Science Feedback
Scientists sorting fact from fiction in scientific media coverage.
➡️ science.feedback.org
French account: @sciencefeedback-fr.bsky.social
- We’ve seen recurring claims on social media and in TV segments that cattle are good for the climate, or even 'carbon-negative'. These claims often misrepresent the research they cite or rely on narrow case studies. science.feedback.org/review/impac...
- At first glance, the idea has intuitive appeal: cows eat grass, grass absorbs CO₂. But this overlooks key emissions from cattle, especially methane, a short-lived but potent greenhouse gas Methane from cattle belching outweighs the CO₂ absorbed by pasture plants in most cases.
- While mitigation efforts exist, the broader evidence doesn’t support the idea that beef is a climate solution. A 2021 review of 292 beef systems found only 2% achieved net-zero emissions. Read the full review: science.feedback.org/review/impac...
- Reposted by Science FeedbackFor those who aren't aware, Google's AI summary chatbot Gemini is programmed to refuse to acknowledge that Joe Biden won the 2020 election. Compare the two cases:
- TikTok videos promote supplements and vaginal gels claiming to treat #HPV infection But these lack large well-designed trials to show safety and effectiveness Review by @kevinault.bsky.social & Linda Eckert @uwdeptmedicine.bsky.social science.feedback.org/hpv-infectio...
- Reposted by Science FeedbackWith the viral season upon us, the debate over vaccination will flare up again. It remains strange to watch: the advantages are many, well established, and increasingly better supported by evidence, including benefits against non-communicable diseases. 1/10
- Reposted by Science Feedback💡𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧? Join us on Thursday, 11 December (14:30 CET) as we present the findings of the SIMODS study, a 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜, 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬-𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 on how six VLOPs are performing against disinfo. 🗣️ Emmanuel Vincent, from Science Feedback 🔗 us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
- Reposted by Science FeedbackAdditionally, it appears that all of EPA's previously extensive "indicators of climate change" pages have been scrubbed entirely. The pages no longer exist; there are numerous dead links on the current/live EPA site, and no indication they have been moved to a new URL.
- Reposted by Science FeedbackThis can be confirmed using the Wayback Machine's last snapshot (from Oct 8, 2025). At some point between Oct 8 & Dec 8, major changes were made to this and other EPA climate change content. Information has either been removed completely or "adjusted" to emphasize natural causes.
- Some posts on social media are claiming a South Korean study shows COVID-19 vaccines “weaken the immune system”. That’s misleading, and the study’s authors say so themselves. science.feedback.org/review/south...
- Science Feedback spoke to Dr. Jihun Song, the first author. Dr. Song stressed that the study was “an observational analysis of associations” and “cannot make causal claims about immune function”.
- We also consulted Prof. Helen Petousis-Harris, who highlighted major limitations. Yes, the study found more common colds in people with 4+ doses, but that same group had lower rates of flu-like illness and pertussis. That pattern doesn’t fit the claim of “weakened immunity”.
- The study also didn’t account for healthcare-seeking behaviour. Vaccinated people tend to get tested more often → more diagnoses → not necessarily more illness. Bottom line: More recorded cases isn't necessarily a sign of weaker immune system.
- Reposted by Science FeedbackI'm preparing a briefing on #SeaLevelRise and my hunt for an image led me to the wikipedia page and holy moly it's good... If you want to learn about many different aspects, I'd definitely start there. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_lev...
- Some TikTok videos claiming that Vitamin D can “shrink fibroids” have millions of views (+ plenty of supplements to sell) A Science Feedback review shows there’s more hype than evidence behind these claims & some videos push dangerously high doses of Vitamin D science.feedback.org/review/vitam...
- High doses can lead to toxicity, including a higher risk of kidney stones. Vitamin D is important, but yes, you can have too much of a good thing.
- Ranee Thakar, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), told us: “Evidence around using vitamin D to treat fibroids is limited and unclear… There’s no proven cause-and-effect relationship.”
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View full threadCurious about what the evidence does say? Read the full review here ⬇️ science.feedback.org/review/vitam...
- 🚨 New report out: the first cross-platform, cross-country baseline on misinformation in Europe Based on large scale data analysis: ~2.6M posts (24B views) collected on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X & YouTube science.feedback.org/first-measurement-disinformation-major-platforms-europe
- What we found: ⚠️ TikTok has the highest prevalence of misinformation: 20% of posts on public-interest topics contain false or misleading info. Facebook is 2nd at 13% LinkedIn has the lowest prevalence at just 2%, showing platforms can design systems that don’t reward falsehoods
- One of our most striking findings: the misinformation premium Across all platforms except LinkedIn, accounts spreading misinformation get more reach per follower than credible accounts On YouTube: low-credibility accounts get 8x more interactions per follower than high-credibility ones
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View full threadThis report was produced in partnership with @newtral.es demagog.sk @pravdapl.bsky.social @checkfirst.network & Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC)
- Claims that DMSO can treat everything from pain to cancer often rely on anecdotes—not solid clinical evidence. Science Feedback reviewed these claims and found major gaps. 🔗 science.feedback.org/beware-mirac...
- Recent posts on TikTok and X promote DMSO for pain relief. But as Medicines Lead Sailesh Mishra @facultypainmed.bsky.social notes, it’s “not a first-line or proven treatment” and may even carry toxins into the body.
- Mishra adds: safer, more effective options exist – like NSAIDs, paracetamol, or physical therapy. Using DMSO instead could pose unnecessary risks.
