Conspiracy theories in science

We recommend this article, "Conspiracy theories in science" by Ted Goertzel in EMBO reports.

Conspiracy theories that target specific research can have serious consequences for public health and environmental policies

Conspiracy theories are easy to propa­ gate and difficult to refute. Fortu­ nately, until a decade or so ago, few serious conspiracy theories haunted the nat­ ural sciences. More recently, however, con­ spiracy theories have begun to gain ground and, in some cases, have struck a chord with a public already mistrustful of science and government. conspiracy theorists—some of them scientifically trained—have claimed that the HiV virus is not the cause of aiDS, that global warming is a manipulative hoax and that vaccines and genetically modified foods are unsafe. these claims have already caused serious consequences: misguided public health policies, resistance to energy conservation and alternative energy, and dropping vaccination rates.

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