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Skeptical Science
Trends
- 1Carl Sagan quote on God and mystery circulates online▼“Anything you don't understand, Mr. Rankin, you attribute to God. God for you is where you sweep away all the mysteries
A Carl Sagan quote is circulating widely: "Anything you don't understand, Mr. Rankin, you attribute to God. God for you is where you sweep away all the mysteries of the world... You simply turn your mind off and say God did it." Readers are sharing it as a pointed criticism of using God as an explanation for the unknown, echoing long-running debates between science and religion.
- 2New research weighs the health benefits of sunlight●The sun is a stellar nuclear reactor, firing radiation at Earth. Too many of those rays can be harmful, but recent studi
The SETI Institute is highlighting a new episode of its Big Picture Science programme, 'Skeptic Check: Sunny Daze', examining sunlight's effects on human health. The sun bombards Earth with radiation that can be harmful in excess, but recent studies suggest moderate exposure offers real benefits. The discussion explores the balance between the risks and rewards of catching some rays.
- 3Researchers expand LeCun's JEPA AI into universal world model●Researchers stretch LeCun's JEPA AI into a universal world model that works from physics to biology
Researchers have extended Yann LeCun's JEPA architecture into a general-purpose world model that they say can learn across domains from physics to biology. The work builds on LeCun's joint-embedding predictive approach, which aims to let AI understand how the world evolves rather than just predict pixels or text. The claim of a single model spanning such different sciences is drawing attention and skepticism about how well it truly generalizes.
- 4Trump claims planet is cooling despite NASA data▼Science takes a backseat as Trump ignores NASA data to insist the planet is cooling down
Donald Trump is publicly insisting the planet is cooling down, contradicting NASA data showing continued global warming. The remarks have drawn criticism from scientists and commentators who say he is dismissing established climate research, reigniting debate over his long-standing skepticism of mainstream climate science.
- 5Paper questioning CO2's role in climate change retracted▼‘Hot mess’ paper questioning CO2 and climate change gets retracted
A scientific paper that questioned the role of carbon dioxide in climate change has been retracted, with critics having reportedly described it as a 'hot mess'. The retraction was reported by Retraction Watch. Retractions of papers challenging the mainstream scientific consensus on climate change tend to draw significant attention, as they raise questions about peer review standards and how journals handle contested research on CO2 and global warming.
- 6Why pseudoscience thrives even as science advances▼Astrology, homeopathy, vaccine rejectionism, creationism: Why pseudoscience thrives as science advances
The Genetic Literacy Project examines why astrology, homeopathy, vaccine rejectionism and creationism continue to attract adherents despite growing scientific evidence against them. The piece argues that science's progress has not eliminated public susceptibility to pseudoscientific claims, exploring psychological, cultural and social factors that keep such beliefs alive across populations.
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A new essay argues that the scientific consensus linking dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol to heart disease is flawed, and that statin medications are widely overprescribed with side effects that outweigh benefits for most patients. Readers are debating the claims, with some questioning mainstream cardiology guidance and others defending the evidence base behind statins, one of the most prescribed drug classes in the world.