How to convince people: Evidence is not enough
Evidence alone is often insufficient to convince people. You might sit on the most trustworthy data, but guess what? Whoever you’re trying to convince will most likely keep believing the…
Brandolini’s law: why you struggle to refute BS (and how to solve it)
I sometimes find myself in discussions, unable to counter highly doubtful statements that I feel I should be able to debunk. There—I said it. But how about you? You've probably…
Do you challenge your idols as you should?
“Listen to me, don’t believe me. Trust but verify.” A former UN weapons inspector’s final remarks during an interview got me thinking almost as much as his interview. I consider…
Why keeping the cure for cancer secret is implausible and dumb
“Is it true that Big Pharma hides the cure for cancer?”, "Do conspirators keep the cure for cancer secret?" You cannot imagine how often I answer these questions once I…
Creating better scientific stories. Should we fight fake fire with fire?
Using anecdotes in a scientific context may be a double-edged sword. Still, we need captivating strategies to replace pseudoscientific stories with better ones without losing accuracy and trust. The time…
How to recognize pseudoscience: 5 common traits
Let’s talk pseudoscience. Why? Because it’s so available and is often seen as a replacement for conventional medicine. And to be honest, it also scares the crap out of me.…