Goodbye And See You Soon!

And thus it came to pass that Cracked Science was no more.

This is not a dead-end; the road, once gravely, makes way for a paved highway.

In the summer of 2013, a former graduate student with a craving for bad-science denouncing and public education started a blog.

There are over 150 million blogs on the Internet.

His was not so much a lone voice in the wilderness as a rookie trader on the floor of the world’s biggest stock market.

He wrote and wrote and wrote, on science education, science criticism, and straight-up pseudoscience, somewhat aimless at first but driven by sheer exuberance.

When words were not enough, he dusted off his lenses. He spent two hours in an indoor pool with the fan turned off to talk about homeopathy and bought 200 styrofoam cups to prove his point. The whereabouts of these cups are unknown.

He rolled his blog into a brand-new production team that he created to bring reason to the public. He started a podcast. He interviewed a cardiologist and budding medical journalist. They thought, “one voice is fine but two voices are better.” Especially when they bicker.

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Cracked Science was a first trial for me, an experiment, and it was fun. But I am now taking the skills I developed blogging, podcasting, and making videos to a single destination: The Body of Evidence.

CrackedScience.com will remain active for the foreseeable future, but no new material will be posted there.

If you want to see my videos, if you want to read me (including an all-new post on the science behind Chewpods, that chewable natural health product that’s being plastered on the walls of our metro stations), if you want to hear my lovely voice, there’s one destination for that, and that’s www.bodyofevidence.ca.

Plus, you get to read, see, and hear my buddy, Dr. Christopher Labos, so it’s a two-for-one deal, really. Click on our pretty faces below. You’ll be taken to the new site, of which we are immensely proud. Enter your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the right and you won’t miss a thing.

All of you, the 100+ subscribers to Cracked Science, go to The Body of Evidence. If Cracked Science was A New Hope, The Body of Evidence is The Empire Strikes Back.

And I promise: I will never give you Ewoks.

 

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Health Canada Says a Nosode Is Not a Vaccine… But You Can Buy It Anyway (For Fun?)

Health Canada is finally making (baby) steps toward better informing the public when it comes to homeopathy.

As readers of the blog should know by now, homeopathy is based on really silly, counterfactual beliefs that, if true, would lead to a complete rewrite of biology and chemistry textbooks.

Despite this, Health Canada routinely approves homeopathic remedies for sale in Canada.

On July 31, 2015, it introduced “label changes” for certain homeopathic preparations.

Labels on nosodes, which are homeopathic preparations of heavily diluted infectious pus and spit sold as natural alternatives to vaccines, will have to mention this: “This product is neither a vaccine nor an alternative to vaccination. This product has not been proven to prevent infection. Health Canada does not recommend its use in children and advises that your child receive all routine vaccinations.” The change is effective January 1, 2016.

Secondly, “Health Canada is no longer allowing companies to make specific health claims on homeopathic products for cough, cold, and flu for children 12 and under, unless those claims are supported by scientific evidence.” This simply means that these products, like most natural health products, will have to resort to vague claims such as “helps with” and “can be used as part of”.

While this is a step in the right direction, I feel the need to point out that these useless preparations will still carry a Health Canada product number and will continue to be sold in Canada.

Health Canada does not recommend the use of nosodes in children but continues to allow for their sale. Just like cigarettes.

Celebrities and Science: The Darko Side of the Moon

One’s acting talent does not always correlate with one’s scientific literacy. Or even one’s critical reasoning skills.

An article from the Toronto Sun quotes Hollywood actor Jake Gyllenhaal as saying the following: “I believe deeply in the unconscious. That you literally accumulate the molecules of the space that you’re in. We’re like 90% water, so naturally we are going to be affected by the moon when it’s full: if the sea is, why wouldn’t we be? That seems scientific to me.”

The actor made famous by his lead role in Donnie Darko went on to say that the molecules of his environment stick with him, and this incorporation apparently explains why he’s such a great actor. Surround yourself with cops for six months and cop molecules will become a part of you.

Sure, you may come into contact with cop dandruff but I don’t think this molecular transfer can impact your thespian skills.

As for his statement regarding the influence of the moon on the water content of our bodies, a few scientific facts deserve to be showcased (since the journalist, Liz Braun, obviously didn’t do it for us):

  • We are not, “like”, 90% water; our human bodies are made up of up to 60% water. Not 90%; 60% at the most, on average. A little over half.
  • The moon’s gravity does not create tidal forces inside our bodies. The Pacific Ocean is so vast that lunar gravity can act on two ends of it; the distance from your head to your feet, by comparison, is just negligible. Do you know what has a much bigger impact on the water in your body? Walking. Dancing. Driving in a car. Having sex. The sea may be affected by the moon, but we are not.
  • So what about this full moon? Does it turn people into lunatics? No. Many studies have looked for correlations between any phase of the moon and pretty much anything imaginable. This meta-analysis was particularly comprehensible. Homicides? No link. Criminal offences? No link. Crisis calls? No link. When the science is thorough and the analyses are done well, there is no correlation between any phase of the moon and, well, anything else. Except nights are bit brighter during a full moon. There’s a correlation! Why do people still believe this myth? Confirmation bias. When you think the full moon makes people edgy, you notice the hits but not the misses, in much the same way that we tend to remember the good things our favourite political candidate did and not the ill-judged moves.

