Many thanks to NASA Cassini for the image above and to Katie Mack, astrophysicist at large, for the wonderful message in these disturbing times. Science can do many things for our country and our species. It is through science that we easily cure diseases that once struck down kings and countrymen. It is science that allows us to treat clogged arteries in the heart or brain, straighten broken bones, and repair terrible injuries. Scientists tamed the raw power of lightning and brought it down to serve us in so many ways, it would take a committed effort to list a significant fraction of them all. Most of all, science gave us revelations into creation, and it allowed us to finally and fully embrace the magnificent scope of the universe in which we are embedded. And while we may be small individually and live on a speck of a world, for now, our future is unbounded—in large part thanks to science and its seemingly endless spinoffs. So it’s not surprising that a netroots notion of a “Science March,” similar to the highly successful Women’s Marches last week all over the nation, might be in the works:
We have not settled on a date yet but will do so as quickly as possible and announce it here. Although this will start with a march, we hope to use this as a starting point to take a stand for science in politics. Slashing funding and restricting scientists from communicating their findings (from tax-funded research!) with the public is absurd and cannot be allowed to stand as policy. This is a non-partisan issue that reaches far beyond people in the STEM fields and should concern anyone who values empirical research and science.
In fact, science has gained so much credibility that even those who seek to undermine often disguise their efforts as science. This is the realm of pseudo-science—also called woo, and commonly referred to as hooey, nonsense, or my favorite, bullshit. There are many motives for this. Some are comical, most are cynical, a few are downright ugly. We’ll review some examples below the fold, starting with a little comedy.
It is not our goal here in the godless science department on the 197th floor of the newly constructed Daily Kos spire in Kossack City funded by Soros, the EAC, & Satan LLC (until now fully concealed by stealth force fields developed under our Sharia Law research grants) to demolish all hope of miracles, aliens, or Bigfoot. And hey, it’s your body and what you put in it is your call, as far as we’re concerned. But if knowledge is power then medical science is the password to that healthy database, so here’s an actual gynecologist weighing in on one recent “treatment” that’s not grounded in any science she is aware of—and might even be risky:
I have tried not to respond to this hot mess, after all a man who leers at naked 15 year-olds and brags about sexual assault is about to assume the highest office in the land. Quite frankly women have more compelling health interests right now, however, I have been asked by so many people about your vaginal rocks that I felt it necessary to drop you a line. I read the post and all I can tell you is it is the biggest load of garbage I have read on your site since vaginal steaming. It’s even worse than claiming bras cause breast cancer. But hey, you aren’t one to let facts get in the way of profiting from snake oil.
Indeed, anti-science is alive and well in the U.S. And examples like the jade egg miracle energy treatment are easy fodder for Trumptacon and his deceptions to weaponize, lob into a discussion, and then trumpet that “both sides do it,” thus rationalizing so-called alternative facts with the cowed media eagerly in tow searching for politically safe balance. So we must continue to oppose “our” pseudo-scientists, instead of rewarding them with heading up giant departments and crafting national policy, like our opponents do.
While the jade egg miracle energy treatment is mostly harmless, be wary of an emerging field of pseudo-science that could quite literally kill: new “miracle” stem cell treatments. These are modern day snake-oil scams. While some will inject completely useless and inert substances into the body, others introduce real, living cells—and that’s a vector for infection, auto-immune response, and in some cases, malignancy. Regenerative medicine holds great promise, but there are serious hurdles that will have to be overcome, such as reducing the risk of tumors.
A more lighthearted field of pseudo-science has to do with legendary animals: that’s a vicious rabbit otter! Stories about ancient giant otters and long-lost dinosaurs set the table for the idea of cryptids: critters like Sasquatch and Nessie. Cryptozoology isn’t the most insidious form of pseudo-science, but it’s arguable that shows featuring clearly staged hunts for Bigfoot and other mythical creatures have taken over what were once reputable networks and production companies. If it’s weird, nonexistent animals you’re after, and given how uncooperative they are when it comes to being caught or tagged or widely filmed or leaving clear evidence of their slightest presence, you can at least visit a museum that shows you what they would look and act like, if they happened to actually exist.
No survey of pseudoscience would be compete without at least mentioning creationism. There are many kinds. There is even a Hollow Earth creationism (although how it dovetails into religious texts like the Bible is not entirely clear). There are Islamic versions and Jewish versions and, of course, there’s fundamentalist Christian creationism. Even the latter is split into two big competing fields: Young Earth and Old Earth creationism. As the names suggest, one is the usual dinos and humans lived together and the universe is only a few thousand years old, the other accepts the age of the universe and the Earth but rejects evolutionary biology.
The most lucrative field of pseudo-science by far is climate change denial-ism. This pseudo-academic landscape is richly dotted with swank think tanks, polished foundations, and alt-netroots based groups all dedicated to denying, weakening, or discrediting any links between average global temperature and industrial emissions. Whereas cryptozoologists will often elicit a chuckle from right-wing politicians and creationism might get a quiet pat on the back, climate pseudoscience is welcomed as completely legitimate. Indeed, many politicians do not even know it is a pseudoscience, and they commonly and proudly quote the fake findings and carefully crafted talking points produced by the think tanks and foundations as if they were completely normal, valid research.
One more important point: when we say science is under assault, what we really mean is scientists—and by extension, all of the rest of us who depend on their work. Few scientists in the U.S. have been more persecuted than climatologists. Michael Mann and James Hansen are a couple of familiar names we’ve come to know and respect. But in just the first few hours of the Trump administration, the entire faculties of organizations ranging from NASA to NOAA to the EPA and even the USDA were intimidated and threatened. Agencies across the road have even been gagged from talking to Congress.
In the last catastrophic iteration of conservatism (aka the Bush years), many scientists chose to speak truth to power, regardless of the consequences to their careers and reputations—or even to their families. They didn’t let the fact that they were one tiny vulnerable person in a vast universe of right-wing bullshit stop them from standing out and making waves.
Going forward, they’re going to need our support. And they will get it.