Buchanan’s Inane Rant Against Darwin

July 2006 by Steven Novella, MD Linus Pauling was a brilliant Nobel laureate chemist but his name is probably more recognized today for his touting of the amazing curative powers of Vitamin C and orthomolecular medicine. It is unfortunate that Dr. Pauling fell victim to a common intellectual pitfall – wandering with undue authority into […]

EMDR: Science or Pseudoscience

January 2001 by Bunmi O. Olatunji Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a highly controversial treatment for a variety of psychological disorders with empirical evidence both supporting and negating its effectiveness and efficacy. The negating evidence proposes that EMDR appears to be aligned with the meaning of science but lacks the methodological as well […]

Defending ADHD

This is the second in a two-part series exploring Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder. In Part I, Mark Fineman argued that the current diagnosis and treatment of ADHD has not met the burden of evidence and reason to be considered a legitimate science, and in Part II Steven Novella will make the rebuttal argument that […]

Why is Someone Called ADHD

This is the first in a two-part series on Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This article will take a critical view of the legitimacy of the diagnosis and treatment of this controversial disorder, and part II is a rebuttal defending ADHD. March 2001 by Mark Fineman PhD The following is not a sweeping analysis […]

Smoke and Mirrors – Spontaneous Human Combustion

January 2006 by Steven Novella, MD Imagine the following scene: An elderly woman who lives alone is found dead in her apartment. She is the victim of fire; her body is mostly reduced to ash, and only the ends of her arms and legs remain. The ashen outline of her head lies upon the hearth […]

The Problem With Being Too Open-Minded

November 2004 by Steven Novella, MD I listened patiently as the UFO enthusiast explained how humans were transplanted to the earth from another world by our alien forebears. “Then how do you explain the fact that humans share 98% of our DNA with chimpanzees, and a genetic code will all life on earth?” I asked. […]

Selling Supplements

May 2003 by Steven Novella, MD Recently a patient of mine with a serious neurological disorder inquired as to whether or not there were any natural supplements that could treat her condition. The patient was filled with earnest, but cautious, hope. She cited information she had gained from friends, on the internet, and from dietary […]

Bloodletting Works

May 2002 by Steven Novella, MD Science is rediscovering this ancient healing art.  Warning: The following is a work of complete fiction intended as satire. Jane suffers from an uncommon blood disorder called polycythemia – which means that she has too many red blood cells in her blood. As a result her blood is too […]

Herbal Mythology

October 1997 by Steven Novella, MD There is nothing more powerful than an idea, and nothing more potentially harmful than a false idea that everyone “knows” is true and therefore does not question. The current popularity of alternative medicine in general, and herbal remedies specifically, are based upon several such commonly accepted myths; chief among […]

The Cultiversity of Bridgeport

January 1997 by Perry DeAngelis I recently strolled through a series of ramshackle buildings along Long Island Sound, at the south end of Bridgeport – decaying and abandoned buildings, deserted and silent streets. Was this the aging Pequonnic Apartments, or the decrepit Marina Village? No. It was the University of Bridgeport (UB). The University of […]