Jonathan Jarry

Last updated
Jonathan Jarry
Jonathan Jarry at CSICon 2019 - Little-Known Acts of Skepticism and How to Join the Home Front for Science.jpg
Jonathan Jarry at CSICon 2019
NationalityCanadian
EducationB.Sc. Biochemistry McGill University (2003)
M.Sc., Molecular Biology Université de Montréal (2005)
OccupationScience communicator
Years activeSince 2015
Employer Office for Science and Society
Website www.jonathanjarry.com

Jonathan Jarry is a Canadian scientist and science communicator working in Montreal, at McGill University's Office for Science and Society (OSS). He is frequently quoted by news media on topics such as misinformation.

Contents

Education and scientific career

Jarry developed an early interest in several paranormal topics such as ghosts and vampires as well as cryptozoology, but progressively abandoned those beliefs while studying biochemistry in university. [1] [2]

Jarry has a B.Sc. in Biochemistry from McGill University and an M.Sc. in Molecular Biology from the Université de Montréal and three years of a PhD program. [1] [3]

His work as a health researcher included muscular dystrophy research, low-vision rehabilitation and molecular diagnostic testing. His interest for forensic biology led him to work for a time at identifying the remains of American soldiers through mitochondrial DNA. [1] [4] [3] [5]

Science communication

Jarry joined McGill University's Office for Science and Society in 2017, where he is Science Communicator as of 2023. [6] [7] Since 2021, the Canadian news magazine L'actualité publishes some of his texts written for OSS. [8] He makes a regular appearance on the noon program of the CTV Television Network's Montreal affiliate. [9]

Jarry has been frequently cited as an expert on misinformation by major media outlets, including the New York Times, [10] [11] Time Magazine, [12] the Washington Post [13] and the Financial Times. [14] He contributes to the ScienceUpFirst education initiative as an expert resource. [6]

Since 2015, Jarry has been co-hosting the Body of Evidence podcast with cardiologist Christopher Labos, examining various health claims (such as vitamins curing cancer) through scientific lens. [15] [16] The podcast, which uses humour to present discussions on medical issues between Jarry and Labos (and sometimes guests), won the Canada’s Favourite Blog for 2017 award from Science Borealis. [17] [18] He also hosted the podcast Within Reason from 2013 to 2015. [19] On similar topics, Jarry previously wrote the Cracked Science blog for its two-year run. [20]

Jarry (right) with Joe Schwarcz, Ryan Armstrong, Timothy Caulfield and Carly Weeks at a 2019 event of the OSS. Panel OSS 20.jpg
Jarry (right) with Joe Schwarcz, Ryan Armstrong, Timothy Caulfield and Carly Weeks at a 2019 event of the OSS.

Jarry's science education work was prominently featured by numerous media outlets in North America and Europe in July 2018, when a video he produced for the Office of Science and Society went viral, reaching 10 million views and was shared 130,000 times in two weeks. The 2-minute video titled "This NATURAL TRICK can CURE YOUR CANCER" adopted the tone and visual appearance of those promoting fake cures commonly seen on the Internet, claiming one Johan R. Tarjany (an anagram of Jarry's name) discovered a moss derivative that cures cancer, before revealing the information as false and inviting the watcher to think critically about health information. The video gained widespread attention and news coverage when relayed by people with a large online presence such as David Gorski, Susan Gerbic, Kavin Senapathy and comedian Scott Rogowsky. [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29]

Recognizing the influence of Timothy Caulfield, Jarry advocates for an approach to science communication that is compassionate and honest about the challenges and problems in science: "I believe that I've become more empathetic and compassionate over the years." [3] He sees science communication getting more difficult, requiring advanced knowledge or research, but is encouraged that experts speak to the media more frequently and skillfully. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scientific skepticism</span> Questioning of claims lacking empirical evidence

Scientific skepticism or rational skepticism, sometimes referred to as skeptical inquiry, is a position in which one questions the veracity of claims lacking scientific evidence. In practice, the term most commonly refers to the examination of claims and theories that appear to be unscientific, rather than the routine discussions and challenges among scientists. Scientific skepticism differs from philosophical skepticism, which questions humans' ability to claim any knowledge about the nature of the world and how they perceive it, and the similar but distinct methodological skepticism, which is a systematic process of being skeptical about the truth of one's beliefs.

