The worst junk science of 2020 tied to the coronavirus pandemic
Updated Dec 19, 2020;
The startling spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has affected everyone and everything, junk science included.
Each December,
RealClearSciencerecalls the the most egregious examples of fraud, woo, fake treatments, and all other kinds of BS in the world of science over the preceding year. In 2020, every story with the distinct dishonor of making our list is linked to the coronavirus pandemic. Our roundup features perpetrators of misinformation, purveyors of ineffective and even dangerous “treatments”, and crazed conspiracy theorists. By their actions, they worsened the pandemic, contributing to the death, suffering, and hardship it fomented.
Illustration: Benjamin Currie
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In the face of so much uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s tempting to search for answers that might help you regain some sense of control over your life. You might, for instance, find yourself reading the advice of self-appointed health “experts” and social media gurus, who love to make overblown and often blatantly inaccurate claims about using diet to avoid getting seriously ill from the novel coronavirus and spreading it to other people.