Summary: There are numerous tricks which can be used to win an argument or influence the audience. Logical fallacies are mistakes in reasoning which make arguments false. False dichotomy is a fallacy which takes into account two extremes and excludes the middle ground. Black and white thinking can be a symptom of a personality disorder. In this series of articles, […]
Summary: Many people try to be eco-friendly through personal actions but they are generally less aware of the (sometimes significantly larger) influence they can have through their finances. Investing in global corporations through pension and savings funds has an impact on global sustainability. Much can be done before actually switching funds, such as acquiring knowledge, benchmarking current investments to what’s […]
Summary: Acne is a common skin condition that affects millions of people globally. Although acne mainly manifests itself through the appearance of pimples on the skin, its psychological effects are often underestimated. While genetics, hormones, and bacteria are the primary causes of acne, clinicians are still debating whether diet plays a role in acne outbreaks. Since 1969, scientists have been […]
Summary: The saying that humans use only 10% of their brains has been around for decades. The origin of the saying stems from the early 1900s, with many references in pop culture since then. Current research shows we use multiple brain regions simultaneously to process stimuli. All regions of the brain are active to a certain degree over the course […]
Summary: One in two people suffers from headache disorders. Migraine is a chronic disease occurring two to three times more often in women than in men. The exact causes of migraine are not yet fully understood, but research has made relevant progress in recent years. Did you know that, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), on average one in […]
Summary: Various agencies are planning manned missions to the moon. NASA and China National Space Administration plan both to reach the moon and beyond in various stages. Private companies are testing innovative space rockets, with the goal of eventually reaching Mars. The current space race involves a mix of private companies and government agencies. The last moon landing took place […]
Summary There are numerous speech stratagems which can be used to win an argument or influence the audience. Logical fallacies are mistakes in reasoning which make arguments false. The straw man is a fallacy which aims to misrepresent the opponent’s argument in order to more easily refute it. The slippery slope is a fallacy which posits that taking one action […]
Summary: Reduction of SARS-CoV-2 transmission is a major goal in the management of outbreaks and pandemics. Initial Pfizer/BioNTech clinical trials did not evaluate SARS-CoV-2 transmission but followed EMA’s recommendations. Clinical trials of vaccines do not usually study transmission. Instead, the reduction of infections is employed as a standard outcome. Recently, the lack of testing for the reduction of SARS-CoV-2 transmission […]
Summary: Many non-stick cookware items contain chemicals called PFAS, that have been indicated in multiple health issues. Overheating non-stick cookware damages it and releases toxic fumes. Scratched non-stick coating leads to plastic particles in food that accumulate in the stomach and kidneys. Other cookware options exist, such as stainless steel, cast iron or enamel coated. Non-stick cookware is amazing; one […]
Summary: This cycle of articles aims to introduce scientists, authors or philosophers whose works promote science, rationality, and skeptical thinking. Dr. Carl Sagan was, among others, an author, an astronomer, and science communicator. In his book “The Demon-Haunted World”, Dr. Sagan introduces a dragon to exemplify a skeptical approach to unfalsifiable claims. “A skeptic’s ally” is a new series of […]