Science Literacy Project Daily Digest

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/category/science-literacy-project-daily-digest/

Celebrities flock to Mexico for for expensive anti-aging stem cell injections despite no evidence that it works Tamilore Oshikanlu | Daily Beast | July 1, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/07/01/celebrities-flock-to-mexico-for-for-expensive-anti-aging-stem-cell-injections-despite-no-evidence-that-it-works/ Celebrities are jetting out of the country in search of a pricey anti-aging craze that many claim is helping them dodge surgery, heal old injuries, and even turn back the clock.

Viewpoint—Junk science: How predatory mass tort lawyers twist facts, scare the public about phantom chemical risks, and cash in on billion-dollar settlements David Williams | The Well News | July 1, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/07/01/viewpoint-junk-science-how-predatory-mass-tort-lawyers-twist-facts-scare-the-public-about-phantom-chemical-risks-and-cash-in-on-billion-dollar-settlements/ Too many mass tort litigations are being resolved based on so-called “expert” testimony that is, in reality, less than reliable. In fact, information provided by plaintiff attorneys can often be what is known as junk science. The presentation of such specious evidence can lead defendants to settle, and juries and judges to reach erroneous decisions.

Viewpoint: Glyphosate may be hazardous, but it is not dangerous as used by farmers. Critics of the Supreme Court’s Roundup ruling garble hazard with risk Alex Smolak | STAT | July 1, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/07/01/viewpoint-glyphosate-may-be-hazardous-but-it-is-not-dangerous-as-used-by-farmers-critics-of-the-supreme-courts-roundup-ruling-garble-hazard-with-risk/ … In epidemiology, causation is usually a population-level inference. Researchers ask whether an exposure reliably changes disease risk across groups of people. That requires replication, statistical association, dose-response evidence, biological plausibility, and efforts to rule out confounding. Even then, conclusions remain probabilistic. A risk factor can increase disease likelihood without proving why one person became ill.

Explaining the Supreme Court ruling empowering states to ban transgender female athletes from competing in women’s sports Katie Barnes | ESPN | July 1, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/07/01/explaining-the-supreme-court-ruling-empowering-states-to-ban-transgender-female-athletes-from-competing-in-womens-sports/ [The Supreme Court] issued a narrow decision focused specifically on the unique context of sports,” ACLU senior counsel Joshua Block said. “It didn’t issue a broader decision saying that Title IX, in general, didn’t protect transgender students. … And it didn’t issue a sweeping ruling saying that under the Constitution it’s perfectly fine to discriminate based on transgender status.”

From infrared sauna blankets to collagen gummies, here’s the top 10 social-media-promoted wellness shams Jenny Milam | Resource Buzz | July 2, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/07/02/from-infrared-sauna-blankets-to-collagen-gummies-heres-the-top-10-social-media-promoted-wellness-shams/ The wellness industry has become a multi-billion-dollar business built around one simple promise: feeling better. Better sleep. Better skin. Better focus. Better energy. Better everything.

PEW study: The sick state of American health information Aaron Smith, Eileen Yam, Galen Stocking et al. | Pew Research Center | July 2, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/07/02/pew-study-the-sick-state-of-american-health-information/ Most Americans say it’s important to be healthy, but fewer think they are doing a good job at managing their own health. They also report significant challenges figuring out the best way to reach their health goals: Around half of the public says they struggle to know which health information is accurate, and most have encountered conflicting advice about their health.