GLP podcast: GE crops have lived up to the hype; Growing ‘mini’ organs from stem cells; How do we solve right-wing vaccine hesitancy?

, | | March 27, 2024
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Genetically engineered crops are nearly three decades olds at this point. What impacts have they had on agriculture over those nearly 30 years? Hint: they’re mostly positive. Scientists may be able to derive stem cells from amniotic fluid during a pregnancy and use them to treat birth defects before a child is born. Right-wing parental rights activists are leading a campaign to restrict school vaccine requirements. How do we convince these hyper-skeptical moms and dads that their kids should be vaccinated against preventable (and often deadly) diseases?

GLP podcast: Why some deaf people oppose curing deafness; The dark side of embryo screening; Should states ban lab-grown meat?

, | | March 20, 2024
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Groundbreaking gene therapies for deafness are coming online, but they’re opposed by a surprising group of people—a subset of the deaf community. Embryo screening could spare future generations debilitating diseases, but this revolutionary technology may also have some serious downsides if we’re not careful. Several US states are trying to outlaw lab-grown meat. Is this move justified, or just another example of one industry using the law against another?

GLP podcast: Oops — heirloom seed company markets GM tomato; Anti-biotech movement in retreat; Bill Gates does more harm than good?

, | | March 13, 2024
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An heirloom seed company that prides itself on selling GMO-free products mistakenly put a genetically engineered tomato on the cover of its 2024 catalog. The anti-GMO movement appears to be in permanent retreat. Is the end of the “frakenfood” scare close? Bill Gates and other billionaire philanthropists do a lot of good around the world, but their critics say this generosity has a dark side.

GLP podcast: AAP refuses to print rebuttal to anti-GMO study; Billion-dollar anti-pesticide ‘money grab’; Ultra-processed food won’t make you obese?

, | | March 6, 2024
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The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published a spurious attack on GM crops and pesticides, then reneged on its commitment to print a rebuttal. What happened? The Environmental Working group (EWG) is collaborating with tort lawyers to attack yet another pesticide.  A prominent nutrition researcher has grown skeptical of some of his earlier conclusions about “ultra-processed” food. Let’s examine the evidence that led him to change his mind.

GLP podcast: Bad research sows distrust in science; Pesticides in food aren’t dangerous—unless you eat 340 apples daily

, | | February 28, 2024
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ad research in peer-reviewed journals is undermining the public’s trust in science. What can experts do to stop the flow of flawed science into academic publications? It’s the time of year when activist groups, with the media’s help, scare the public about pesticides on food. Is the produce in your grocery store safe? Absolutely. Let’s … Read more

GLP podcast: Technology keeps debunking ‘The Population Bomb;’ Internet access can harm mental health; Is urban farming sustainable? Probably not

, | | February 21, 2024
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Technological innovations continue to debunk predictions that global population growth will lead to mass starvation. Some mental health experts are concerned that widespread internet access is exacerbating the effect of disorders like schizophrenia. Urban farming has attracted a large following of city dwellers committed to sustainability. Unfortunately, growing vegetables on rooftops in major cities probably isn’t a climate-friendly alternative to conventional agriculture.

GLP podcast: Neuralink chip in your brain? CNN’s bunk COVID booster headline; Obesity drugs—the long-term effects

, | | February 14, 2024
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euralink has successfully implanted its “brain–computer interface” in a human patient. Elon Musk says the results so far are “promising.” What does that mean exactly? CNN recently exaggerated the risk of COVID boosters, undermining efforts to quell groundless fears about the shots. Weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy have proven to be both effective and popular, … Read more

GLP podcast/video: Weed won’t improve your workout; Predatory science journals attack GMOs; Eating insects will be mandatory?

, | | February 7, 2024
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Can marijuana make your workout better? Probably not, according to a recent study. Four science publications produce a large swath of the anti-biotech, anti-chemical research and commentary we see in the headlines. Is Bill Gates trying to force everyone to eat insects instead of meat?

GLP podcast/video: Too much cleanliness makes us sick? Protect your genetic data; Against ‘green-neocolonialism’

, | | January 31, 2024
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ood hygiene is important, but too much of it might be contributing to chronic disease in developed countries. A data breach at 23andMe has geneticists and cybersecurity experts speculating about the dangers of amassing genetic data online. Are environmental activists colonizing Africa by trying to ban GM crops and synthetic pesticides from the continent? Podcast: … Read more

GLP podcast/video: Yes, BPA is safe; ‘Fake sugar’ promotes real weight loss; How long does it take to develop a pesticide?

