Pseudoscience

AGZ Is More Shaky Science from the Makers of AG1

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!” This famous line from Michael Corleone is apt here: our Office and others have been over the AG1 story, denouncing its flimsy scientific evidence.

Everyone Else Is Lying to You: A Damning Archive of Science Denial

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

“Future generations will know that at least some of us tried to resist the intrusion of quackery into medicine, and they’ll gain some semblance of insight into a confounding reality.”

Claims About Blue Spirulina Raise a Red Flag

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 16:24:31 +0000

In the science communication business, we call them “weasel words.” Why? Because weasels have a reputation for being sneaky and tricky. We are talking about words like “may,” “suggest,” “possible” and “potential” that can trick the reader into forming a positive impression without making a specific commitment. What prompts this discussion about dodgy words? I just finished reading a short article, 850 or so words, about the health benefits of “blue spirulina” on “Healthline,” a reasonably reputable newsletter. I counted the number of times the word “may” appears. An astounding 21 times!

Extracting Drugs from Nature Is Hard

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

A video on Facebook with

Apple Cider Vinegar…Again

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 21:14:24 +0000

Apple cider vinegar has been on my radar since the 1970s when I was first asked about its purported miraculous properties on my radio show. The queries were triggered by the publication of a booklet with the enticing title “Apple Cider Vinegar, Miracle Healthy System,” by Drs. Paul C. Bragg and Patricia Bragg,” both with degrees from unaccredited naturopathic institutions. These food faddists promised weight loss, improved digestion, and enhanced energy levels by consuming apple cider vinegar.

Fill Your Stomach and Lose Weight? Not so fast.

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

There have been many weapons used over the years in the “battle of the bulge.” There have been diets galore, medications to curb the appetite, and attempts to reduce hunger by filling the stomach with indigestible substances. Remember the cotton ball diet? It is best forgotten. It was a brief social media phenomenon in 2013 when model Bria Murphy, daughter of comedian Eddie Murphy, mentioned that she “heard” that other models were swallowing cotton balls soaked in juice and were losing weight. Not a smart thing to do.

The History of Acetaminophen

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 21:46:07 +0000

President Trump’s unhinged, ill-informed and potentially dangerous attack on Tylenol has focussed attention on its active ingredient, acetaminophen. Many others have, and will dissect his harangue (see Jonathan Jarry's article), but I’ll take his vilification of Tylenol as an opportunity to discuss the history of this medication.

PragerU Targets Kids and Parents with Shockingly Bad Science

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

If we’re trying to understand our era, we need to recognize the following: mainstream institutions and their various consensuses are being replaced by fringe alternatives. In the United States right now, mainstream science and education are being levelled to make way for replacements, and because ideas are not contained by geopolitical borders, this institutionalization of bad ideas can affect us all.

The Sweet Embellishments of the Glucose Goddess

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 15:22:23 +0000

Move over, Food Babe. There’s a new food influencer in town and she is no mere “babe.” This one hangs out on Mount Olympus.

Scrambler Therapy: Rewiring Pain, or Just Static?

Sophie Tseng Pellar BSc — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 15:09:46 +0000

Our bodies are wired to avoid pain—and yet, for millions, it’s a daily, unwelcome companion. One minute you’re climbing stairs, opening a jar, or just existing, and the next you're googling “is this what nerve damage feels like?” If you’ve ever lived with chronic pain, or loved someone who has, you know it’s not just about hurting. It’s about how the hurting takes over everything.

Med Beds: Not Today, Maybe Tomorrow?

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

“Oh dear, I can just see, when I take the dogs out tonight, I’m gonna have all of these people standing around that only I can see because, you know, they’re very directional like that.”

Supermodel Heidi Klum Floats In Air and Blows Hot Air

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 23:19:00 +0000

Let’s start with the floating illusion. I would hope that if anyone sees a person suspended in mid-air, they realize that the law of gravitation has not been suspended and that some mechanism hidden from the audience is at work. The history of this illusion traces back to early 19th century India, but it was French magician Robert-Houdin who popularized it by adding a clever twist. Ether had just been introduced as an anesthetic in 1846 and Robert-Houdin cleverly wove the discovery into his act.

Meet the New Rogan. Same as the Old Rogan.

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

It looks as if masculinity itself has exploded into the room.

A Peashooter Will Not Bring Down a Charging Rhino

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 17:01:49 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette.

“A gesture as effective as sending out a boy with a peashooter to bring down a rhinoceros.”

The Prince of Quackery

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:09:17 +0000

The luxurious bulletproof limo was 22 feet long, weighed four tons, had soft, green leather upholstery and interior fittings of silver and ivory. Sounds like “The Beast” used to transport the U.S. President. But back in 1933, President Roosevelt just rode around in a rather ordinary Lincoln. This luxury limo belonged to Ewing Virgil Neal who was described by the American Medical association as “a prince of quackery.” Judging by the wealth Neal accumulated, “king of quackery” would be a more apt description.