New York University
Professor of journalism at New York University; former writer for Science magazine with a specialty in physics and mathematics
PROFILE
Charles Seife
Guest
FROM Charles Seife
To the Point
Separating Truth from Fiction in Science Last year, headlines all over the world claimed that eating dark chocolate would help people lose weight. The London tabloid, Daily Star proclaimed, "Eating Chocolate Can Help You Lose Weight;" the June issue of Shape magazine told readers, "Why You Must Eat Chocolate Daily." The story behind the hype was based on science. In fact, it was a ruse — designed to demonstrate how easy it is to circulate conclusions drawn from poorly designed studies that don't really prove what they claim to – and the bad science was passed along by reporters and editors who failed to check out the facts. How does the public know what to believe? It's a question as old as journalism, but harder than ever to answer in the age of the Internet. We hear how junk science finds its way into what look like reliable places that aren't what they seem.
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The 805
A call to prepare for the next natural disaster A local environmentalist says we should spend more time and money preparing for natural disasters than responding to them. A Ventura resident who lost his home in the Thomas Fire says rebuilding is taking longer than he’d hoped. Local animal shelters are becoming critical evacuation centers. And California counties must now hold public meetings on their relationship with federal immigration agents.
KCRW Features
LAUSD teachers and educators march ahead of a likely strike Public school teachers in Los Angeles are getting closer to walking off the job next month — it would be the first teacher strike to hit the LA Unified School District in 30 years. But contract negotiations with the district have hit a wall. Over the weekend, thousands of union members - teachers, librarians, counselors- took the streets of downtown LA to show that they’re serious.