Forget The Media Hype (Fragile Science:The Reality Behing The Headlines - Robin Baker)

Member Name: Ric!

Product:	Fragile Science:The Reality Behing The Headlines - Robin Baker
Date:	29/07/02 (169 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good read, May set your mind at ease about certain issues, Suitable for anyone, even without a science background

Disadvantages: Quite repetitive

For me, this was an 'airport book'. One of those books that you wouldn't ordinarily buy, but you do so, at the airport, before jetting off on holiday.

The book claims to be all about helping us get to the bottom of all the media hype concerning health scares and environmental issues. It examines whether there is any truth or evidence to support the claims that the media thrust at us, day in, day out.

The style of the book makes it suitable for everybody. It is written in simple English, with any 'sciencey' terms explained fully. Even if you have no background scientific knowledge you should be able to get to grasps with this book, and understand the concepts that the author puts forward. Repetition is used heavily. Key concepts are detailed and described over and over again, within the context of the subject matter, to aid understanding. This can become slightly frustrating for anyone who has studied science at an advanced level, but is essential in making this book a worthwhile read for a wide range of people.

The topics covered are:


Chapter 1 - What If Sunscreens Cause Skin Cancer?
A great start to the book in which the role of sunscreens is examined. Why has the use of sunscreens not resulted in a proportional decrease in the incidence of skin cancers? The author debates whether plastering chemicals all over our bodies, under the disguise of being called a sunscreen, could actually be resulting in skin cancer itself. Other issues discussed include the fact that modern day travelling and emigration means that people with skin types not designed to be exposed to the constant barrage of the sun, are ending up in such locations. Also, should we be using moisturisers to prevent ourselves peeling after being burnt? This may be the body's way of discarding potentially pre-malignant cells, yet we are doing our best to prevent our body from carrying out its natural defence mechanism.



Chapter 2 - Cholesterol: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
This section gives examples of evidence which tends to show that cholesterol is not a guilty party where coronary artery disease is concerned. It gives examples of trials which show that certain people with high cholesterol are no more likely to have heart attacks than anyone else. It even poses a controversial question - could cholesterol actually be a healer? We know that arteries clogged up with cholesterol are often a precursor to a heart attack. The cholesterol plaque may rupture, resulting in platelet aggregation and an occlusion of the artery. But maybe the reason that the cholesterol is there is actually as the body's response to repair the damage done to arterial walls by other things, such as smoking. It may not simply be the result of having a high level of cholesterol in the blood. Whatever the correct answer, remember that this is just the author's theory, and the evidence he quotes is chosen by him, and likely to be biased towards his view. The current accepted medical viewpoint is that a high cholesterol level is a risk factor for coronary artery disease, but it is interesting to read an alternative theory.


Chapter 3 - Clinical Depression and The House Of Cards
Is depression genetic, or environmental? ie - is depression an unavoidable hereditary event that is determined by our genes, or is it a result of external factors, like where we live, who we live with, what stressful events happen in our life? Perhaps it is a mixture of the two. What are the treatments for depression and do they really work? The evidence is examined in this chapter.


Chapter 4 - Mad Cows and Englishmen
This was the most interesting chapter for me. Forget the media hype that we are all doomed, and that anyone who ate beef in the 1980s is going to get the human form of 'mad cow disease' which is called CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease). It'
;s not all doom and gloom. The author explores the history of the disease, and why the mini-epidemic started in England. Is BSE really the same disease as new variant CJD? This chapter reveals what the scientific evidence really shows, not just what the tabloid newspapers want you to read so you buy their paper.


Chapter 5 - Global Warming: Cheap Holidays, Future Apocalypse or Just Hot Air?
There's no doubt that global warming is happening, but is it a man-made disaster, or a natural phenomenon? Is there anything we can do about it, indeed SHOULD we do anything about it. This short chapter is a revealing read.


Chapter 6 - Conservation: A War Of Two Worlds
Why should we expect African and South American countries to stop chopping down their rainforests? This chapter helps us to realise a few home truths. The Western world abused its resources to make itself rich. Now we are demanding that the developing world doesn't do exactly what we did. But is there an incentive for them not to follow in our footsteps? We have created a civilisation that they want to copy. They want wealth, cars and tv sets. What right do we have to try and prevent them from using their natural resources? Indeed, what incentives are we offering them not to do so? Can local people in developing worlds really survive from eco-tourism?


Chapter 7 - GM Foods: Monstrous Saviours
Did you know that the US is already several miles down the GM Foods freeway? They don't appear worried by it - but I am. It's all very well making slow ripening tomatoes, or disease resistant crops, but there are risks, aren't there? What happens if a super-bacteria is created, resistant to all our modern day treatment as a result of mans tinkering with genes? There are potential benefits, though (allegedly). The possibility of cheap vaccines, or indeed bananas that contain vaccines, could reduce disease in the developing world. A
ll this seems like playing with fire in my view, but you can make up your own mind after reading this chapter.


Chapter 8 - Fragile Wills, Genetic Leftovers
The final chapter is controversial in places. It examines whether we actually have a free will over our actions, or if everything we do is dictated by our genetic makeup.

For example, maybe people who are overweight cannot actually help it, and maybe there is nothing they can do to change the situation. Go back to the time of our ancestors, when there wasn't a Sainsburys on every corner. Starvation would have been a real life threatening danger all the time. People who lived in parts of the world where food was ever present, but scattered around, would have spent all their time searching for food and constantly eating. They would have burnt up all the calories that they consumed because of their high metabolic rate and their constant search for more food.

But then there would have been people that lived in parts of the world where food was briefly plentiful but unpredictable. They would have had to gorge themselves and build up fat reserves for the hard times that they knew would lie ahead, but had no idea when they would come. During the hard times, when food was scarce, they would have burnt up their fat reserves.

Do you recognise this sort of varying behaviour in humans today? Yes. But there is one major difference. The people that are genetically designed to be gorgers during the plentiful times never encounter the hard times. Today's Western world, has resulted in us all living in a state of constant easy access to as much food as we want. So, the second type of person described above never has to encounter a time when food is scarce, and so never burns up their fat supplies. Instead, they keep on eating, and get fatter and fatter. Can't they stop? Well perhaps they literally can't stop themselves. Their genetic makeup may mea
n that their body is telling them to keep eating and eating while the food is available. They are 'genetically programmed' with a survival instinct to prepare for the bad times ahead (which unfortunately their bodies don't realise will never come). Controversial, eh? But what if it's true?

You'll also read about a highly controversial theory on rape in this chapter. I won't discuss it here, you can read it and make up your own minds!


So, all in all, an enjoyable book. Suitable for anyone with an interest in science, and not requiring any background knowledge. Well worth a read. You see, 'airport books' can be surprisingly good!!!



(Paperback retails for £7.99 at most good book stores, published by Pan Books.)

Summary: