We are in the era of a pandemic. And it is truly frightening. But it is also the era of an “infodemic”, which also has some frightening characteristics. We are relentlessly bombarded with a tsunami of information, the reliability of which is often questionable, especially when the source is social media. When it comes to controversial issues, such as medicine, nutrition, or environmental issues, bloggers and politicians with obscure relevant backgrounds are as likely to weigh in as scientific experts. Unfortunately, in the public eye, the differing opinions of these groups are often given equal weight.
Given the seriousness of the health and social challenges we must face, it is increasingly important to judge the reliability of the information we use to guide us. But making such judgements is not easy. Potential vested interests, assessment of appropriate expertise, public sources of information, extent of peer review, scientific validity, the difference between anecdote and evidence, reliance on confirmation bias, the distinction between correlation and causation, and the reproducibility of cited studies all need to be considered before jumping on the many bandwagons that pass by. This year, to reduce the risk of jumping on a bandwagon that is destined to crash, the Trottier Public Science Symposium will address the question: “Who do we trust?”
Britt Helmes & Brendan Nyhan – Day 1
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Anthony Warner & Wendy Zuckerman – Day 2
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About the Speaker
Britt Hermes | “Fake Doctors. The Real Harm. Confessions of a Former Naturopathic ‘Doctor'”
The practice of naturopathy is immoral and dangerous. I have been practicing as a licensed “naturopathic physician” in the United States for three years. I would say that the vast majority of naturopathic practices rely heavily on questionable alternative therapies rather than established protocols based on medical and scientific research. In this talk, I will share how I became interested in naturopathy and how I became the most hated naturopath in the world.
Britt Hermes is a writer, scientist, and former naturopath. She was licensed as a naturopath in the United States but left the profession when she realized that naturopathic medicine was a pseudoscientific ideology. Since this time, Britt has sought to understand how she was duped by alternative medicine and educate others to avoid repeating her mistakes. She now writes to expose the problems of naturopathic medicine, a currently emerging profession in alternative medicine. Her work focuses on the deceptions that naturopathic doctors use to fool their patients and fabricate legitimacy in the political arena. She hopes that her articles will protect patients from the false beliefs and bogus cures peddled by alternative medicine doctors. Hermes currently lives in Germany and holds a PhD in Evolutionary Genomics. Follow Britt Hermes on Twitter thank you.
Brendan Nyhan | “The ‘fake news’ consumer: Why people read untrustworthy sources online”
Since the 2016 election, there have been growing concerns about the prevalence of misinformation online and how social media may be exacerbating its reach and influence. Using unique behavioral data measuring online exposure, we measure the prevalence of exposure to untrustworthy political and health websites and show that consumption of these sites is typically limited to and concentrated among small, unrepresentative groups. These findings contradict common beliefs about the prevalence and influence of so-called “fake news” sites.
Brendan Nyhan is a professor in the Department of Political Science at Dartmouth College and studies misconceptions about politics and health care. He is an Andrew Carnegie Fellow and a contributor to The Upshot of The New York Times. He was previously co-author of the New York Times bestseller All the President’s Spin and served as media critic for the Columbia Journalism Review. Follow Brendan Nyhan at @BrendanNyhan.
Anthony Warner | “Ending Hunger – The Quest to Feed the World Without Destroying It”
Food production has a more damaging impact on the planet than any other human activity. Over the next 30 years, we need to dramatically change the way we produce and consume food, or we will face devastating effects on the natural world. This talk will explain how misinformation is one of the most powerful forces preventing this from happening, and explore a series of cognitive biases that drive us to misinformation on these issues, resulting in widespread confusion, apathy, and lack of action.
I completed a degree in Biochemistry at Manchester University but then completely wasted my qualifications by embarking on a career in the professional kitchen. I spent 11 years working as Head Chef of Development for one of the UK’s largest food manufacturers, developing recipes for some of the country’s best-known brands and products. Apparently, over 99.5% of UK households have a product I’ve worked on. Frustrated by pseudoscience and misinformation in the food world, I started a blog called “The Angry Chef” in 2016, initially anonymously, intending to share it with a few friends and colleagues. By coincidence, it took off, leading to writing for national newspapers and magazines such as The Sun, Guardian, New Scientist, The Telegraph, and a column in the Sunday Times. A few years later, “The Angry Chef” led to an award-winning book trilogy and many debates, including one where I accidentally offended the Mayor of London. I currently work as an ambassador for Sense About Science’s Ask for Evidence campaign. Hated by vegans and carnivores alike. He was once asked on BBC Radio 4’s The Moral Maze whether he would eat his own dog. Follow Anthony Warner on Twitter Follow.
If you are interested in purchasing Anthony Warner’s books, please visit the following links:
Ending Hunger: The Quest to Feed the World Without Destroying It (January 2021, available for pre-order)
The Truth About Fat: Why Obesity Isn’t So Simple (January 2020)
Angry Chef: Bad Science and the Truth About Healthy Eating (June 2017)
Wendy Zukerman | “Science journalism during a pandemic: navigating facts and fear”
This year, science took center stage as we all struggled to understand the “curve,” the “vector,” and single-stranded RNA. For months, science was in the headlines, as people demanded and needed facts, not just for their own curiosity, but to keep themselves and their families safe. But science wasn’t ready to provide answers. So misinformation and conspiracy theories arose to fill the void. For every new nucleus of science published, ten more hydra heads of hyperbole and confusion appeared. So, as science journalists, how do we keep up? How do we report science in a satisfying way when the answers are not satisfying? How do we balance fear with fact?
Wendy Zukerman is a bias-smashing science journalist and host of Gimlet Media’s chart-topping podcast, Scienceverse. Wendy has worked in television, audio and print for the past decade, with experience at New Scientist magazine and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Follow Wendy Zukerman on Twitter Wendy Zuck.
The Trottier Foundation is a proud supporter of McGill University’s Department of Science and Society’s Public Science Symposium, believing it to be an important vehicle for promoting science communication and presenting scientific information to a wider audience. Founded in 2000 by Lorne Trottier and Louise Roussel Trottier, the Trottier Family Foundation is a private Canadian charitable foundation based in Montreal whose mission is to support organizations that advance scientific inquiry, advance education, promote better health, protect the environment and mitigate climate change. The Foundation believes that science, environment, health and education are key pillars for building a better world.
