Critical Thinking

Want to Research Something? This Is How You Get Money for It

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 09 May 2025 20:12:36 +0000

Have you ever seen Black Hawk helicopters fly above the ��ϲ�� campus? Me neither. Yet, there is a persistent conspiracy theory that might as well invoke their presence.

How an Unfortunate Florist Uncovered the Dangers of Nicotine Absorption

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Fri, 02 May 2025 18:01:55 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette.

The 33-year-old florist felt some wetness as he sat down in the chair. On standing up, he realized that he must have spilled some Nico-Fume Liquid, which he used to keep his flowers free of insects.

Stem Cells for Pets: Why So Little Progress?

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 02 May 2025 17:03:17 +0000

Maxine is doing it. Tiny Timon is doing it too. Nash is about to start and Sushi the pug is now “pain-free and thriving.” At a certain age, seemingly every dog on Instagram starts embracing stem cells.

The veterinary clinics that offer this service call it “innovative” and “proven,” with benefits lasting “many years.” If you are to believe your feed, the fountain of youth has finally been found and its water is teeming with stem cells.

TikTok Is Crazy for Methylene Blue, but Not for the Right Reasons

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 16:45:51 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette.

A short video of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. squirting a blue liquid into a glass of water would hardly have raised an eyebrow were he not the U.S. secretary of health and human services. But given that he now sits atop the U.S. health pyramid, as incredible as that is, his actions reap interest.

Is Creatine the Secret to a Longer Life?

Simran Dhir BSc — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 14:19:32 +0000

When I say creatine, the first image that comes to your mind is probably that of a muscular, young man working out (i.e. a gym bro) but what if I said creatine may be for the grandads? While there is a lot of doubt about the legitimacy of creatine supplementation, here is a look at how it affects different parts of the body and if it can truly counteract detrimental, age-related muscle weakness.

You’ve Been Lied to About Rats and the Black Death

�ٲ��ʴǱ貹 — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 16:02:20 +0000

Rats have long been associated with and blamed for the spread of plague, a disease that has killed over 200 million people throughout the past two millennia. The Black Death, a bubonic plague pandemic, is estimated to have resulted in the death of nearly 50% of Europe’s 14th century population, making it one of the deadliest disease outbreaks in human history. However, emerging research suggests that rats may not have played a central role in the outbreak and transmission of plague.

Sabine Hossenfelder Asks If Science Is Dying. It’s Not.

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 15:30:19 +0000

Physics is dying. It’s mathematical fiction. Science is failing. Most of academic research that your taxes pay for is almost certainly bullshit. I don’t trust scientists.

Would you believe me if I told you these statements came from a popular science communicator?

Measles, Vitamin A, and RFK Jr.’s About-Face

Christopher Labos MD, MSc — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 15:12:53 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette.

There is a measles outbreak in Texas. The response by the United States government was to send extra doses of vitamin A even though the Texas public health department didn’t want them. It wasn’t a benign public relations stunt. A small group of children is now in hospital being treated for vitamin A toxicity. The dangers of misrepresenting the science are not abstract. Real children are getting sick and dying.

Gut Worms for Immunity

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 14:59:41 +0000

I used to have hay fever but it was never bad enough that I resorted to ingesting worms.

The Uglier You Go to Bed, the Prettier You Wake Up? Unfortunately, Not.

Angelina Lapalme — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 15:41:41 +0000

Have you ever seen a reptile shed its scaly skin and said “wow, I wish I could do that?” No? Well same here, but now it seems that face shedding has taken over the internet. Luckily, people are not losing their actual skin and leaving behind a shell of themselves. Instead, they are applying copious amounts of beauty products (creams, serums, exfoliants, and more) and sealing it all in with a variety of coverings. Participants will even go as far as wearing a silicone lip mask or even a mouth tape.

The Unscientific Crusade Against Seed Oils

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 16:22:38 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette.

The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) gang led by Robert Kennedy Jr. is not going to be happy with the results of a study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. That makes me happy even though I have some questions about the study.

The American Plan to Eliminate Vaccines

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 14:54:40 +0000

We don’t defend the things we take for granted. Vaccines have long been victims of their own success, but only insofar as too many people were hesitant to get them. But what if vaccines were eliminated altogether?

Not All Scientific Studies are Useful

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 22:58:10 +0000

Why do we pursue science? Because we want to know what to eat, what medications to take, what cleaning agents to use, what chemicals to avoid, which personal care products to buy, what sort of exercise to engage in, and how to avoid disease. Basically, we want science to work for us with a goal of guiding us towards a healthy, problem-free long life. Yes, we also do have an innate curiosity for how the world works that prompts fundamental, non-goal oriented research, but here too, the hope is that somehow it will provide some practical benefit.

Skeletons in the Alcohol Cabinet Should Make Everyone Think Twice About Drinking

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 23:52:37 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette

“Moderation in everything” is a popular slogan. It seems to go hand in hand with the cornerstone of toxicology, namely Paracelsus’s famous dictum that “only the dose makes the poison.”

We use it justify eating just a few potato chips instead of the whole bag, a spoonful of ice cream instead of the whole container, and a glass of wine instead of half a bottle.

Calming Chews for Dogs: A Dog’s Breakfast of Evidence

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 19:13:33 +0000

Calming chews are all the rage these days. Dogs get anxious, whether it be because of lightning strikes, strangers, or simply being left alone. What if a supplement could teach an old dog new tricks and get them to calm down?

Looking into this question provides a fantastic example of why we can’t simply say, “there’s a study behind this, therefore it must work.” Studies have flaws, and bad studies can be propped up to sell you a product that will only separate you from your money.