There are a lot of broad, sweeping claims out there, saying things like “chocolate prevents cancer” or “hugging is bad for your dog.” A lot of it can leave you confused.
So on Last Week Tonight, John Oliver posed an important question: “Is science bullsh*t?” Thankfully, he came to the conclusion that it isn’t — “but there is a lot of bullsh*t currently masquerading as science.”
The problem lies in scientists who feel pressure to constantly publish eye-catching results — which can be counterproductive to real work being done in the field.
Since scientists have little time to do real science while also satisfying our need for pseudo-science, Oliver has proposed a solution: TODD (Trends, Observations, and Dangerous Drivel) Talks, “where the format of TED Talks meets the intellectual rigor of morning news shows.”
Now we can continue to convince ourselves that eating tons of chocolate and wine will actually make us live longer.
