Category: Science and Medicine
“Masks make you sicker”: The COVID-19 myth that just won’t die.
Masks work to slow the spread of COVID-19, but the "masks make you sicker" narrative, like antivax nonsense, has proven to be unkillable and to be a killer.
Science-Based Satire: More Parents Relying on Fetal Body Language Analysis
Are worried parents-to-be seeking out the services of fetal body language analysis experts? Is body language a scientifically proven window into our secret thoughts and desires? Is this just satire? Obviously it is, because I've got a closed-lip grin on my face and I haven't blinked this entire time.
ZShield: Unproven Protection from SARS-CoV-2 Infection, Especially for Kids
If it seems to good to be true, it probably is. And ZShield face shields being marketed to the general public certainly fits that description, especially when it comes to their use by children.
AI and Peer Review
Could Artificial Intelligence be the tool we need to fix the problems with science?
In the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, can we trust the CDC and FDA any more?
Since the COVID-19 pandemic reached the US, increasing concern has been expressed about the politicization of the CDC and FDA due to pressure from the Trump administration to downplay the severity of the pandemic and push out treatments and a vaccine as fast as possible, potentially at the expense of safety. This has led me to a disturbing question: Can I trust...
Did the “Benadryl Challenge” Kill an Oklahoma Teen?
Did a dangerous new TikTok "challenge" result in the death of a 15-year-old teenager from Oklahoma? Probably not, but Benadryl is still a bad drug and parents should discuss the dangers of social media with their young children.
COVID in Children
Recent evidence suggests children can be carriers of SARS-CoV-2, which has implications as schools reopen this Fall.
CDC Issues Warning: Be on the Lookout for a Surge in Pediatric Paralysis Cases This Fall
The CDC is warning parents and pediatric medical professionals to be on the lookout for a potentially devastating viral disease this fall. It isn't the novel coronavirus, but the impact of the pandemic might make things worse...or better.
Science-Based Satire: Area Child Killed by Unwieldy Backpack
Was a child recently murdered by a heavy backpack? Do unwieldy backpacks cause scoliosis and long term general health problems? Should we care what chiropractors have to say about pediatric spinal health? No. This isn't remotely true and honestly I'm a little surprised that you would even ask me that. It's satire.
The Mask Ask: Understanding and Addressing Mask Resistance
The wearing of masks has become contentious on scientific and ideological grounds. Why is that, and how can we communicate with people who don't follow the scientific guidelines?