Could scientists use the bat coronavirus RaTG13 to engineer SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in a lab?
One of the biggest outstanding questions of the COVID-19 pandemic is the origin of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the…
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“Plandemic: Indoctornation” video rehashes debunked claims and conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines
Plandemic is a pseudo-documentary produced by American filmmaker Mikki Willis, whose first instalment was published in May 2020. Featuring an…
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The potentials and limitations of tree plantings as a climate solution
the international conversation on tree plantings as a solution to reducing CO2 emissions in the atmosphere and mitigating the rise in global surface temperature is mixed, with judgments ranging from helpful to harmful. For example, an article in The Guardian says tree planting “has mind-blowing potential” to tackle climate change, whereas an article in Slate says it won’t stop climate change and may “do more harm than good.”
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Computing Forever interview with Dolores Cahill contains numerous inaccuracies about COVID-19 and vaccines
This video, first published on 11 May 2020, features an interview between Dave Cullen, also known as Computing Forever on…
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“Plandemic” vignette featuring anti-vaccination activist Judy Mikovits contains numerous false and unsupported claims about COVID-19
This video is the first in a series of vignettes preceding a movie titled “Plandemic”. First published on 5 May…
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"Planet of the Humans" documentary misleads viewers about renewable energy
Instead of presenting life cycle analyses for solar and wind generation or quantifying electric vehicle emissions that could inform viewers, Planet of the Humans misleads with broad claims that are not supported by scientific evidence. Unfortunately, these omissions and inaccuracies substantially shape the conclusions the film presents to its audience.
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Did the COVID-19 virus originate from a lab or nature? Examining the evidence for different hypotheses of the novel coronavirus’ origins
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in December 2019, many hypotheses have been advanced to explain where the novel…
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Do radio waves from mobile devices cause cancer? A look at the evidence
Current scientific consensus is that there is little to no evidence that radiofrequency causes increased risk of cancer in humans.
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How we know vaccines don’t cause autism – and why this belief persists
The claim that “vaccines cause autism” first received its scientific backing by Andrew Wakefield’s now-retracted study in The Lancet, published…
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How is Arctic warming linked to the ‘polar vortex’ and other extreme weather?
Over the past decade, a growing body of research has proposed ways in which rapid Arctic warming can lead to harsh winters, summer heatwaves and even floods and droughts across the mid-latitudes. Some scientists say that climate change and Arctic sea ice loss are the root cause of these events, but others are more circumspect. In this detailed Q&A, scientists discuss the potential connections between Arctic warming and extreme weather across the mid-latitudes, what those theories look like, and how the evidence measures up.
