Is Louisiana losing a football field of land to the ocean every hour? Yes. Both natural processes and human activities contribute to the land loss, though humans are primarily to blame.
Land Loss in Louisiana
SciCheck
FactCheck.org’s SciCheck feature focuses exclusively on false and misleading scientific claims that are made by partisans to influence public policy. It was launched in January 2015 with a grant from the Stanton Foundation. The foundation was founded by the late Frank Stanton, president of CBS for 25 years, from 1946 to 1971.
Pruitt on Climate Change, Again
The head of the EPA told CNBC that he “would not agree” that “human activity,” or carbon dioxide emissions, is the “primary contributor” to global warming. But scientists say it’s “extremely likely” that human activity is the main cause of warming since the mid-20th century.
Precision in Climate Science
A number of President Trump’s cabinet members have said that scientists cannot precisely measure climate change nor the impact of human activity on climate change. That’s not accurate.
Has Autism Prevalence Increased?
President Trump said there has been a “tremendous” increase in autism in children. There has been an increase in reported cases, but scientists don’t know if this is due to a broadening of the disorder’s definition and greater efforts in diagnosis.
No Data Manipulation at NOAA
Top Republicans on the House science committee claim a former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientist “confirmed” that his NOAA colleagues “manipulated” climate data for a 2015 study. But that scientist denies that he accused NOAA of manipulating data.
FactChecking Science Claims in 2017
We’re happy to announce that SciCheck is now entering its third year with the continued support of the Stanton Foundation.
Sanders and Pruitt Rumble Over Earthquakes
Sen. Bernie Sanders claimed that “the cause of” the spike in earthquakes in Oklahoma “is fracking.” But it’s more complicated than that.
Trump on Torture, Again
President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that waterboarding “works.” But scientists say otherwise. Research has shown that the stress and pain caused by techniques like waterboarding can hinder a person from recalling information.
Tillerson on Climate Change
During his confirmation hearing for secretary of state, Rex Tillerson said “our ability to predict” the effect of increased greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere “is very limited.” That’s not entirely accurate.
FactChecking Science in 2016
We look back at some of the more questionable science-related claims from 2016 on topics such as climate change, Zika, GMOs, marijuana and the human mind.