Bad Science by Ben Goldacre

Bad Science is effectively the book of the blog by the lovely Ben Goldacre*. Throughout the book Ben deconstructs sloppy journalism and abuses of scientific language, roughly in order of how angry Ben gets about them. So we start with relatively harmless bollocks like detoxing and face cream, moving on to Homeopathy and Nutritionism. Then we look at the ethics of pharmaceutical companies and finally media heath scares and hoaxes like MMR. On the way there are some excellent explanations of the placebo effect, and of probability and statistics, which strike many people as counter-intuitive. And some amusing ranting at Ben's favourite awful poo lady**.

There is also a bonus chapter available from the internet, which deals with a particularly unpleasant man who has been trying to flog vitamin pills to Africa as a cure for AIDS. This was left out of earlier editions of the book, due to the filthy villain attempting to sue our Ben.

I particularly liked the final chapter in which he complains bitterly about the quality of science journalism. Ben points out that there must be loads of people with degrees in science subjects who have gone on to work in unrelated fields (yes! Yes! Here I am, Ben!) and yet whenever we get any science on in the media it has to be dumbed down so the lowest common denominator crapwits who couldn't differentiate e^x with respect to x can understand it. Where's my science, eh, world? Is it in the same place as all the trousers that actually come up to your waist have gone?

To the roll call of “cargo cult science” (things that like to use sciencey-sounding language but completely lack the rigour of the genuine article) I would like to add psychology and economics. In fact I think it would greatly benefit the world if economics were renamed “guesswork”.


*I think I have a bit of an intellectual crush on him. I'm not interested in the contents of his trousers, but I do love him a bit. If he ever wants a platonic groupie, he knows where I am!

**Amoungst other hilarious claims, Gillian believes that "foul-smelling stools" are a sign of ill health. This especially amused me; McKeith literally thinks her shit don't smell.

The Story of the Little Mole Who Knew That it Was None of his Business - Werner Holzwarth and Wolf Erlbruch

I think I have just found the stand-out read of 2007.

I have received this book as a Christmas present after my friend J told me about it and I refused to believe that such a book could exist. Basically, this is a large colourful children's picture book about a mole who wakes up one day to find a Mr Whippy - style turd on his head. The irate the mole goes round all his animal friends, asking if they have perpetrated this outrage. By way of an alibi the other animals show the mole what their spoor looks like and how it does not match the one he's wearing. For example, the goat:

"'Me? No, how could I? I do it like this!' and plippety plop - a pile of toffee - coloured little balls tumbled on the grass. The little mole found them almost appealing."

Eventually, the mole meets some flies who are able to taste his shit-turban and tell him what animal it comes from. And then he's out for revenge, crimping off a little mole length on his enemy!

I was amazed by the subject matter of this book. I am going to keep a copy out on display in my living room for visitors to leaf through... That's right... it'll be a glass coffee table book!