Why Even Smart People Fall for Bad Science
Our natural biases make us focus on scary news, but that doesn’t mean you have to live in fear
We all do it about a hundred times a day: Open our preferred news app; read a terrifying headline about scary new health research; experience that now-familiar anxiety level spike. Consume too much media and it can feel like the world is ending every day. Trust me, I get it.
As a doctor, I get my medical information from validated scientific sources. But when I want to catch up on the latest “health tips” that my patients might be seeing, I check my Facebook feed. Unfortunately, I often see friends and family sharing content that ranges from misleading to straight-up deadly.
In the weeks and months (and probably years) ahead, it’s going to be really important to be able to read health and science news without panicking. But even smart, savvy people can get sucked in by dramatic headlines — especially in the midst of a legitimately scary public health crisis. Here’s what to keep in mind when you’re…
