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Media being spun in attack on FDA's credibility over BPA?
Trevor Butterworth, October 29, 2008
The FDA has taken the same position as the European Union on the chemical BPA: It's not a risk to infants or adults. So why is this consensus with Europe being ignored?

Test scores, graduation rates, and school vouchers
Patrick McCloskey, October 20, 2008
Barack Obama says he's keeping an open mind on school vouchers because we need to do whatever works for the kids. How is the voucher system being assessed? And should test scores should be seen as the only measure of their success.

What is the likelihood Obama is ahead in Florida and Virginia?
Rebecca Goldin Ph.D, October 23, 2008
Can we even calculate the likelihood that one candidate is really ahead when polling data is so close?

Political polls: When up doesn’t always mean up
Rebecca Golding Ph.D, October 15, 2009
There is only one truly accurate presidential poll: the one voters take on election day

Predicting the presidency: Divorced women, regression modeling, or coin tossing? A mathematician’s take
Rebecca Goldin Ph.d., October 9, 2008
We now have dozens of political scientists telling us that their formulas will predict the winner. But they all face one rather big problem.

Doctor debunks 500 news stories in crusade against junk science
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, October 6, 2008

Scientists failing to challenge pseudoscience
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, October 6, 2008

Betting on the bailout
Stephen Rose, Ph.D, October 2, 2008
Experts have convinced many leaders of the dire consequences if the financial mess is allowed to unravel more. Is this Chicken Little or an accurate forecast of what lies ahead?

Reporters love rapid detox
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, October 2, 2008

Understanding the financial crisis
Stephen Rose, Ph.D, September 26, 2008
"The road to financial ruin was paved with good intentions," writes economist Stephen Rose, who explains the origins, path and key concepts behind the crisis that Wall Street failed to anticipate.

The New York Times shrinks Dublin
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, September 22, 2008

For a turkey, Thanksgiving is an increasingly unlikely event
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, September 19, 2008

Controversial trial on autism “therapy” stopped
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, September 18, 2008

Your Water Bottle is Not Going to Give You a Heart Attack
Trevor Butterwort and Rebecca Goldin Ph.D, September 18, 2008
Some good and some bad reporting on a new study in JAMA linking BPA to common diseases. What did the study really say, and why did the lead author say we shouldn’t read too much into the findings?

What kills kids
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, September 15, 2008

Unvaccinated children behind worrying measles increase
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, September 8, 2008

Plenty of nonsense
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, August 21, 2008

Vinyl window shades are not going to make you fat
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, August 20, 2008

A first step on the road to drug coverage recovery
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, August 18, 2008

The FT Fact Checks Prince Charles’ GM Food Fears
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, August 14, 2008

Memo to New York Times Copydesk: HIV Prevention Means *Not* Sharing Needles…
STATSblog, Maia Szalavitz, August 6, 2008

What Makes Some Voles Monogamous And Why You Should Care
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, August 6, 2008

What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? Um, Probably Nothing
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, August 1, 2008

Reuters Screws Up Drug Statistics - Marijuana Use Hasn’t Been Cut in Half
STATSblog, Maia Szalavitz, July 30, 2008

Scientists Say Thin People Face Extinction in United States: Everyone Will Be Overweight by 2048 – And Less Smart.
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, July 29, 2008

European Union Scientists Say Bisphenol A is Safe; Criticizes U.S. and Canada for Promoting Bad Science
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, July 29, 2008

Kids Claim They’re Getting Cancer from Hot Dogs
Trevor Butterworth, July 25, 2008
CNN asks if vegan-doc group’s controversial YouTube ad featuring children claiming they're getting colon cancer from hot dogs is true, but just how reliable is CNN's fact-checking?

How to Give Yourself Brain Damage from Drinking Water
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, July 22, 2008

Hurrah for Amanda Peet (and Salon)
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, July 17, 2008

CAMY's Last Gasp
Trevor Butterworth, July 10, 2008
Why the end of the Center for Alcohol Marketing and Youth is an opportunity for better research on alcohol advertising and underage drinking.

