"A study that boring," John Oliver begins his comment describing a scientific finding in chocolate consumption benefit during pregnancy, which he considered ridiculous.
Science studies often contradict to one another and people are getting confused if they could ever trust the findings. Furthermore, the HBO's Last Week Tonight host talks about studies on coffee where it is said to increase the risk of miscarriage according to FoxNews but at the same time, also decrease the risk of endometrial cancer according to Science.Mic. He then concludes it by describing coffee as 'God in Old testament' where it can either save you or kill you.
Oliver says that people love 'poppy science' where they can share and it is getting more like a gossip and TV producers are fully aware of this. He mentioned about a study in females that said to be 'more open to romance if they are not hungry'. The problem of the study was that it only took 20 women as subjects that completed the study.
Science is not a scam
The TV host further explains that scientists and researchers are dedicated experts in the field. It could take years to come up with findings. According to the British host, the marketplace has created a pressure on these scientists' shoulders. They need to publish something in order to land academic tenure.
Science fact-checking does not get any reward
Many scientists also do replication studies but it is underappreciated and no rewards. Thus, researchers dig 'scientific facts' out there that has never been confirmed. Hence, nobody reveals anyone's significant study in the paper.
Misleading information
Oliver further addresses a study on giving 8 hugs a day could release oxytocin - the love hormone - which he said was not reliable since oxytocin release might need complicated process.
Another funded research also finds that dehydrated while driving is just as dangerous as drunk-driving. However, Oliver did a fact-checking and found that the subjects were only 12 men and supported by European Hydration Institute who received funds from Coca Cola, as reported by The Times. The study was red flagged.
While this does not mean that climate change is not real, Oliver concludes his long explanation by saying that science is imperfect but it is extremely important but it deserves better publication than to be twisted.