I was maybe eight or nine years old when I began questioning the existence of stories about Santa Claus, the tooth fairy, and the Easter bunny. Over time, I continued to question more subjects. Raised in a monotheistic society, I began questioning the presence of a god or “supreme being” in my early teens. Even then, I felt the need to hold an opinion based on evidence, so I taught myself to be a critical thinker. To this day, I cannot believe anything I hear or read solely on faith or position of authority.
Today, politicians talk about “fake news”, Facebook allows political ads containing proven false information, the Internet is full of misinformation based on pseudoscience, actors and people who have no reason being celebrities use their "celebrity” status to push bad information typically to make money, and too often the media does not question or push back during interviews when someone espouses unsubstantiated claims and outright lies.
So how are people supposed to know fact from fiction? Where can they turn for reliable information?
I am a skeptic. Some people confuse being skeptical with being cynical. In this TED Talk video, George Hrab does an excellent job of explaining what it means to be a skeptic. As a skeptic, I seek out other skeptics, thought leaders who hold advanced degrees with time spent working in their field, and science communicators who work to dispel myths and misinformation. The following is a brief list of my top go-to sites when seeking evidence-based information. I tend to avoid online sites where the public can comment, such as Reddit, Quora, Pintrest, etc., because the information (typically opinions) is dubious, at best, and I cannot easily verify what they share as evidence-based.
“The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe is dedicated to promoting critical thinking and science literacy through insightful content and resources including an award-winning weekly podcast.” Since 2005, SGU has dedicated a blog, website, and podcast to promoting critical thinking, scientific method, skepticism, and technology. They have over a million followers on Facebook, and recently released an all-encompassing book about skeptical thinking.
Since 1845, Scientific American is the longest continuously published magazine in the U.S. It’s website breaks down articles covering the sciences, mind, health, technology, sustainability, and education. In addition to a blog, they offer videos and a podcast. “Scientific American is published in 14 languages with 9.5 million print and tablet readers worldwide, 10+ million global online unique visitors monthly, and a social media reach of 7+ million.”
“NCSE works with teachers, parents, scientists, and concerned citizens at the local, state, and national levels to ensure that topics including evolution and climate change are taught accurately, honestly, and confidently.” When NCSE began in 1981, its primary purpose was to serve as a national center for grassroots pro-science organizations who were working to prevent creationism being taught alongside evolution. Today, it works to support teachers improve their teaching methods around the sciences, to train scientists and community leaders in developing effective science outreach around climate change, and to monitor efforts to interfere with accurate teaching of evolution and climate change. They offer many resources for educators.
This site is operated by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, whose founding members included Carl Sagan, Isaac Asimov, Phillip Klass, and Paul Kurtz, among others. It dates back to 1976, and its mission is “to promote scientific inquiry, critical investigation, and the use of reason in examining controversial and extraordinary claims.” In 2015, CSI and the Council for Secular Humanism ceased to exist as individual organizations and became programs under the Center For Inquiry. Point of Inquiry is the CFI podcast since 2005.
Dr. Steven P. Novella, an academic clinical neurologist and producer host of the Skeptics Guide to the Universe, offers this blog, dating back to 2007, “covering news and issues in neuroscience, but also general science, scientific skepticism, philosophy of science, critical thinking, and the intersection of science with the media and society.” His blog posts offer science-based critiques and explanations of recent news in media covering a wide range of topics. He provides links to the source material so readers can verify his information, and maybe come to their own conclusion or begin their own research.
Another site from Dr. Steven P. Novella “dedicated to evaluating medical treatments and products of interest to the public in a scientific light, and promoting the highest standards and traditions of science in health care.” The authors are all medically trained and have years of experience writing and advocacy for high scientific standards in health care. While not a complete site (not all menu selections contain material), they offer articles providing a concise overview of topics and provide a scientific perspective with links to external resources.
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