Quack Quack - The Threat of Pseudoscience

Dr. Joe Schwarcz

Summary

Let the one and only Dr. Joe battle pseudoscience and cast a life preserver out to all those drowning in a sea of misinformation
		 
“Ultimately, the author successfully demonstrates how claims should be queried and analyzed before they are accepted.” — Library Journal
		 
We are in a crisis. A tsunami of misinformation and disinformation is threatening to engulf evidence-based science. While quackery — loosely defined as the spread of false “knowledge,” often accompanied by various versions of “snake oil” — is not a novel phenomenon, it has never posed as great a threat to public health as today. COVID-19 has unleashed an unprecedented flurry of destructive information that has fueled vaccine hesitancy and has steered people toward unproven therapies. Conspiracy theorists have served up a distasteful menu of twisted facts that create distrust in science. 
		 
In Quack Quack, Dr. Joe Schwarcz, who has been battling flimflam for decades, focuses on the deluge of anecdotes, cherry-picked data, pseudoscientific nonsense, and seductive baseless health claims that undermine efforts to educate the public about evidence-based science. The wide scope of the topics drawn from past and present aims to cast a life preserver to people drowning in a sea of misinformation.

Available since: 09/27/2022.

Print length: 256 pages.

Other books that might interest you

Trolling Ourselves to Death -...

Jason Hannan

Almost forty years ago, Neil Postman argued that television had brought about a fundamental transformation to democracy. By turning entertainment into our supreme ideology, television had recreated public discourse in its image and converted democracy into show business. In Trolling Ourselves to Death, Jason Hannan builds on Postman's classic thesis, arguing that we are now not so much amusing, as trolling ourselves to death.Contrary to the popular view of the troll as an exclusively anonymous online prankster, Hannan asserts that trolls have emerged from the cave, so to speak. Trolls now include politicians, performers, patriots, and protesters. What was once a mysterious phenomenon limited to the darker corners of the Internet has since gone mainstream, eroding our public culture and changing the rules of democratic politics.Synthesizing media ecology with historical materialism, Hannan explores the disturbing rise of political unreason in the form of mass trolling and sheds light on the proliferation of disinformation, conspiracy theory, "cancel culture," and digital violence. Taking inspiration from Robert Brandom's innovative reading of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Trolling Ourselves to Death makes a case for building "a spirit of trust" to curb the epidemic of mass distrust that feeds the plague of political trolling.

Show book

The Biography of a Grizzly

Ernest Thompson Seton

I first read this little book when I was in the fifth grade, and now more than fifty years later, I still find it fascinating. Ernest Thompson Seton was a man with a concern for nature her creatures and an excellent story teller. I could almost feel Wahb, the great grizzly’s pain and frustration as he tried to avoid contact with humans and just be left alone to carry out his bear business. Listening to this audio book will be an hour and a half well spent. Summary by Mike Vendetti, Narrator.

Show book

"You Are Not Expected to...

Torie Bosch, Ellen Ullman

In this audiobook, Mack Sanderson and Emily Schwing reveal the stories behind the computer coding that touches all aspects of life—for better or worseFew of us give much thought to computer code or how it comes to be. The very word “code” makes it sound immutable or even inevitable. “You Are Not Expected to Understand This” demonstrates that, far from being preordained, computer code is the result of very human decisions, ones we all live with when we use social media, take photos, drive our cars, and engage in a host of other activities.Everything from law enforcement to space exploration relies on code written by people who, at the time, made choices and assumptions that would have long-lasting, profound implications for society. Torie Bosch brings together many of today’s leading technology experts to provide new perspectives on the code that shapes our lives. Contributors discuss a host of topics, such as how university databases were programmed long ago to accept only two genders, what the person who programmed the very first pop-up ad was thinking at the time, the first computer worm, the Bitcoin white paper, and perhaps the most famous seven words in Unix history: “You are not expected to understand this.”This compelling book tells the human stories behind programming, enabling those of us who don’t think much about code to recognize its importance, and those who work with it every day to better understand the long-term effects of the decisions they make.With an introduction by Ellen Ullman and contributions by Mahsa Alimardani, Elena Botella, Meredith Broussard, David Cassel, Arthur Daemmrich, Charles Duan, Quinn DuPont, Claire L. Evans, Hany Farid, James Grimmelmann, Katie Hafner, Susan C. Herring, Syeda Gulshan Ferdous Jana, Lowen Liu, John MacCormick, Brian McCullough, Charlton McIlwain, Lily Hay Newman, Margaret O’Mara, Will Oremus, Nick Partridge, Benjamin Pope, Joy Lisi Rankin, Afsaneh Rigot, Ellen R. Stofan, Lee Vinsel, Josephine Wolff, and Ethan Zuckerman.

