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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

The skeptic’s repertoire – A straw man on a slippery slope

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 […]