If you're a scientist and public communicator, you are putting yourself in professional and personal danger. And as Kevin Folta's case shows, things are only getting worse.
anti-GMO activists
Awarding an honorary doctorate to an anti-GMO activist could only happen in an Orwellian universe. That's where up is down, right is wrong, and the truth is just a matter of opinion. But that's the state of academia in 2018.
One of the latest contributions from the Huffington Post to the national dialogue comes courtesy of self-described teenage "food safety activist" Rachel Parent, who skyrocketed to fame after giving an anti-GMO talk for Tedx, and debating Kevin O'Leary. Her new article is titled "GMO Propaganda Has No Place In Your Child's Classroom." She then goes on to regurgitate her own propaganda.
As a society, we never grew up beyond high school. Not being smart continues to be cool. Rejecting the collective wisdom of scientists, economists, academics, and journalists is applauded. Spurning the "establishment" has become the new national pastime.
California is ranked 47th in the U.S. in science education. So, it is not terribly surprising that the Golden State is making some rather poor choices in wine (whine) country, and looking mighty foolish in the process.
If you want to find a hotbed of homeopathy, anti-vaccine, anti-GMO and other wacky anti-science rants, look no further. Pinterest is the 13th most popular website in America and the 32nd in the world. It's more popular than CNN. We here at ACSH fully intend to rectify this situation. We hope others join us in doing so.
Newsweek s recent cover story puts it bluntly: YOU ARE TOTALLY WRONG ABOUT GENETICALLY ALTERED FOOD. And author Tom Parrett eloquently explains why in his article: GMO Scientists Could Save the World From Hunger, If We Let Them.
Genetically engineered crops (GMOs) are never far from the news these days, what with groups like EWG and NRDC, the organic lobby, and environmentalists of all stripes inveighing against them for a host of implausible reasons.
We have perennially been on opposite sides of the table from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) on virtually every issue, for example, artificial sweeteners, trace chemicals,
Every now and then, someone really gets it.
This past June, it was Alex Berezow, the founding editor of RealClearSciencewhose piece The Lies that Whole Foods Tells blew the doors off of Whole Foods and their less-than-truthful marketing practices.
This time, it is Michael Schulson, whose new piece in The Daily Beast addresses the same topic from a somewhat different angle, and none too gently. It is a must read for anyone who is confused by, or on the fence on the GM food controversy.
The latest health news: India and China take many steps backward in GMO advancements, E-cig company fights back, and why eating or skipping breakfast may not affect your weight
Last December, Hawaii County passed a bill that banned biotech companies from the Big Island and prohibited all new genetically modified crops.