Is the European Union About to Make the World’s Food Crisis Worse?
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, July 8, 2008

Does the New York Times Hate American Medicine?
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, June 30, 2008

The Carbon Cost of Bathing
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, June 26, 2008

Greenpeace Urges Americans to Lie to Congress
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, June 23, 2008

Washington Post Consumer Blog Covers Great Shower Curtain Scare of 2008
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, June 18, 2008

The Los Angeles Times, Perez Hilton, Fishing Monkeys, Toxic Shower Curtains, and the Future of Journalism
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, June 13, 2008

Congress Doesn’t Know Much About Science, Says Democrat Physicist
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, June 12, 2008

Enviro Psycho! Embarrassing Disclosure in Poisonous Shower Curtain Scar
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, June 12, 2008

Colon Blow or Asteroid Bang?
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, June 2, 2008

BPA Baby Bottle Scare: Fear is Taking Over Society, Says Mom
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, May 27, 2008

Debunking the Teen Sex Debunkers
S. Robert Lichter Ph.D, May 22, 2008
Shocking news from the Washington Post: Sexually inactive teens not having oral sex! The media giveth and the media taketh.

Times Ignores Science, Calls for Ban on BPA
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, May 20, 2008

More Scientifically Incorrect Reporting On BPA
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, May 20, 2008

Greenpeace Worries About Gender-Bending Xboxes, Wiis and Playstations: Publicity Stunt or Science?STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, May 20, 2008

Women Not Interested in Science? What About Biology, Chemistry and Medicine?
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, May 19, 2008

Do Antidepressants Work?
Maia Szalavitz, May 15, 2006
Miracle drug, poison, placebo, or all three? STATS Maia Szalavitz reviews the latest research and talks to the experts for MSN Health and Fitness.

'Cuddle chemical' could treat mental illness
Maia Szalavitz, May 14, 2008
There is growing interest in Oxytocin's potential as a therapy for mental illnesses characterised by "people problems" - autism, personality disorders, depression, social phobia, psychosis and even impotence. STATS Maia Szalavitz reports in New Scientist (sub req'd).

Prozac Wars: Slate versus “The Infinite Mind”
Trevor Butterworth, May 12, 2008
A vicious spat over sourcing and disclosure on an NPR- aired show reveals two news organizations at fault.

Bringing Back the Overdose Dead
Maia Szalavtiz, May 12, 2008
OD has become a major killer, but prevention and even reversal are possible. Maia Szalavitz investigates on MSN Health and Fitness.

Nobel Laureate in Chemistry Says Phthalates Do Not Pose a Risk to Health
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, May 12, 2008

Pot, Teens and 40 Percent More Psychosis?
STATSblog, Maia Szalavitz, May 9, 2008

Why Journalism is Failing the Public on the Risk from Plastics
Rebecca Goldin Ph.D and Trevor Butterworth, May 6, 2008
In the media's rush to report a health scare over bisphenol a (BPA), crucial facts and scientific consensus have gone missing.

Drugs, Dollars and Diagnosis
Does diagnosing controversial conditions help patients—or are drug companies the only beneficiaries? STATS Maia Szalavitz investigates on MSNBC

Congressional Hearings on “Tough Love” Child Abuse
Spurred by STATS Maia Szalavitz's research, the House Education and Labor Committee held the second round of hearings last Thursday into the widespread abuse of children at residential treatment facilities.

Mixing Terminology on Drink-Driving Survey Causes Media to Pile On Midwest
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, April 25, 2008

Al Gore Trusted More Than the Media on Global Warming - by Climate Experts!
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, April 24, 2008

Does The Washington Post Want You to Burn?
Trevor Butterworth, April 15, 2008
A one-source story makes for incendiary reporting on mattresses safety

Odds Ratios
Rebecca Goldin Ph.D, April 4, 2008
Possibly the most difficult concept to grasp when reporting research findings...

Dishonest or Stupid? Either Way, PBS' NOW is a Journalistic Disgrace
I love PBS, and have always felt that it’s a great source for independent and in-depth reporting, writes prize-winning mathematician Dr. Rebecca Goldin. That is, until I was recently interviewed for its show NOW...

Drugs, Dollars and Diagnosis
MSN Health and Fitness. Does diagnosing controversial conditions help patients—or are drug companies the only beneficiaries? STATS Maia Szalavitz investigates .

The 10 Deadliest Prescription Drugs
MSN Health and Fitness. They may be approved, but how safe are they? STATS Maia Szalavitz examines the evidence. March, 2008

The Truth About Painkillers
MSN Health and Fitness. STATS Maia Szalavitz looks at seven myths about the risks and dangers of opioid analgesics. March 2008

Time to Chill Out Over Drugs in the Water
STATSblog, Maia Szalavitz, March 11, 2008

Salon Plays Up Statistics on Accidental Addiction; Doctors at Fault
Huffington Post, March 7, 2008
No, says STATS Maia Szalavitz, Salon doesn't distinguish between addicts' overdoses and those caused by doctor or patient error.

