Jonathan Jarry | |
---|---|
Nationality | Canadian |
Education | B.Sc. Biochemistry McGill University (2003) M.Sc., Molecular Biology Université de Montréal (2005) |
Occupation | Science communicator |
Years active | Since 2015 |
Employer | Office for Science and Society |
Website | www |
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.
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 early professional interests included the identification of bodies through DNA, muscular dystrophy research, low-vision rehabilitation and molecular diagnostic testing. [1] [4] [3]
Jarry joined McGill University's Office for Science and Society in 2017, where he is Science Communicator as of 2023. [5] [6] Since 2021, the Canadian news magazine L'actualité publishes some of his texts written for OSS. [7] He makes a regular appearance on the noon program of the CTV Television Network's Montreal affiliate. [8]
Jarry has been frequently cited as an expert on misinformation by major media outlets, including the New York Times, [9] [10] Time Magazine, [11] the Washington Post [12] and the Financial Times. [13] He contributes to the ScienceUpFirst education initiative as an expert resource. [5]
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. [14] [15] 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. [16] [17] He also hosted the podcast Within Reason from 2013 to 2015. [18] On similar topics, Jarry previously wrote the Cracked Science blog for its two-year run. [19]
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. [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28]
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]
Ear candling, also called ear coning or thermal-auricular therapy, is a pseudoscientific alternative medicine practice claiming to improve general health and well-being by lighting one end of a hollow candle and placing the other end in the ear canal. Medical research has shown that the practice is both dangerous and ineffective and does not functionally remove earwax or toxicants, despite product design contributing to that impression.
Psychic surgery is a pseudoscientific medical fraud in which practitioners create the illusion of performing surgery with their bare hands and use sleight of hand, fake blood, and animal parts to convince the patient that diseased lesions have been removed and that the incision has spontaneously healed.
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Joseph Michael Mercola is an American alternative medicine proponent, osteopathic physician, and Internet business personality. He markets largely unproven dietary supplements and medical devices. On his website, Mercola and colleagues advocate unproven and pseudoscientific alternative health notions including homeopathy and opposition to vaccination. These positions have received persistent criticism. Mercola is a member of several alternative medicine organizations as well as the political advocacy group Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, which promotes scientifically discredited views about medicine and disease. He is the author of two books.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe (SGU) is an American weekly skeptical podcast hosted by Steven Novella, MD, along with a panel of contributors. The official podcast of the New England Skeptical Society, it was named to evoke The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The show features discussions of recent scientific developments in layman's terms, and interviews authors, people in the area of science, and other famous skeptics. The SGU podcast includes discussions of myths, conspiracy theories, pseudoscience, the paranormal, and other forms of superstition, from the point of view of scientific skepticism.
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David Henry Gorski is an American surgical oncologist and professor of surgery at Wayne State University School of Medicine. He specializes in breast cancer surgery at the Karmanos Cancer Institute. Gorski is an outspoken skeptic and critic of alternative medicine and the anti-vaccination movement. A prolific blogger, he writes as Orac at Respectful Insolence, and as himself at Science-Based Medicine where he is the managing editor.
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Éric A. Cohen is a Canadian molecular virologist whose research is focused on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-host interactions that govern viral replication and persistence.
Loretta Josephine Marron, OAM is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Friends of Science in Medicine organization. Popularly known as the "Jelly Bean Lady", she has promoted an evidence-based approach to medicine since being diagnosed with cancer herself in 2003. In the media, she has presented exposés of unproven treatments, some of which have resulted in successful legal prosecutions. She was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for her service to health, and she has been "Skeptic of the Year" three times.
Andrew David Huberman is an American neuroscientist and podcaster. He is an associate professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine. He hosts the Huberman Lab podcast, which he started in 2021 and he is partner, scientific advisor and promoter of dietary supplement companies since 2022.
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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.
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Plandemic is a trilogy of conspiracy theory films produced by Mikki Willis promoting misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic. They feature Judy Mikovits, a discredited American researcher and prominent anti-vaccine activist. The first video, Plandemic: The Hidden Agenda Behind Covid-19, was released on May 4, 2020, under Willis' production company Elevate Films. The second film, Plandemic Indoctornation, which includes more interviewees, was released on August 18 by Brian Rose's distributor of conspiracy theory related films, London Real. Later on June 3, 2023, Plandemic 3: The Great Awakening was released on The Highwire, a website devoted to conspiracy theories run by anti-vaccine activist Del Bigtree.
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