So, what have we learned? The human body is made up of 60% water; the moon’s gravity does not influence the water in our bodies in the same way as the oceans; and full moons don’t make us go berserk.

What you said may “seem scientific” to you, Mr. Gyllenhaal, but it’s not scientific at all. Maybe actors should stick to what they know.

 

Listen: Science Says, “The Best Beauty Product Is…”

What do you think is the best beauty product out there? The one that science has shown has the greatest impact on your health? The one with tested rejuvenating powers? The one the evidence says, “Buy it, use it, and you will see the difference”?

Is it Retin-A? Coconut oil? Kakadu plum?

Listen to this podcast and you’ll know the answer. Look, it’s got a comedic vox pop segment; two guys with science degrees insulting each other; original music by a local music whiz; and high-end production values.

Subscribe to The Body of Evidence today and find out what the evidence says on…

(Also available on iTunes!)

Listen: Science Says, “The Best Beauty Product Is…”

What do you think is the best beauty product out there? The one that science has shown has the greatest impact on your health? The one with tested rejuvenating powers? The one the evidence says, “Buy it, use it, and you will see the difference”?

Is it Retin-A? Coconut oil? Kakadu plum?

Listen to this podcast and you’ll know the answer. Look, it’s got a comedic vox pop segment; two guys with science degrees insulting each other; original music by a local music whiz; and high-end production values.

Subscribe to The Body of Evidence today and find out what the evidence says on…

(Also available on iTunes!)


I’m Majoring in Science, With a Minor in Wishful Thinking

The infiltration of pseudoscience in academia, either universities proper or academic health centres, is very real. Dr. David Gorski is doing a great job reporting on the American side of this disturbing inroad, but I thought it was time to tackle the Canadian (and more specifically the Quebec) perspective.

The Prince Arthur Herald recently published an article of mine entitled “I’m Majoring in Science, With a Minor in Wishful Thinking”. You may be surprised to learn that chiropractic, reflexology, and acupuncture have all made forays into academia in Montreal.

From the article,

“What used to be a shibboleth—a phrase such as “evidence-based”—is now commonly used by quackademics as a smokescreen to deceive funding agencies, the general public, and perhaps the quackademics themselves. Everyone is engaging in “evidence-based practice”. The phrase has stopped to carry the meaning it once had and now serves as a fashion rule. If you don’t put “evidence-based” in front of what you practice or research, you will not be taken seriously. The critical assessment of the evidence that used to follow is no longer a requirement.”

You can read the full article here.

I would also encourage you to post it on social media and to comment on it. My last article for the Herald elicited a number of irrational comments from the hardcore believers in the power of sugar pills. Let’s hear it for rationality.

Follow-Up on the Makayla Sault/J.J./Hippocrates Health Institute Case: J.J. Went Back to Chemo

Finally, two items of good news come out of this dreadful affair in which Aboriginal families stopped chemotherapeutic treatment for their leukemic daughters and sought nonsensical pseudoscientific treatment in Florida.

While one of the children passed away this winter, the other, known in the media as “J.J.”, is being reported as feeling well. Could it be that the raw vegan diet and the Aqua Chi Ionic Foot Bath really work to fight off cancerous tumours?

Or could it be that the family reversed their initial decision and sent their daughter back to chemotherapy?

“But [J.J. was feeling] good, as became abundantly clear, because she resumed chemo treatment in March, as soon as hospital tests confirmed that the cancer had returned.

“The cancer that her parents claimed, early this year, was no longer in evidence, as the child was treated with traditional indigenous medicine, and after the family had returned from a quack therapy regime at a Florida establishment that preaches curing cancer with a positive attitude and a raw plant-based organic diet.

“But J.J. wasn’t ‘cured,’ and to her parents’ credit, they turned back to the conventional if debilitating chemo treatment they’d fought so hard to avoid.”

It is not an easy decision to admit having been wrong, especially when it comes to the survival of your child.

But what about the judge, who had ruled in November that J.J. could not be taken for her family and forced back into chemotherapy, because it was well within the rights of her parents to pursue so-called “traditional medicine” in lieu of a debilitating treatment that had an incredibly high cure rate?

Judge Edward has issued a “clarification” to his ruling.

“Implicit in this decision is that recognition and implementation of the right to use traditional medicine must remain consistent with the principle that the best interests of the child remain paramount. The Aboriginal right to use traditional medicine must be respected and must be considered among other factors in any analysis of the best interests of the child, and whether the child is in need of protection.”