, | | January 24, 2024
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decades-long campaign alleges that BPA, a chemical used to manufacture many plastic products, is dangerous. There is no evidence to support that allegation, and there never was. A large body of research shows that artificial sweeteners can help people lose weight, so why does the press continue to speculate about the harms of these “fake … Read more

Viewpoint: Are corporations and Western countries shackling African agriculture to suit their interests, as anti-GMO groups claim? Or are the activists doing the shackling?

| | January 23, 2024
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Genetically enhanced (GE) crops, pesticides, and fertilizers have fueled an explosion in food production over the last six decades. Following the pioneering work of Norman Borlaug during the Green Revolution, agricultural output began a dramatic climb from just over $1 trillion annually in 1961 to more than $4 trillion per year in 2019.

GLP podcast/video: Lab-grown meat divides scientists; The rise of ‘Big Weed’; American Academy of Pediatrics goes anti-GMO?

, | | January 17, 2024
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ustainable agriculture advocates are split over the potential benefits of cell-based meat. Why are these longtime allies divided over this fledgling technology? Marijuana legalization has given rise to a growing industry dubbed “Big Weed” by critics. How worried should we be about the pot business and the intoxicating products it markets? The American Academy of … Read more

GLP podcast/video: ‘Paraquat Papers’ — Latest pesticide scandal wrongly links weedkiller to Parkinson’s

, | | January 10, 2024
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Thousands of pending lawsuits allege that the weedkiller paraquat causes Parkinson’s Disease (PD), a connection its manufacturer tried to hide from regulators and the public for many years. “Documents unveiled as part of ongoing court proceedings in California show that [the chemical company] Syngenta has spent decades investigating the potential side effects of its product,” the LA Times reported in December. “This research has sometimes contradicted public statements issued by the company.”

Phony Whistleblower Gambit: This is how far some environmental activist groups are willing to go to corrupt science for money and ideological gain

| | January 9, 2024
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Environmental activists rely on several go-to tactics when fomenting fear of pesticides. One of their favorite methods is recruiting fake whistleblowers, often retired government scientists, who will spread conspiratorial nonsense about regulatory agencies and other researchers. Here’s a real-world example of the “phony whistleblower gambit.”

GLP podcast/video: Dangers of slanted science coverage; Media falsely claims glyphosate could harm pregnant women

, | | January 3, 2024
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Exaggerated media coverage distorts the public’s understanding of critically important scientific issues, and the consequences can be dire. How do we combat the harmful effects of sloppy science journalism? There’s no evidence that the weedkiller glyphosate harms pregnant women (or anyone else for that matter), but that hasn’t stopped reporters from trying to embroil the controversial pesticide in yet another scandal.

GLP podcast/video: What causes autism? Treating PTSD with psychedelics; Alcoholism could be in our genes

, | | December 13, 2023
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peculation persists about the causes of autism thanks to an explosion in the number of cases that have been diagnosed in recent years. Why are so many more children diagnosed today than in previous decades? Veterans battling crippling PTSD may benefit from treatment with psychedelic drugs, but lingering scientific and legal obstacles could prevent us … Read more

GLP podcast/video: Trust in scientists plummets; EU ditches organic ‘Farm to Fork’ plan; Our troubling ‘superhuman’ future?

, | | December 6, 2023
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mericans are losing trust in scientists following the COVID pandemic. How can experts regain the public’s support? The European Union (EU) has sided with farmers and suddenly halted its plans to mandate a 50 percent reduction in pesticide use and 25 percent boost in organic farmland. Gene editing is a promising biomedical technology, though some … Read more

GLP podcast/video: Elon killed Twitter? EWG’s latest pesticide scare; RFK, Jr. vs ‘Big Pharma’

, | | November 29, 2023
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Has Twitter (X) devolved into a misinformation cesspool? Once scientist says yes. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) claims schools near farms could put students at risk of pesticide exposure. It’s another evidence-free scare story. Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. says drug companies are neglecting chronic diseases to protect their profits. Is this a scandal in need of a solution, or just campaign-trail rhetoric?

GLP podcast/video: Many Americans still reject evolution; should we worry? Top-10 food myths, debunked; Farmers finally growing Golden Rice

, | | November 15, 2023
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The creation-evolution debate has fallen out of the spotlight in recent years, but many Americans still reject Darwin’s theory. Should we be alarmed by this widespread skepticism of basic biology? You probably believe at least some myths about food and nutrition; let’s debunk the top 10. Farmers in the Philippines are finally starting to grow vitamin-fortified Golden Rice. The results so far are encouraging.

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