/oss/taxonomy/term/3952/all en /oss/article/covid-19-pseudoscience-technology/how-distrust-and-coincidences-empower-alex-jones-our-brain <p>We all have a tiny Alex Jones in our brain. When we forget he’s there, it’s easy to mock the belief that 5G waves are causing our current viral pandemic. But with telecommunications masts on fire overseas, it’s a reminder that irrational beliefs can lead to dangerous acts in the real world. Because if you did think that a pandemic that is affecting our way of life was actually caused by cell towers and that politicians were in denial about it because they wanted to please the telecommunications industry, wouldn’t you take action?</p> Fri, 24 Apr 2020 13:39:27 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 8227 at /oss /oss/article/health-technology/close-look-cell-phone-towers <p>The large increase in lung cancer following World War II, was quickly recognized as a public health problem. The surge in smoking following WWI & II, when soldiers were given free cigarettes, caused a clear mini-epidemic. The science was clear from the beginning, and science is clear about the lack of danger from EMF. Similarly, the dangers of pesticides and asbestos were discovered and dealt with. Using these same public health tools there has been no meaningful evidence that cell phone radiation is harmful.</p> Wed, 13 Nov 2019 11:00:00 +0000 Richard Margolese MD 7995 at /oss /oss/article/technology-pseudoscience/moral-panic-over-smartphones-takes-satanic-overtones <p>It began life as “prominent exostosis” and, at the peak of media coverage, British tabloid <i>The Sun </i>was scaring us with <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9341200/millennials-horns-skulls-smartphones/">“HELL PHONES”</a> and many people got the impression that our children were growing actual devil horns because of their smartphone use. It turns out that researchers were initially referring to tiny bone protrusions at the base of our skull.</p> Thu, 27 Jun 2019 16:16:45 +0000 Jonathan Jarry, MSc 7812 at /oss