The Jordan Harbinger Show

745: Dave Farina | Debunking Junk Science Myths

Nov 1, 2022

Dave Farina, a science communicator and creator behind Professor Dave Explains, dives into how the internet's role has shifted from a knowledge source to a hub of misinformation. He discusses why it's crucial to discern fact from fiction, especially regarding beliefs like the flat Earth theory. Farina also tackles the misconceptions surrounding natural versus synthetic substances, emphasizing that toxic effects can arise from both. He advocates for scientific literacy to combat chemophobia and challenges the allure of alternative medicine, highlighting the importance of evidence-based practices.

01:15:56

Episode guests

Dave Farina

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Synthetic Is a Toxic Substance

01:21

Science Is a Hodgepodge

01:18

How Much Formaldehyde Is in an Apple?

01:11

What Are You Talking About?

01:39

Intro

3min

Navigating Misinformation in the Digital Age

14min

Natural vs. Synthetic: Debunking Myths

8min

Debunking Toxins: Truth vs. Misinformation

8min

Debunking Chemophobia

15min

The Perils of Alternative Medicine

6min

Debunking Homeopathy

6min

Critiquing Pseudoscience in Healing Practices

18min

The Importance of Scientific Literacy in Debunking Pseudoscience

4min

Dave Farina (@daveexplains) is on a mission to make science make sense for everyone — whether it's through his Professor Dave Explains YouTube channel, his Professor Dave Debates podcast, or his new book, Is This Wi-Fi Organic?: A Guide to Spotting Misleading Science Online (Science Myths Debunked).

What We Discuss with Dave Farina:

How the Internet went from a promising reservoir of unlimited knowledge for all to an insidious superspreader of disinformation.
Why it's easier than ever for people to simply deny inconvenient facts that don't support their worldview.
How NASA went from the revered public institution that miraculously landed human beings on the moon to the scapegoat for conspiracy theorists who insist the Earth is flat.
Why synthetic doesn't always equate with bad, and natural doesn't automatically mean good.
Who profits from the proliferation of fake science, and what can we do to separate the wheat from the chaff when we're bombarded with copious amounts of fact and fiction?
And much more...

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/745

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