Listener Request! The YouTube channel Veritasium has been recognized by scientists and the public as a great source for scientific information. So what happened in the recent episode? The episode originally entitled "Exposing the Monsanto Conspiracy" attempts to link the historic horrors of Agent Orange and contaminated herbicides with current claims against the herbicide glyphosate. To build the story this science channel relies on horrible sources and poor scholarship to build the illogical conclusion that because a company had a bad past, and anti-biotech activists and money-hungry lawyers build a narrative, then the herbicide must cause cancer. This, despite the overwhelming consensus from independent research and regulatory bodies that says there is no evidence of carcinogenicity at dietary or occupational exposure levels. This episode is designed to help the scientific listener understand the actual evidence and how even traditionally good communications efforts can become vehicles for anti-scientific campaigns.
What is Talking Biotech with Dr. Kevin Folta?
Talking Biotech is a weekly podcast that uncovers the stories, ideas and research of people at the frontier of biology and engineering.
Each episode explores how science and technology will transform agriculture, protect the environment, and feed 10 billion people by 2050.
Interviews are led by Dr. Kevin Folta, a professor of molecular biology and genomics.