Pandora’s Lab

Seven Stories of Science Gone Wrong

De: Paul A. Offit MD

Narrado por: Greg Tremblay

What happens when ideas presented as science lead us in the wrong direction? History is filled with brilliant ideas that gave rise to disaster, and this book explores the most fascinating - and significant - missteps.

Pandora's Lab takes us from opium's heyday as the pain reliever of choice to recognition of opioids as a major cause of death in the United States; from the rise of trans fats as the golden ingredient for tastier, cheaper food to the heart disease epidemic that followed; and from the cries to ban DDT for the sake of the environment to an epidemic-level rise in world malaria.

These are today's sins of science - as deplorable as mistaken ideas from the past such as advocating racial purity or using lobotomies as a cure for mental illness. These unwitting errors add up to seven lessons both cautionary and profound, explained by renowned author and speaker Paul A. Offit. Offit uses these lessons to investigate how we can separate good science from bad, using as case studies some of today's most controversial creations: e-cigarettes, GMOs, and drug treatments for ADHD.

For every "Aha!" moment that should have been an "Oh no", this book is an engrossing account of how science has been misused disastrously - and how we can learn to use its power for good.

©2017 Paul A. Offit (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Some People Have Thin Skin...

Any additional comments?

After reading some comments from listeners I was expecting a massive amount of political jargon that was extremely biased. I was happily mistaken. If there are political messages they are rooted in fact (statements made by Donald Trump). Yes, there may be a couple inferences/assumptions or parallels the author makes, but they seem fair.Also, don't let the other reviews fool you into thinking the author is biased or did not do his home work. This text seems quite accurate from what I know, it is informative, and he pulls no punches on anyone - good scientists or bad.

Give it a listen!

Cautionary Tales and How-to-Think Instructions

First-rate production of a message we all need to follow. I.e., require evidence to support what we think we know. Let’s hear it for double-blind, peer-reviewed, reproducible studies!

Read this book! Listen to this book!

Every doctor, PA, nurse or human being should read this book. Come to think of it, every environmentalist as well.

Warning: ignorance is bliss & this book startlingly shocks one out of ignorance.

I am always interested to learn more...more about history and our errant practices that may have sent us off course. This book does an excellent job informing one of the ways the human race has erred over the years. It is also depressing and difficult to hear. More than once , I found myself crying out in anger, fear, or trepidation, but with the final emotional outcome being one of gratitude and knowledge, I recommend the book to others.

Everyone should listen to this

People blindly listen to authority and news and do what they say in terms of their health. The author gives several examples of how conventional medical wisdom has been very wrong. He doesn't berate modern medicine. This is a well balanced and thought out book.