A debunker is a person or organization that exposes or discredits claims believed to be false, exaggerated, or pretentious. The term is often associated with skeptical investigation of controversial topics such as UFOs, claimed paranormal phenomena, cryptids, conspiracy theories, alternative medicine, religion, exploratory or fringe areas of scientific, or pseudoscientific research.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oscillococcinum</span> Homeopathic product

Oscillococcinum is a homeopathic preparation marketed to relieve flu-like symptoms, although it does not provide any benefit beyond that of a placebo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Max Lugavere</span> American film director

Max Lugavere is an American author who has written about diet and brain health. He promotes diets that contain high amounts of animal source foods and has claimed that veganism increases risk of dementia. Lugavere's views about supplements to "supercharge" the brain are not supported by scientific evidence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Novella</span> American neurologist, skeptic (b. 1964)

Steven Paul Novella is an American clinical neurologist and associate professor at Yale University School of Medicine. Novella is best known for his involvement in the skeptical movement as a host of The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast and as the president of the New England Skeptical Society. He is a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NZ Skeptics</span> Organization to promote critical thinking

NZ Skeptics is a New Zealand incorporated society created in 1986, with the aim of promoting critical thinking. The main areas of interest to the NZ Skeptics are claims of psychic abilities, alternative medicine, creationism and other pseudoscientific claims. At its founding in 1986, it was known as the New Zealand Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (NZCSICOP). In 2007 the name was formally changed to NZ Skeptics Incorporated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Captain Disillusion</span> Latvian-American filmmaker and YouTuber (born 1980)

Alan Melikdjanian, known by the alias Captain Disillusion, is a Soviet-born American independent filmmaker and YouTuber. Melikdjanian has been active in the founding of video-sharing sites Openfilm and Filmnet.com, and is the creator of the webseries Captain Disillusion, which focuses on critical analysis of visual effects and video editing while promoting critical thinking and skepticism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhys Morgan</span> British journalist (born 1994)

Rhys Morgan is a consumer watchdog, science activist, and health blogger from Wales who first received acclaim in 2010 when, at the age of 15, he played a key role in raising awareness of the health risks of Miracle Mineral Supplement. Morgan brought attention to the fact that the product contained bleach and was being illegally marketed as a "miracle" cure, which prompted a consumer warning across the European Union and earned Morgan a James Randi Award for Grassroots Activism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Thinking Society</span> Organization

The Good Thinking Society is a nonprofit organisation promoting scientific scepticism established by Simon Singh in September 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Marshall (skeptic)</span> British skeptical activist and journalist (born 1983)

Michael "Marsh" Marshall is a British skeptical activist and the editor of The Skeptic magazine since September 2020. He is the co-founder and vice-president of the Merseyside Skeptics Society and co-host of its official podcast, Skeptics with a K, project director of the Good Thinking Society, and has occasionally written for The Times, The Guardian and New Statesman. As of 2022, Marshall is a fellow with the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Britt Marie Hermes</span> American former naturopathic doctor and blogger (born 1984)

Britt Marie Hermes is an American former naturopathic doctor who became a critic of naturopathy and alternative medicine. She is the author of a blog, Naturopathic Diaries, where she writes about being trained and having practiced as a licensed naturopath and about the problems with naturopaths as medical practitioners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timothy Caulfield</span> Canadian law professor and host of the television series A Users Guide to Cheating Death (b. 1963)

Timothy Allen Caulfield is a Canadian professor of law at the University of Alberta, the research director of its Health Law Institute, and current Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy. He specializes in legal, policy and ethical issues in medical research and its commercialization. In addition to professional publications, he is the author of several books aimed at the general reader and host of a television documentary series debunking pseudoscientific myths. He is a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Huberman</span> American neuroscientist and podcaster (born 1975)

Andrew David Huberman is an American neuroscientist and podcaster. He is an associate professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Since 2021, he has hosted the popular health and science focused Huberman Lab podcast. The podcast has attracted criticism for promoting poorly supported health claims. Huberman has promoted and partnered with health supplement companies.

ThetaHealing is the registered trademark for a method of meditation created by Vianna Stibal in 1995. ThetaHealing claims to change a practitioner's brain wave pattern to the theta pattern, allowing them to explore how "emotional energy" affects their health, and develop "natural intuition".

The Office for Science and Society (OSS) is an organization dedicated to science education, operating from Montreal's McGill University. Its staff and contributors use courses, mass media, special events and books to debunk pseudo-scientific myths and improve scientific literacy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mick West</span> Science writer and retired programmer

Mick West is an American science writer, skeptical investigator, and retired video game programmer. He is the creator of the websites Contrail Science and Metabunk, and he investigates and debunks pseudoscientific claims and conspiracy theories such as chemtrails and UFOs. His first book is Escaping the Rabbit Hole: How to Debunk Conspiracy Theories Using Facts, Logic, and Respect (2018).

Anthony William Coviello, known professionally as Anthony William or the Medical Medium, is a self-proclaimed medium who offers pseudoscientific health advice based on alleged communication with a spirit. He authors books and offers advice online on forums such as Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop column and his own website. William believes that the Epstein-Barr virus is responsible for multiple ailments, including cancer. He claims to be the originator of the lemon juice in water morning detox as well as celery juicing, which he claims can offer many health benefits. Critics allege that he is practicing medicine without a license and that he has, at times, improperly solicited positive Amazon reviews for his books.

