6 tips to help you detect fake science news - The Washington Post

I’m a professor of chemistry, have a PhD and conduct my own scientific research, yet when consuming media, even I frequently need to ask myself: “Is this science or is it fiction?”There are plenty of reasons a science story might not be sound. Quacks and charlatans take advantage of the complexity of science, some content providers cannot tell bad science from good and some politicians peddle fake science to support their positions.If the science sounds too good to be true or too wacky to be real, or conveniently supports a contentious cause, then you might want to check its veracity.Here are six tips to help you detect fake science.Tip 1: Seek the peer review seal of approval. Each year, about 2,800 peer-reviewed journals publish roughly 1.8 million scientific papers. Beware of biases in your own thinking that might predispose you to fall for a particular piece of fake science news.People give their own memories and experiences more credence than they deserve, making it hard to accept new ideas and theories.