Science and the Skeptic: Discerning Fact from Fiction

by Marc Zimmer

Fake news, pseudoscience, and quackery have become scourges, spreading through society from social media all the way to Congress.


The line between entertainment and reality, between fact and fiction, has become blurred. Some of the most crucial issues of our time—climate change, vaccines, and genetically modified organisms—have become prime targets for nefarious disinformation campaigns. Far too many people have become distrustful of real science. Even those who still trust science no longer know what to believe or how to identify the truth. Not only does this result in the devaluation and distrust of real science, but it is also people acting based on false information can hurt themselves or those around them.


We must equip ourselves with the knowledge and skills to fight back against all this disinformation. InScience and the Discerning Fact from Fiction, you will learn how science is done, from the basic scientific method to the vetting process that scientific papers must go through to become published; how and why some people intentionally or unintentionally spread misinformation; and the dangers in believing and spreading false information. You'll also find twenty easy-to-follow rules for distinguishing fake science from the real deal. Armed with this book, empower yourself with knowledge, learning what information to trust and what to dismiss as deceit.


"We're not just fighting an epidemic; we're fighting an infodemic. . . . This is a time for facts, not fear. This is a time for rationality, not rumors. This is a time for solidarity, not stigma."—Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO


"Our deepest beliefs should help navigate reality, not determine it."—Michael Gersen, The Washington Post


"Journalism is very much about trying to simplify and distribute information about what's new and where advances have been made. That's incompatible with the scientific process, which can take a long time to build a body of evidence."—Kelly McBride, Poynter Institute

Genres: Nonfiction, Science

136 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2022

About the author

Marc Zimmer is the Jean C. Tempel ’65 Professor of Chemistry at Connecticut College and the author of Glowing Genes (2005), the first popular science book on jellyfish and firefly proteins; Illuminating Diseases (2015); and three books for young adults. His writing has appeared in USA Today and the Los Angeles Times, and he has been interviewed and quoted in the Economist, Science, and Nature. His book Solutions for a Cleaner, Greener Planet has been longlisted for the 2020 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books.

The State of Science will be released on July 20 2020.

Reviews

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was more about media and bias based on the subtitle but it truly is about science, period. And how there are rules that any consumer of information on science should follow (since this is targeted toward teens) related to media consumption, statistics and facts, celebrities talking about science (like McCarthy saying that her kid had autism because of vaccinations), and more. I think all-told there were 20 rules embedded in the narrative with text features and visuals to supplement the narrative. Then, at the end, the rules are reiterated.

It's a worthy read and visually appealing without being overwhelming or preachy.

[Pete Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marc Zimmer's book is targeted primarily at young adults, meaning it is comfortable reading for the non-scientist. At just over 100 pages, it's also a short book which makes it a quick read!

Zimmer clearly and concisely explains the differences between science, on the one hand, and fake science, quackery and the political misuse of science on the other. He thus makes an essential contribution to the "culture wars" battle against unreason and untruth and for valid scientific knowledge, peer-reviewed and grounded in evidence.

Zimmer draws up 20 rules for distinguishing between scientific knowledge and fake science which are interspersed through the book and then handily collected together at the end.

I've long adhered to Nietzsche's argument that "there are no facts but only interpretations", but have found myself having to question my thinking in the past decade or so where conspiracy theories, disinformation and outright lies have entered and increasingly distort mainstream discourses. While these developments prove Nietzsche's essential point, they have - to say the least! - made it a slightly less attractive manifesto for radicals than it once may have seemed.

In relation to this, I'm going to have give some consideration to climate scientist Kate Marvel's statement which Zimmer cites: "Once you put facts about the world up for debate, you have already lost. Science isn't a popularity contest."

Finally, I agree that scientific knowledge is necessary but I have some reservations regarding its "sufficiency". However I'll reserve those until I've read Zimmer's other book on the same theme "The State of Science" which goes into more depth and which may touch on the matters which I feel are missing from this book and from Zimmer's nonetheless welcome argument for facts and valid science.

[Hilson]

In a world filled with vast information on the internet to media, this practical book is a great guidance to young adults on knowing how to dispel fact from fiction. Readers can expect to learn about cognitive techniques to notice disinformation, identifying clickbait articles and properly understand the process of how formal scientific information is created. With the new ability of distinguishing trustable and fake information, young adult readers can benefit greatly from this to provide others around them valuable knowledge.

[Lorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this age of instant news, many people are bombarded with science related news that has impacts on how they choose to interact with it. This book offers 20 ways for the average person to apply common sense principles to the information they are reading. Each principle is imbedded in the core of the 5 chapters of the book.

While only about 120 pages in length, the information provided covers a range of topics with the goal of informing readers about what is real science versus fake science. It is written on a high school to college reading level and will take focus and a basic understanding of science to decode all of the high school level science that it covers. It would be a great resource for grades 9-12 for those needing to work on coursework for media studies or any science class.

I would recommend this book for purchase to any high school or public library.

This book was provided by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries.

[Bruce Stephenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent. Marc Zimmer has packed a wealth of knowledge and understanding into 5 short chapters and 100 pages. Chapter 1 covers the nature of science and the importance of peer review. Chapter 2 gives us key insights into how to spot fake science and how our cognitive biases may lead us astray. Chapter 3 describes how science can be politicized and also clearly details the science behind climate change, vaccines, and GMOs. Chapter 4 takes aim at medical quackery and outlines the potential harm that it can do. Chapter 5 is a summary of 20 rules to help distinguish science from pseudoscience and misinformation. There is a glossary, index, source notes, and suggestions for further reading. I can't help thinking that, of everyone read this book, the world would be a better place. Highly recommended.

[Stephanie H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book endeavours to teach young people about how to discern science from other things.

I really and truly enjoyed this book. It was fantastic. It’s really easy to read, it talks about issues that are big right now, and it presents a lot of interesting information to keep the reader engaged. Some of the scientific studies it mentions are gross, but that’s the kind of stuff that keeps people interested.

I’m hoping to use this book as a source in my grade 7 and 8 classes when I talk about research skills. Fantastic!

[Keisha Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short book targeted at young adults about determining science from pseudoscience. Covers some common headlines as examples when breaking down the “20 rules” to follow. Touches on Vaccines, GMOs, wellness/dr oz, global warming. Rules seem pretty solid- ranges from checking sources/funding, to what study group was experimented on, to what evidence would disprove hypothesis.