<i>Died Suddenly</i> 2022 anti-vaccination propaganda film

Died Suddenly is a 2022 American anti-vaccination film directed by Matthew Skow and executive-produced by Stew Peters, a far-right and alt-right anti-vaccine activist. It promotes false claims about COVID-19 vaccines and Great Reset conspiracy theories. The film was released on Rumble and Twitter on November 21, 2022.

<i>Does Coffee Cause Cancer?</i> 2023 book about health

Does Coffee Cause Cancer? And 8 More Myths about the Food We Eat is a 2023 book by Canadian cardiologist Christopher Labos. It presents information about nine health myth through a series of conversations between fictional characters.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rawlings, Jenni; Pollen, Travis (24 January 2023). "What's the Deal With Complementary & Alternative Medicine?". Yoga Meets Movement Science (Podcast). Archived from the original on 25 January 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  2. 1 2 Chris Hughen (10 October 2022). "Episode 37 - Jonathan Jarry: Mechanism Masturbation and Scientific Communication". Adaptabilia (Podcast). Buzzsprout. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Hill, Adrienne; Saunders, Richard (5 March 2023). "The Skeptic Zone #752 - 5.March.2023". The Skeptic Zone (Podcast). Event occurs at 15:15. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  4. "Jonathan Jarry MSc - Science Communicator". McGill University. Archived from the original on July 20, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  5. Christy Harrison (3 June 2024). "Why You Probably Don't Have a Leaky Gut, and Other Wellness Misconceptions with Jonathan Jarry". Rethinking Wellness (Podcast). Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Who we are". ScienceUpFirst. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  7. "Jonathan Jarry MSc - Science Communicator". Office for Science and Society. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  8. "Jonathan Jarry, M. Sc". L'Actualité (in French). Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  9. "CTV News Montreal". CTV News Montreal.
  10. Frenkel, Sheera (12 September 2023). "Where Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Delivers His Fringe Views: Not on the Trail". New York Timess. Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  11. Raphael, Rina (26 July 2023). "How Fake Science Sells Wellness". New York Times. Archived from the original on 29 August 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  12. Ducharme, Jamie (28 June 2023). "How Podcaster Andrew Huberman Got America to Care About Science". Time. Archived from the original on 24 September 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  13. Amenabar, Teddy; O'Connor, Anahad (6 December 2022). "TikTok 'Liver King' touted raw organ meat diet. He also took steroids". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 17 July 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  14. Marriott, Hannah (4 January 2023). "Saunas — so hot right now". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  15. "About the body of evidence". Body of Evidence. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  16. Introducing Jonathan Jarry, new OSS Associate (Youtube video). September 5, 2017.
  17. Fisher, Alina (6 December 2017). "Body of Evidence: debunking medical myths". Science Borealis. Archived from the original on 20 December 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  18. Hill, Adrienne (17 December 2023). Dr. Christopher Labos - Extended interview. 17th of December 2023. Skeptic Zone Podcast (Podcast).
  19. Fisher, Alina (6 December 2017). "Body of Evidence: debunking medical myths". Science Borealis. Archived from the original on 5 February 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  20. Jarry, Jonathan (August 20, 2018). "Goodbye And See You Soon!". Cracked Science. Archived from the original on July 20, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  21. D'Souza, Steven (July 15, 2018). "How a Canadian viral science video is teaching a lesson about online health hoaxes". CBC News. Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  22. Barrett, Brian (July 10, 2018). "How a 'cancer cure' video skewered bad science - and went viral itself". Wired. Archived from the original on July 10, 2018. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  23. Gerbic, Susan (July 11, 2018). "Dr. Tarjany and the Moss Cancer Cure: A Conversation with Jonathan Jarry". Skeptical Inquirer. Archived from the original on July 11, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  24. "Scientist debunks health hoaxes with viral parody video". BBC News. July 17, 2018. Archived from the original on July 20, 2018. Retrieved Jul 20, 2018.
  25. Jarry, Jonathan (July 4, 2018). "This NATURAL TRICK can CURE YOUR CANCER". McGill University. Archived from the original on July 28, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  26. Lévesque, Fanny (July 13, 2018). "Une vraie fausse nouvelle partagée au nom de la science". La Presse (in French). Archived from the original on July 28, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  27. Van Der Kluft, Marine (July 20, 2018). "Comment une vidéo virale nous a fait croire à un remède miraculeux contre le cancer". Le Figaro (in French). Archived from the original on July 28, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  28. Robitzski, Dan (July 13, 2018). "This "Cancer Cure" Video Is Fake. That's The Point". Futurism. Archived from the original on July 28, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  29. "Wetenschapper waarschuwt met filmpje over 'wondermiddel tegen kanker': "Stel altijd vragen"". Gazet Van Antwerpen (in Dutch). July 18, 2018. Archived from the original on July 28, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2018.