Science Fictions

So much relies on science. But what if science can't be relied on?

Medicine, education, psychology, health, parenting - wherever it really matters, we look to science for advice. Science Fictions reveals the disturbing flaws that undermine our understanding of all of these fields and more.

While the scientific method will always be our best and only way of knowing about the world, in reality the current system of funding and publishing science not only fails to safeguard against scientists' inescapable flaws and foibles, it actively encourages them.

From widely accepted theories about 'priming' and 'growth mindset' to claims about genetics, sleep, microbiotics, as well as a host of drugs, allergies and therapies, we can trace the effects of unreliable, overhyped and even fraudulent papers in austerity economics, the anti-vaccination movement and dozens of bestselling books - and occasionally count the cost in human lives.

Stuart Ritchie was among the first people to help expose these problems. In this vital investigation, he gathers together the evidence of their full and shocking extent and suggests a host of remedies in order to save, reform and protect this most valuable and important of human endeavours.

Dr Stuart Ritchie is a Lecturer at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London and winner of the 2015 'Rising Star' award from the Association for Psychological Science. He has published numerous scientific papers in prestigious, peer-reviewed journals such as Nature, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, The Journal of Neuroscience and Current Biology as well as articles for the Spectator, Washington Post, Wired and Aeon. He has appeared on BBC Radio 4 programmes The Infinite Monkey Cage, More or Less and Bringing Up Britain. His Twitter account is @StuartJRitchie.

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