Welcome to Bad Science on the Internet! Here, we highlight some of the crazy and sometime dangerous stuff people post online, and then give you the facts.
The bad science: There is a viral post making the rounds on Facebook claiming that Heinz Katchup is dangerous
What do they claim? They make vague claims that Heinz Ketchup is poisonous and dangerous and maybe even causes cancer
Are they trying to sell you something? Only misinformation as far as I can tell. Maybe alternative ketchup brands?
Is any of this true? No. This article was clearly written by someone who doesn’t really understand basic science. Let’s look at each baseless claim one at a time!
We all know the platypus – a funny looking animal with a funny sounding name. Yes, they are one of the few mammals to lay eggs and they have that wacky-looking bill that makes them looks like a duck muskrat. From now on, I’m calling them duckrats.
But they’re venomous too! How awesome is that?!?! OK, I’m a giant nerd, but still. VENOM. In a mammal! Here are some more fun platypus facts, not all of which are about the venom:
You may have seen the news online – Donald Trump plans to appoint Sam Clovis as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics (REE). Since 2008, this position has been synonymous with the title of “Chief Scientist” of the USDA. Sam Clovis is not a scientist, and no, it makes no sense to appoint a non-scientist as chief scientist of a major government research organization. But before we panic, let’s take a look at what the RRE actually does, who has led this group in the past, and how Mr. Clovis’s skills might fit in with the agency’s mission.Continue reading…
The bad science: Shark cartilage as a cancer therapy
What do they claim? They claim shark cartilage can prevent or cure cancer.
Are they trying to sell you something? Of course, and it’s not cheap.
Is any of this true? The suggestion that shark cartilage could cure or prevent cancer seems to have originated from the belief that sharks don’t get cancer at all. There are two things wrong with this: First, just because another organism has a biological or physiologic attribute that we as humans may admire, this does not mean that EATING that organism will confer upon you or I these attributes. Here are some examples:
- Eating lots of turkey will not allow a human to fly (yes, turkeys can fly, albeit poorly)
- Eating an owl will not give you night vision or allow you to turn your head all the way around Exorcist-style.
- No matter how many plants you eat, your body will never produce chlorophyll allowing you to make your own energy from the sun.
The Internet Wants to Know:
In short: it truly depends on … You.
An artist, a science fiction writer, a heavy metal guitarist, a surgeon, a mad scientist, or your local FedEx delivery driver will have different perspectives towards alcohol indulgence. Your family physician wouldn’t recommend his patients or you drinking large amounts of alcohol, because physicians witness and treat the physical and mental illnesses related to alcohol abuse. On the other hand, there is published literature showing that alcohol has been prominent in the lives of highly creative people including artists, writers, and musicians. However, from a toxicological perspective, this issue is often raised as a question of whether there is a specific “dose” of alcohol that could clearly delineate the line between the adverse and beneficial effects on a person’s overall health and wellbeing – but there isn’t a single dose that balances those effects for every person.Continue reading…
Ridiculous question from the internet: I swallowed an ice cube, and I haven’t pooped it out?
Source of said ridiculous question: Yahoo Answers
Science’s answer: Ice melts at 32ºF, or 0ºC. Your body temperature is approximately 98.6ºF, or 37ºC. I can’t believe I’m going to say this… ok, here it goes… 98.6ºF is warmer than 32ºF, so the ice melted. There, I said it. No one should feel good about this. You actually did excrete the ice in question, but it came out as water, likely as urine, but also potentially as sweat, water vapor you exhaled and yes, maybe also as part of a “poop”.
