“Baby Carrots are Killing You!” at STAO 2014

It is well documented that more and more people – particularly young people, are turning to social media and the internet in general as their primary source of news and information. They not only get their news online but they also share it with friends. Thus social media is fundamentally changing how information is spread with much of it showing up as “shared” Facebook posts and Twitter tweets. Online information ranges from the extremely credible to outright hoaxes and it can be particularly difficult for students to separate fact from fiction. Science teachers have an important role to play in helping students develop the necessary critical thinking tools needed to quickly filter and evaluate this continuous stream of information.

Doug and Maurice will examine a wide variety of myths and misconceptions in science with particular emphasis on the role of Facebook and other social media in spreading good, bad and bogus information. Topics will range from GMOs, vaccinations and the ebola virus, to evolution, climate change and yes – even baby carrots.