The Big Idea
War on Science
Science once stood as society’s trusted compass for understanding the modern world and our place within it, but today, this foundation faces unprecedented attacks from multiple fronts. Our special series War on Science reveals how fringe skepticism has infiltrated mainstream discourse, reshaped public policy and threatens global progress on critical issues from climate change to public health. How have these anti-science movements gained legitimacy? What are the digital ecosystems that amplify them? Which political forces exploit them? And exactly what are the real-world consequences of their spread?
The dangerous myths sold by the conspiritualists
Wellness influencers are repackaging old conspiracy theories and misinformation to peddle products to vulnerable people
‘Nobody helped me’: Austria shaken by suicide of doctor trolled by anti-vaccine haters
Police in Austria downplayed threats and abuse sent to a small-town doctor. Her death is prompting questions across Europe about how to protect people from trolling and bullying
The one red pill Covid conspiracy theorists refuse to swallow
A new oral medication has been been approved by the U.K. for treatment of the coronavirus, but anti vaxxers still believe it’s part of a shadowy plot to control the population
Grieving California
Stepping out from charred homes and streets, Californians fight for a state of mind that will survive a future of endless fires
Social media health myths are destroying the lives of teenage girls
A new study shows the devastating effect of misinformation on the physical and mental wellbeing of young women
Is there any point in talking to a flat-earther? One philosopher thinks so
The author and science historian Lee McIntyre discusses his latest book ‘How to Talk to a Science Denier’
The anti-vaxxers who came in from the cold
For years, three women refused routine immunizations for their children. Then something remarkable happened: they changed their mind
When bad science is a recipe for business success
From unproven cancer treatments to supplements for hormonal imbalance, some CEOs and business leaders have taken advantage of promoting a variety of pseudohealth cures
How the UK government replaced disability services with surveillance tech
From ‘telecare’ systems for people with disabilities to online-only social services, technology is having a profound impact on the lives of socially excluded people in the UK
How anti-vaxxers get around Instagram’s new hashtag controls
Anti-vax users are hijacking sexual assault and abortion rights hashtags to spread their message
Deadly Spiral: In Russia, HIV/AIDS Denialists and Conspiracists Find a Soft Target
Years of stigma, silence and state inaction have created fertile ground for misinformation — and the cost is measured in lives.
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