Show book

Complexity

IntroBooks Team

Complexity is usually confused with the term complicated. There are many different elements, individuals and particles in a complex system that interact with each other. They also respond to the environments. These elements, individuals and particles are inter-genius in terms of the information, knowledge or otherwise. Interaction involves interchanging information and knowledge. There is no central control or a centralized processing unit in a complex system. We are surrounded by complex systems, for example, our brain, the biosystem, immune system, traffic, the financial system, society, social media, economy, etc. are all complex systems. It can also be seen in a different branch of academics such as physics, mathematics, biology logistics, sociology, etc. Discussions amongst various intellectuals reveal that different complex system in different environments has certain things in common. They need a common methodology or a common language to be analyzed and described.

Show book

Summary: Why We Sleep -...

Brook Bryant

Disclaimer: This is not the official book, but a summary & it does not accompany the official.
The book takes readers on a journey through the intricacies of the sleeping mind, exploring the various sleep stages and the distinct purposes they serve. Walker doesn't just stop at illustrating the beneficial aspects of good sleep; he sheds light on the perilous path that chronic sleep deprivation can lead individuals down, impacting everything from memory retention to the immune system.
By amalgamating scientific research with accessible narratives, the book unravels the complex relationship between sleep and a host of other factors including diet, exercise, and mental health. It explains how sleep can dictate emotional well-being, decision-making, and even the predisposition to diseases such as Alzheimer's and cancer.
In a society where sleep deprivation is often worn as a badge of honor, "Why We Sleep" issues a clarion call to re-evaluate our approach to sleep. Walker provides a comprehensive overview of the latest findings in sleep science, effectively dismissing myths and misconceptions that have long surrounded this essential biological function. He offers practical advice on how to nurture sleep, enhancing its quality and, consequently, improving overall health and well-being.
As you summarize this groundbreaking book, emphasize the indispensable role of sleep that the author underlines through a spectrum of scientific facts and real-life examples. Illustrate how the book serves as both a wake-up call and a guide, encouraging readers to foster healthier sleep habits to unlock a more fulfilling and healthier life.

Show book

Seaforth World Naval Review 2018

Conrad Waters

The yearly military reference that’s “a well written, easy to read and well illustrated discussion of current naval power world-wide”—Thomo’s Hole.   Now firmly established as an authoritative but affordable summary of all that has happened in the naval world in the previous twelve months, this annual combines regional surveys with one-off major articles on noteworthy new ships and other important developments. Besides the latest warship projects, it also looks at wider issues of importance to navies, such as aviation and weaponry, and calls on expertise from around the globe to give a balanced picture of what is going on and to interpret its significance.   Features of this edition include an analysis of the Republic of Korea Navy and the response to its aggressive northern neighbor. Significant Ships will cover the USN’s revamped Arleigh Burke class destroyer design, German F125 class frigates, and the RNZN’s Otago class offshore patrol vessels. There are also technological reviews dealing with naval aviation by David Hobbs, RN missile programs by Richard Scott, while Norman Friedman turns his attention to new generation weapons technology.  The World Naval Review is intended to make interesting reading as well as providing authoritative reference, so there is a strong visual emphasis, including specially commissioned drawings and the most up-to-date photographs and artists’ impressions. For anyone with an interest in contemporary naval affairs, whether an enthusiast or a defense professional, this annual has become required reading.

Show book