contributor Annie Lowry has a revelation for you. Speaking to Slate recently, Lowry recounted her experience at a cattle auction where saw a "Certified Grass-Fed Organic" cow with its eye hanging out of its eye socket, a disconcerting symptom of ocular cancer. That observation led Lowry into a deeper investigation of animal welfare on organic farms and ultimately to the conclusion that organic farming doesn't protect animals from mistreatment or sickness—and in some cases may actually make those problems worse.















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Researchers are increasingly relying on Chat GPT and other AI platforms to write their peer-reviewed studies, raising yet another serious question about research integrity. A vegan restaurant owner who began serving meat is now under fire from thousands of former customers—and the animal rights group PETA. In-vitro fertilization (IVF) is decades old at this point, but the industry is still very lightly regulated. Partisan politics may prevent us from developing the kinds of rules necessary to protect prospective moms and their children.

Podcast:





Join hosts Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 267 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:



* Is AI infiltrating scientific publishing? Rise of ‘suspicious’ tell words popping up in published papers



Some scientists have turned to AI text generators to write their academic research. The scandal was uncovered because strange phrases like “certainly, here is a possible introduction for your topic” began to show up in published journal articles, meaning neither  the peer-reviewers nor the journal editors caught the obvious gaff before approving the papers for publication. AI-authored studies are the latest problem on a long list of issues that are crippling academic publishing. What can be done to bring this critical problem under control?



* ‘My identity was tied to veganism’: Why this restaurant owner decided to swap plant-based cuisine for regeneratively-grown meat



A Los Angeles-based vegan restaurant owner began serving meat after abandoning her lifelong vegetarianism. The decision sparked an explosive response, triggering more than 4,000 critical comments on Facebook as well as a denouncement from PETA. The episode helpfully illustrates an important point: seemingly scientific discussions about nutrition and environmental protection have important cultural components that go way beyond the evidence.

















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* Viewpoint: ‘Real IVF industry regulation is long overdue. But consumer protection is not enough’



Although IVF has been used to treat infertility for decades, serious ethical questions about the technology remain unresolved.

Reporters, alt-health gurus and even some scientists warn consumers to avoid so-called "ultra-processed foods." These cheap, convenient products–loaded with sugar, salt, fat and a variety of preservatives–are carefully engineered to keep you coming back for more even though they're uniquely harmful to human health.  It's a scandalous story—and it's mostly nonsense, says immunologist and microbiologist Dr. Andrea Love.



While most people recognize that subsisting on french fries and cookies is nutritionally unwise, the claim that these types of foods are especially dangerous is wholly unsubstantiated by the available evidence. In fact, recent research shows that a diet consisting almost entirely of "ultra-processed foods" can be far more nutritious than the typical American diet. These observations point us to an important conclusion: "The extent of processing of a food is not directly related to nutritional content," Love says.

















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Join hosts Dr. Liza Dunn, GLP contributor Cameron English and special guest Dr. Andrea Love as they discuss how Fear-mongering about "processed foods" is harming public health and science literacy.









Dr. Andrea Love has a PhD in Immunology and Microbiology. Andrea is a subject-matter expert in infectious disease immunology, cancer immunology, and autoimmunity and is adept at translating complex scientific data and topics for the public and healthcare providers. Follow Andrea on X @dr_andrealove



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



Cameron J. English is the director of bio-sciences at the American Council on Science and Health. Visit his website and follow him on X @camjenglish

The recently released Cass report has intensified an already ferocious debate over gender-affirming care for children. What are the key takeaways from the controversial review? An emerging field of medicine known as fetal genome surgery could allow doctors to prevent serious genetic disorders before children are born.  Our health and ancestry data is increasingly tracked and shared today. Could governments and corporations use this sensitive information against us?

Podcast:





 



Join hosts Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 265 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:







* Viewpoint: Once greatly critical of those using unregulated medications, liberals now endorse unregulated puberty blocking drugs for kids as young as 10. Should we end this dangerous ‘experiment’?







The recently released Cass report has raised some critical questions about so-called gender-affirming care for minors. Among its many findings, the 388-page review concluded that some of the effects of puberty blockers are not reversible; that gender incongruence among children is normal and doesn't necessitate transitioning; and that sex reassignment does not reduce the risk of suicide in transgender children. How will the incendiary review impact the ongoing cultural debate over transgenderism?









* Saving human lives: Using gene therapy and fetal surgery to cure diseases in the womb





Gene editing has already yielded groundbreaking therapies for conditions ranging from sickle cell disease to cancer. In the coming years, the same technology may allow physicians to prevent genetic disorders during pregnancy, long before they can cause harm later in life. Known as "fetal genome surgery," this nascent field has generated lots of excitement among scientists. Can it live up to all the hype?















Follow the latest news and policy debates on sustainable agriculture, biomedicine, and other ‘disruptive’ innovations. Subscribe to our newsletter.





















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* Viewpoint: ‘Body-tracking data is so much a part of our daily lives that we sometimes forget it can be used against us’
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