Science Facts & Fallacies

Science Facts & Fallacies


Latest Episodes

Podcast: COVID vaccine—Bible’s ‘mark of the beast’? Gene guns and GMOs; Growing plants in space
March 10, 2021

Some fundamentalist Christians allege that COVID vaccines are "the mark of the beast" described in the Biblical book of Revelation. Is this a conspiracy theory worthy of censorship, or religious free speech deserving protection?

Podcast: Sierra Club endorses biotech chestnut tree; GM salmon coming this April? Downside of genetic engineering
March 03, 2021

Historically a vocal opponent of genetically engineered crops, the Sierra Club has endorsed the release of a disease-resistant, genetically modified chestnut tree into America's forests. US consumers could be eating GM salmon as soon as April 2021.

Podcast: GMO ‘terminator’ seeds debunked; ‘Alternative medicine’ harms women; Cancer-fighting CRISPR beer?
February 25, 2021

Anti-GMO advocates have for years warned about the dangers of genetically modified, sterile "terminator" seeds. But there's a problem: these seeds never existed. Why are women disproportionately attracted to 'alternative' cancer therapies that have lit...

Podcast: ‘Greedy’ factory farms? Milk without cows; Vaccine for melanoma
February 17, 2021

Farms are larger today than ever before, but it's not because they're "greedy factory farms." Milk of the future might not come from cows but yeast fermented in laboratories. An experimental, personalized vaccine for melanoma helped treat eight people ...

Podcast: COVID vaccine fears mirror GMO skepticism; coronavirus and pregnancy; GM crops in organic farming
February 11, 2021

The growing opposition to coronavirus vaccines bears striking resemblance to anti-GMO fears that have circulated online for more than 20 years. Pregnant women who catch COVID-19 are likely to pass on long-term immunity to their unborn children,

Podcast: FDA’s double standard? Geneticist Alison Van Eenennaam examines why agency defends GE crops but overregulates GE animals
February 03, 2021

After more than 30 years of development and regulatory review, AquaBounty's fast-growing, GM salmon is poised to hit US grocery stores in 2021. It's an important step forward for sustainable food production,

Podcast: Glyphosate boosts cancer risk 41%? How a questionable claim from a flawed study went viral
January 27, 2021

As a rule, scientific research is relegated to obscure technical journals and goes unnoticed by most people. Every few months, though, an incendiary (and often flawed) study attracts widespread media coverage; the tidal wave of retweets soon follows an...

Podcast: GMOs = colonialism? CRISPR-edited eggs; sustainable shoes made from fungi
January 20, 2021

Distribution of genetically engineered crops to developing countries proves that "colonialism in science is still alive and well," alleges one Slate contributor. Is there any evidence to support such an allegation?

Podcast: Unreliable COVID tests; Amazon’s creepy Halo health band; Celebrate pesticides?
January 13, 2021

How do COVID-19 tests work, and are their results reliable? Recent media reports have raised some concerning questions. Amazon's Halo band, one of the latest personal health trackers to hit the market, has received harsh reviews and created privacy con...

Podcast: How do COVID vaccines work? CRISPR kills cancer; Danish study debunks mask mandates?
December 17, 2020

The leading COVID-19 vaccines are RNA-based immunizations and the first of their kind. How do they work, and are they safe? CRISPR gene editing kills tumor cells in mice and may prove to be an effective replacement for chemotherapy.