The judge has, in my opinion, displayed a shocking lack of understanding of human psychology and the strength of beliefs that are often not founded on evidence:

“Now Edward tells us that he always knew, instinctively, the parents would do what was best for J.J. He took that comforting view from the testimony of an intake manager with the Brant child welfare agency, in which she quoted the child’s mother as saying, ‘I will not let my baby die.'”

Unfortunately, that is precisely what happened with Makayla Sault. The parental impulse to ensure the survival of one’s child is no insurance against the use of quackery. There often is a gap of information between a willingness to take action and an informed decision.

You can read Rosie DiManno’s report in the Toronto Star here.

You can also hear my discussion of this case back in November with Dr. Christopher Labos on episode 204 of the podcast Within Reason.

Read: Dr. Labos on Natural Health Products (in the National Post)

If the first episode of Dr. Labos’ and my new podcast, The Body of Evidence (also available on iTunes) failed to quench your thirst for knowledge on natural health products, I can now direct you to an article five months in the making that Dr. Labos finally managed to publish in The National Post:

“The response in Canada has been far more timid. Health Canada has a completely different approach to the regulation of natural health products. Unlike most countries, Canada has set up a process specifically to evaluate natural health products. Health Canada’s Natural Health and Non-Prescription Health Products Directorate has a mandate to check whether natural health products are safe and effective.

“In this respect, Canada is ahead of the curve, according to Jamie Williams, executive director of Bad Science Watch, a consumer protection and science advocacy organization. But, Williams says, ‘the approval process is laughable for the vast majority of products’.”

I encourage you to read the whole thing and see for yourself why we keep saying, “Who knows what’s inside if it’s natural?”

P.S.: Looking at the article on the National Post website, I’m feeling very uneasy about the Greeks all of a sudden. An article by a doctor of Greek descent, coupled with an ad for a Greek exhibition? The Greeks are invading! They’re everywhere! Hide the souvlaki!

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The Body of Evidence: Podcast and Radio Guest Appearance

Originally posted on Moutons No More:

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Those of you who came to Funny You Should Think That! 10 last Saturday in the Old Port of Montreal were the first to witness the birth of a new Moutons No More production: a podcast called The Body of Evidence.

Dr. Christopher Labos, who was my guest on episode 204 of Within Reasonand I have joined forces on an all-new, monthly podcast that will demystify medical misconceptions for the public. As part of Moutons No More’s mandate to provide evidence-based entertainment, the podcast will be teeming with artistic talent. Every episode will begin with a stand-up comedian going out into the city and asking people the question of the month. The evidence behind the topic will be addressed by Dr. Christopher Labos and myself, through a dense cloud of bickering, bantering, and wittering; don’t worry if you can’t remember the bottom line, because we’ll repeat…

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Food and Health Through the Lens of Entertainment: Funny You Should Think That!

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A little plug for the show I’m hosting in a week. It’s all about science… and entertainment!

A show of comedy, reason, and alcohol. FUNNY YOU SHOULD THINK THAT! is a monthly event (intelligently) designed to make you laugh and think. Moutons No More takes to the stage with amazing guests to talk pseudoscience, lambast religion, and get you to think more critically. It’s like the Rolls Royce of Skeptics in the Pub and just what Montreal need. Come for the show; stay for the conversation.

This month, we take a skeptical look at nutrition and health! It’s the return of a FYSTT crowd favourite: the comedy quiz show! Regular panelist Andrew Cody is joined by comedians Brad MacDonaldKuba Kierlanczyk, and returning guest JP the Apostate! We’re uniting comedy talent from Montreal, New York City, and Toronto to talk about food! We will slaughter you with laughter and take a bite out of pseudoscientific nonsense! Then, Jonathan brings to the stage Dr. Christopher Labos, cardiologist and medical journalist, to reveal a brand-new Moutons No More project as the two talk about natural health products. By the end, you will ask yourself, “Who knows what’s inside if it’s natural?”

You know the  drill:

6:00 – 7:00: Come and order food and drinks, relax, talk with us, while something skeptical, rational, and entertaining plays on the stage television.

7:00 – 8:30: Moutons No More entertains you like no others with its show.

8:30 – midnight: Stick around as long as you want and talk! FYSTT is more than a show: it’s also a place to come and talk to other like-minded and on the cusp-of-being-like-minded individuals.

Pay what you can. We always ask for donations to help us keep this the best skeptical show in town.

To RSVP through Facebook: search for “Funny You Should Think That!” in the search bar and you’ll find the event.

To RSVP through Meetup: go to http://www.meetup.com/Moutons-No-More/ and scroll down until you find the event.

On Twitter, use #FYSTT.

“Funny You Should Think That!” is best enjoyed surrounded by friends, so spread the word around and make it a group outing!