Napping vs Sleeping
STATSblog, Rebecca Goldin Ph.D and Jenna Krall, March 5, 2008

Acupuncture and Fertility: The Media Screws Up
Rebecca Goldin Ph.D and Jenna Krall, March 3, 2008
Odds ratios can also be prickly...

Okay, Maybe One Woman and Several Editors are Math-Challenged
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, March 3, 2008

Pyrex, Soda Lime, Borosilicate, and the Environment
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, February 29, 2008

Does Pyrex “Explode” Because the Manufacturer Changed the Mix? CBS Chicago’s Epic Investigation Continues
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, February 28, 2008

What the Media Misses About Antidepressants
STATSblog, Maia Szalavitz, February 27, 2008

Pyrex-o-mania Continues on CBS Chicago
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, February 27, 2008

Local TV’s Never-Ending Scary Bedtime Story
Trevor Butterworth, February 20, 2008
Playing up the imagined risks from fire retardants in beds puts the public in real danger

Will Smoking Pot Really Make Your Gums Rot?
STATSblog, Rebecca Goldin, Ph.D and Jenna Krall, February 13, 2008

If You Vomit While Talking to a CBS Reporter Are You Allergic to CBS?
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, February 12, 2008

European Scientists Poo-Poo Baby Bottle Risk
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, February 11, 2008

Should You Be Worried About Toxic Baby Bottles?
Trevor Butterworth, February 9, 2008
Lots of scare stories, but independent European scientific assessments and new studies argue research showing risk is flawed. This news isn't making the media coverage.

Seven Rules for Reporting Polls and Research Results
Steve Ross, February 7, 2008
Award-winning journalist, technology writer, and journalism educator Steve Ross boils down the essential principles journalists should follow when reporting on science, polling and statistics.

Dept of Unworkable Solutions: Nasal Flushing
STATSblog, Rebecca Goldin, Ph.D and Jenna Krall, February 7, 2008

Mythbusting: Your iPod isn’t Weapon of Electromagnetic Disruption
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, February 5, 2008

And Yet Another Study Finds No Link Between Autism and the MMR Vaccine
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, February 5, 2008

Washington Post Finds Political Significance in “Statistically Insignificant” Job Losses
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, February 4, 2008

Conventional Wisdom Busting: Social Networking Not a Haven for Sex Predators
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, February 1, 2008

Unhappiness is a U-Shaped Curve
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, February 1, 2008

Germans are the Fattest Europeans
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, January 31, 2008

How to Tell a Good Scientist from a Bad Scientist
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, January 31, 2008

Should Fractions Be Scrapped?
STATSblog, Rebecca Goldin, Ph.D, January 31, 2008

Generation Google Suck at Using the Web
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, January 30, 2008

ABC’s Disgrace: Artistic Freedom Doesn’t Excuse Vaccination Scaremongering
STATSblog, Trevor Butterworth, January 29, 2008

New study on drug addiction exposes media’s misrepresentation of OxyContin “plague.”
Trevor Butterworth, January 25, 2008
The media, DEA, created a myth of widespread accidental addiction new data on drug addicts shows.

Coffee and Miscarriage: Jitters or Junk?
STATSblog, Rebecca Goldin, Ph.D, January 22, 2008

Antidepressants: Hiding Studies That Find No Result or Ignoring Poorly Designed Studies?
Trevor Butterworth, January 25, 2008

Keep Your Eyes on the Slope, and Stop Worrying About “Toxic” Ski Wax
STATSblog Trevor Butterworth, January 17, 2008

Truth in Drama: Which is Better at Covering Drug Addiction, HBO’s “The Wire” or The Baltimore Sun?
Maia Szalavitz, January 15, 2008
A newspaper exposes the damage from buprenorphine. But did it end up hurting addicts by misrepresenting the case for addiction medication and harm reduction?

The Worst Science Stories of 2007: STATS Dubious Data Awards
Trevor Butterworth, January 10, 2008
Sex, Drugs, Race and the Chemicapocalypse - we look back at some of the worst science and health stories of the past year.

“Leading” Scientific Experts for Vaccine-Mercury-Autism Connection Disqualified by Court for Lack of Expertise
STATSblog Trevor Butterworth, January 9, 2008

The National Journal Takes on the Lancet Iraq Casualty Figures
STATSblog Rebecca Goldin, Ph.d, January 8, 2008

The More Bad Data You See, The More Bad Data You’ll See
STATSblog Trevor Butterworth, January 2, 2008