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Here is a recap of the stories that appeared last week at Science-Based Medicine, a multi-author skeptical blog that separates the science from the woo-woo in medicine.

Stanislaw Burzynski: A deceptive propaganda movie versus and upcoming news report (David Gorski) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/stanislaw-burzynski-propaganda-versus-news/ Eric Merola’s new film about Burzynski and his cancer “cures” is a bad movie, bad medicine, and bad PR. The patient reports are misleading, the evidence is lacking, the propaganda is unrelenting, and the attacks on skeptics are nonsensical.

New Developments in Acupuncture: Turtles and Motion-Style Treatments (Harriet Hall)  http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/new-developments-in-acupuncture-turtles-and-motion-style-treatments/ A report of treating turtles with acupuncture and a new study of motion-style acupuncture for patients with low back pain are equally unconvincing. Motion-style acupuncture involves assisted walking with the needles in place. Assisted walking with physical support and encouragement may indeed be effective; the acupuncture was probably irrelevant.

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The Amaz!ng Meeting has become the “must attend” event for everyone who loves science and skepticism, with TAM 2013 being our biggest event yet with more presenters than ever before.

Many of our stellar speakers this year have never been on the TAM stage before. Leading thinkers, science communicators, and best-selling authors like Susan Jacoby, Dan Ariely, Susan Blackmore, Jerry Coyne, Sanal Edamaruku, Susan Haack, Marty Klein, Cara Santa Maria, Michael E. Mann, and so many more are joining us for the first time this year, all focusing on scientific skepticism, and how to best respond as skeptics to harmful anti-scientific, paranormal or pseudoscientific belief. 

All this even while many of our old friends — so many of the celebrities and skeptical figures featured at past TAMs like Penn Jillette, Michael Shermer, Jamy Ian Swiss, Steve Novella, and Todd Robbins — will be joining us again on the program, too. The level of expertise and knowledge that all of our generous speakers bring to the event makes us this one of our best programs ever — it is nothing short of, well, amaz!ng.

But just in case our incredible lineup of speakers hasn’t won you over yet, here are six more reason not to miss TAM:

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Cicada emerging

With a swarm of determined zerglings, the Brood War is currently underway on the East coast. Brood II, a cohort of slumbering cicadas, recently made their way out of the ground in the billions (or maybe trillions) to outnumber the humans in their path 600 to 1. Even more amazing than their numbers is how long the cicadas have waited to emerge. Every 13 or 17 years—depending on the brood, of whare 15—they flood the trees, shrubbery, and streets with deafening sex sonatas. The cicadas have waited nearly two decades for a few weeks of procreation.

What is less amazing is ending this conversation here, attributing the rest to the supernatural.

In an article published in late May, Brian Thomas, a science writer at the Institute for Creation Research (ICR), outlines the many amazing adaptations of this big-eyed bug. Notably, Thomas points out the evolutionary mystery going strong for the last 350 years—why cicadas emerge at prime-numbered times as opposed to other times. Scientists are working hard on the question. Some researchers think the long cycles reduce competition among broods, others think it helps to avoid predators. Still more think the cicadas’ cycles help control bird populations—their primary predators.

But for Thomas, the mystery is solved. As astronomers would notice a prime numbered signal directed at us as a sign of extraterrestrial intelligence, Thomas knows that the cicadas’ prime-numbered life cycle signifies a divine intelligence. He writes:

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Here is a rundown of the week in oddball news, questionable claims and medical mess-ups from the past week courtesy of Doubtful News.

This week was abuzz with odd sea tales. First, there was vehement negative reaction by science writers and reviewers to the Animal Planet's second installment of a mermaid fake documentary.   

This is just weird. Dolphins are called on to detect cancer and to help in natural childbirth -both are really awful ideas. 

A mystery hairless animal appears in Indiana. 

A new ancient bird fossil is evaluated cautiously but curiously as it comes from China where many spectacular fossils are actually faked.   

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Here is a recap of the stories that appeared last week at Science-Based Medicine, a multi-author skeptical blog that separates the science from the woo-woo in medicine.

A brief note on killing cancer cells in a dish (David Gorski)  http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/a-brief-note-on-killing-cancer-cells-in-a-dish/ It’s easy to kill cancer cells in the lab. It’s not so easy to kill them in the human body without harming normal cells.

“Alternative Medicine: Sense and Nonsense” Upcoming Lecture by Dr. Paul Offit (Jann Bellamy)  http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/alternative-medicine-sense-and-nonsense-upcoming-lecture-by-dr-paul-offit/ A brief announcement of Dr. Offit’s scheduled talk on June 8 at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

Coconut Oil (Harriet Hall)  http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/coconut-oil/ Coconut oil was once demonized for its high content of saturated fats, and now it’s being promoted as a miracle food. Neither extreme is right. It’s probably safe to use in reasonable amounts in the diet, but there is no credible evidence for the many health benefits claimed for using it as a supplement.

  1. Just a heads up
  2. Kumaré: Find the Con Man Within You
  3. This Week In Doubtful News
  4. Last Week In Science-Based Medicine