Office for Science and Society - Separating Sense from Nonsense

The Deadly Differences Between Poisons, Toxins and Venoms

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 15:18:21 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette.

The puffer fish is poisonous, but not venomous, while a rattlesnake is venomous but not poisonous. Both can kill you with their toxins. Sound confusing? Let’s try to clear it up.

Extracting Drugs from Nature Is Hard

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

A video on Facebook with

Can Nature Design Technology Better Than Us?

Eva Kellner B.A.Sc. — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Biomimicry, a scientific field dedicated to using nature as a model to guide the development of more efficient and better technology, recenters the anthropocentric narrative that often takes the reigns in science.

Apple Cider Vinegar…Again

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 21:14:24 +0000

Apple cider vinegar has been on my radar since the 1970s when I was first asked about its purported miraculous properties on my radio show. The queries were triggered by the publication of a booklet with the enticing title “Apple Cider Vinegar, Miracle Healthy System,” by Drs. Paul C. Bragg and Patricia Bragg,” both with degrees from unaccredited naturopathic institutions. These food faddists promised weight loss, improved digestion, and enhanced energy levels by consuming apple cider vinegar.

The Sour Side of Our Love of Sweets

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 17:36:46 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette.

The What, Why and What to do about Hiccups

Ada McVean M.Sc. — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

We’re all familiar with the sensation- an uncontrollable jerk of our diaphragm and an involuntary noise, stifled or not, that gives the condition its name. Hiccups are ubiquitous amongst mammals of all ages, but it may surprise you to learn that even in 2024, our understanding of them is somewhat lacking.

For the Love of Fibre

Sophie Tseng Pellar BSc — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Recently, while browsing the candy aisle (my natural habitat as a gummy connoisseur), I was confronted by a monstrosity: protein candy. Listen, I get it. This gummy abomination is merely a reflection of the cultural moment we are in right now.

It surprises exactly no one when I say that the wellness world is obsessed with protein. From Khloe Kardashian’s protein popcorn to TikTok-famous “David bars,” protein has infiltrated every snack imaginable. But amidst this protein craze, something essential has quietly slipped off the plate: fibre.

The Bystander Effect Started from a Lie

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

You have just been attacked. How likely is it that someone will come to your help?

If you remember the infamous case of Kitty Genovese in 1960s New York, you may despair at ever receiving assistance. Psychology students are diligently taught about this watershed moment; fans of the HBO show Girls were treated to a whole episode about it; and this murder is a core part of the character Rorschach’s origin story in the celebrated graphic novel Watchmen. In the latter, a fictional newspaper headline sums up the tragedy: “WOMAN KILLED WHILE NEIGHBORS LOOK ON.”

Fill Your Stomach and Lose Weight? Not so fast.

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

There have been many weapons used over the years in the “battle of the bulge.” There have been diets galore, medications to curb the appetite, and attempts to reduce hunger by filling the stomach with indigestible substances. Remember the cotton ball diet? It is best forgotten. It was a brief social media phenomenon in 2013 when model Bria Murphy, daughter of comedian Eddie Murphy, mentioned that she “heard” that other models were swallowing cotton balls soaked in juice and were losing weight. Not a smart thing to do.

From Oliver Twist’s Gruel to my Grandson’s Overnight Oats

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 19:29:12 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette.

Oatmeal was not part of my upbringing. My childhood breakfast in Hungary consisted of hot cocoa with a slice of buttered bread and, when the season permitted, green pepper.