Jeffrey Shallit at Recursivity posts about a chiropractor in Seattle who will heal you by using quantum mechanics [Your Daily Dose of Woo]. There's a comment on his blog that points to a quack right there in Kitchener/Waterloo who makes the same silly claims. Check it out. I've inserted a picture of the ECLOSION (Electro Physiological Feedback Xrroid) device from the Kuantum Power website. Wouldn't you just love to have one of those? It will even work on computers made by fruit companies.
These are more examples of the misuse of science. How can we combat this except by making sure we educate students properly? Judging by what I see at the University of Toronto, we aren't doing a very good job of teaching students how to think. I get the feeling that most of my colleagues aren't aware of the problem and those that are, don't care. I see lots of similar woo in the scientific literature.
I have a weak memory of a claim that media analysis is a pretty effective method to get students to recognize this type of BS. If that is true it would be a vaccine that could be applied to all students and early on.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I would never put down another reason for science education.