facts and reasons - Facts&Reasons

24/05/2023

Why is prenatal vaccination against Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP) important?

Summary: Even though prenatal vaccination against Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP) is not mandatory, it is recommended. Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis are very dangerous diseases for children because their immune systems aren’t yet fully developed. DTaP vaccination during pregnancy is very effective at preventing Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis in children less than 2 months old. Even though vaccines are important […]

10/05/2023

Corrections and retractions in academia

Summary: Scientists can correct and retract their work for a variety of sound reasons, not just due to scientific misconduct. There is enormous stigma associated with changing published literature. This is exacerbated by whistle-blower bullying, inefficient bureaucracy, and a general lack of incentive from scientific institutions and journals. However, correction is a normal part of the scientific process rather than […]

Nicolina Zjacic Science Backstage 0 5 min read

24/04/2023

Is intermittent fasting a solution to being overweight?

Summary: Intermittent fasting is a diet that does not control what is being eaten but rather focuses on when to eat. Negative side effects include a dysregulation of hormone levels such as insulin and cortisol. Most research has been done on animals and is not 100% translatable to humans. We are living in an era where the Western World is […]

Marijn Wilmink Health and Medicine 0 4 min read

11/04/2023

Will artificial intelligence change the future of communication?

Summary: Generative AI and language models use complex architectures and large datasets to generate human-like text or speech. These technologies have applications in business and medicine. However, AI may suffer from issues such as bias through training data and the generation of misinformation. Proper safeguards must be implemented to mitigate these negative impacts. When reaching out to customer service of […]

Max Brambach Modern Technologies 0 4 min read

29/03/2023

The skeptic’s repertoire – false dichotomy

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, […]

Jacek Jabłoński The Skeptic’s Repertoire 0 3 min read

15/03/2023

Why is no lifestyle green enough without a green pension?

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 […]

Anna Georgieva Economic and Financial Sciences 0 3 min read

27/02/2023

Is there a relationship between acne and diet?

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 […]

Viviana D'Otolo Health and Medicine 0 4 min read

15/02/2023

How much of our brain do we really use?

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 […]

Nicolina Zjacic Health and Medicine 0 6 min read

01/02/2023

Migraine: what do we know about it?

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 […]

Sara Carmignani Health and Medicine 0 4 min read

18/01/2023

Who goes to the moon anymore?

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 […]

Charlotte Phillips Modern Technologies 0 4 min read