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View full threadBottom line: DMSO has legitimate uses in medicine (like organ preservation), but it's not a cure-all. Be cautious of claims that promise simple fixes for complex health issues. 🔗 science.feedback.org/beware-mirac...
- Reposted by Science FeedbackNew in TiCS w @dgrand.bsky.social @gordpennycook.bsky.social It’s been ~10yrs since misinfo research exploded but our paradigms are stuck in the post-2016 “fake news” model Time for new approaches: o True/False → Content that misleads o Belief → Behavior o Eval interventions in ambiguous settings
- Reposted by Science FeedbackI checked the claim of the DOE report that sea level is rising at a lower rate than predicted by IPCC: it is false. For 2030, the IPCC AR6 predicts a best estimate 9-10 cm relative to 1995-2014 (Table 9.9). The satellite data show a rise of 74 mm until 2025. At this rate that will be 93 mm by 2030.
- Reposted by Science Feedback🛡️ @sciencefeedback.bsky.social has been verified by @bsky.team Track verified accounts and trusted verifiers at bverified.vercel.app!
- Reposted by Science FeedbackNice article about NASEM review of the endangerment finding by @insideclimatenews.org National Academies Will Review Endangerment Finding Science insideclimatenews.org/news/0708202...
- A viral claim from a Japanese anti-mRNA vaccine group says: “The more shots you get, the sooner you die.” It’s based on a fundamental error in interpreting data. Here’s why this conclusion doesn’t hold up: 🔗 science.feedback.org/review/inade... 1/7
- One of their graphs compared mortality rates in vaccinated vs. unvaccinated people. It looked like vaccinated people had higher mortality. But that conclusion ignores a crucial question. 👇 2/7
- Before believing what you see, ask: 👉 Are the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups comparable in other factors that affect mortality? 3/7
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View full threadDon’t be misled by illusory associations. When interpreting data, compare 🍎 to 🍎, not 🍎 to 🍊. Learn more in Science Feedback’s review: 🔗 science.feedback.org/review/inade... 7/7
- Reposted by Science Feedback"Misleading U.S. Department of Energy climate report chooses bias over science, climate scientists say" | Article by the team at @sciencefeedback.bsky.social: science.feedback.org/review/misle...
- Reposted by Science FeedbackIs sea level around the US accelerating? If you actually do the analysis, instead of just repeating talking points from decades ago, the answer is yes. tamino.wordpress.com/2025/08/03/s...
- In July 2025, the U.S. DOE released a climate report tied to EPA’s proposed rollback of emissions rules. The report claims to challenge decades of climate science… But scientists say it is unscientific and misrepresents key findings 🧵 science.feedback.org/review/misle...
- 🚩 First red flag: The report was written by 5 known climate contrarians, not topic experts. That alone doesn’t invalidate it—but other issues do. For example, it lacked proper peer review. In contrast, IPCC reports involve hundreds of authors and a transparent review process.
- 🚩 Another major issue: numerous scientists cited in the report said it misinterpreted their work! E.g. @hausfath.bsky.social www.theclimatebrink.com/p/how-the-do...
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View full threadOn topics like rising CO₂’s impact on crop yields, extreme weather, and wildfires, the report cherry-picks information to present a one-sided view, ignoring decades of scientific evidence. 📖 Read Science Feedback’s review for detailed analysis: science.feedback.org/review/misle...
- Reposted by Science Feedback🚨 If you're interested in working on a coordinated response to the DOE climate report, please enter your info on this google form 🚨 Please RT this so as many people see it as possible. forms.gle/BL9xUAfRxA...
- Reposted by Science FeedbackThe EPA cited my paper in their argument against the endangerment finding today. However, their point is completely backwards: my paper actually supports the EPA's 2009 range of 1.8C to 4C warming by 2100. www.nature.com/artic...
- Reposted by Science FeedbackI've been getting a lot of requests for comments on the DOE report "A critical review of the impact of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions on the U.S. climate". Here are some initial thoughts. More will come later.
- 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱? A recent study found that Earth’s energy balance – the difference between incoming solar energy and outgoing heat – has more than doubled in recent decades. agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
- As we’ve covered in a past article, rising CO2 levels have driven this imbalance by allowing less heat to escape to space through the greenhouse effect. But this new study suggests the energy imbalance has been underestimated. science.feedback.org/how-co2-warm...
- Researchers explain that this energy balance is rising faster than expected, and twice the amount estimated by the IPCC: “These findings suggest #climatechange might well accelerate in the coming years”. theconversation.com/global-warmi...
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View full threadSo with less of these bright clouds covering the sky, more solar energy can reach the Earth and raise temperatures. Scientists also think there is a feedback loop between rising CO2 levels and bright cloud shrinkage, worsening the warming effects of both. journals.ametsoc.org/view/journal...
- 𝗪𝗵𝗼'𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝘀? 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆'𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀? Our monthly newsletter (in English and French) helps you track the latest misinformation trends and what scientists are really finding while keeping an eye on policy in this domain.
- 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴: False claims about recent extreme weather events, investigation into #EV disinformation in EU and a new report which reveals that climate misinformation is designed to confuse the public and targets policymakers to disrupt regulation and delay climate actions.
- 📬 Delivered on weekdays, once a month. Subscribe to our newsletter here: science.feedback.org/newsletter-s.... You can also choose to receive only the latest reviews and insight articles climate or health topics. #ClimateMisinformation #HealthMisinformation #ScienceNewsletter #debunk
