All Questions
11,116
questions
19
votes
1
answer
5k
views
How do sugar pills work according to homeopaths? [closed]
Sugar pill claims
The reasoning behind dilution, 'potentiation' and the memory of water is known to me, and there are several good arguments to be made against those 'theories'. But I can't really ...
- 4,707
58
votes
5
answers
8k
views
Any Scientific Basis for Neuro Linguistic Programming?
Over the years, Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) has been creeping into popular culture. It is used by a lot of self-help gurus, and also in context of the right way to educate and learn (e.g., ...
- 691
44
votes
6
answers
6k
views
What risks exist with GMO, but not with selective breeding?
Anytime you hear Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) come up, someone always pipes in that it's perfectly safe because we've been doing it for thousands of years through selective breeding. ...
- 12.9k
111
votes
3
answers
9k
views
Do we only use 10% of our brain?
I've heard claims that the average person uses only 10% of their "brain power," whatever that means. The implication, though, is that there the majority of our brain's potential is untapped. However, ...
- 5,923
53
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Do the Left Brain and Right Brain have different functions?
I've heard that the left brain controls the logical aspects of the thought and right brain controls the creative. Is there any truth to such claims?
- 1,241
48
votes
4
answers
13k
views
Is there any scientific support for psychoanalysis?
I listened to episode 140 of the The Psych Files podcast where the host, Michael Britt, tried to psychoanalyze Jack Lalanne and was left wondering whether there's any validity to it.
I am under the ...
- 627
41
votes
4
answers
5k
views
Is it possible to "boost your immune system"?
I often hear claims that some activities, nutrients, ... "boost" your immune system. My understanding of the immune system is that it is a finely tuned machine with enormous destructive power. If ...
- 43.6k
151
votes
7
answers
20k
views
Do human activities contribute to climate change?
There is lots of evidence that I have seen showing correlation between human activities and climate change but what evidence is there to support causation?
- 3,227
25
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Is there any scientific basis for Seasonal Affected Disorder (SAD)?
I've heard a lot of people claiming they they have a disorder called Seasonal Affected Disorder.
Is there any research that indicates this is an actual mental disorder?
- 1,741
48
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Are vegetables good for me?
From a young age, most people are told that vegetables are really good for you and you must eat them...
But why? If I eat loads of vegetables for a week, and then the next week I eat nothing but ...
- 583
41
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Can positive thinking provide an improved outcome for an illness?
Sometimes you hear that a gravely ill patient "just gave up" and subsequently died. Many people put great value in the healing power of positive thinking, with the more cynical ones blaming a bad ...
- 43.6k
16
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Are there benefits to the ECA stack for body-builders?
The use of the "ECA Stack" - ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin - has been common-place in body-building and weight-loss circles. (e.g. in 1999, 2% of the Danish population and 12 million US inhabitants ...
- 1,036
67
votes
5
answers
6k
views
Is the placebo effect a purely psychological effect?
The placebo effect plays a crucial role in clinical trials and in our understanding of medicine, but I have always had some difficulty in understanding how exactly it works.
Is it a purely ...
- 43.6k
33
votes
3
answers
2k
views
How dangerous is thiomersal (thimerosal)?
Some people blame the preservative thiomersal in vaccines for all kinds of illnesses, but mainly for autism. As thiomersal is a mercury compound, there is some plausibility in suspecting it may cause ...
- 43.6k
29
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Does chamomile help you to relax?
What is the best evidence available relative to chamomile having relaxing effects?
Some examples claims include:
It is known for its relaxing and soothing properties
It is a mild relaxant and, as ...
- 1,836
65
votes
2
answers
9k
views
Does water have a memory as claimed in homeopathy?
In homeopathic remedies the original substance is often diluted to a point where statistically there should be not a single molecule left of the original substance. The most common explanation by ...
- 43.6k