The hottest Meta-analysis Substack posts right now

There have been multiple cases of scientific fraud recently, with researchers faking data in many papers. This creates big problems for their colleagues who did not know about the fraud.
Some studies have shown that certain treatments, like puberty blockers, may not be effective for mental health, but researchers are hesitant to publish these findings for fear of misuse.
A recent article criticized scientific practices for being overly sensitive and politically correct, calling out how it can hinder genuine scientific discussion and progress.

Replication and reproducibility crises exist in science and history, leading to widespread inaccuracies.
Historical myths and inaccuracies can persist for years, even when proven wrong.
There is a need for historians to improve transparency by making archival sources more accessible to reduce errors and biases.

Support for right-wing parties may increase after right-wing terrorist attacks, contrary to previous evidence on political violence.
Discrimination against women for jobs historically held by men has been non-existent since 2009, but there may still be bias in favor of female applicants.
Meta-analyses, like the one discussed, offer valuable insights when designed carefully and with expert input to avoid bias.

Fraud can happen in scientific research through deliberate misrepresentation of results.
Being critical in research is important, but it's crucial to back up claims with thorough analysis and evidence.
Failure to fully analyze data and make accurate conclusions can indicate either fraud or incompetence in a study.

The Science Fictions Substack shares interesting, amusing, and depressing bad-science links.
Scientific fields like Alzheimer's and physics face issues with scientific fraud and retractions.
Open Science practices like pre-registering studies can lead to high replication rates.

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Literature reviews tend to be more highly cited than traditional research articles in academia and policy.
Literature reviews help consolidate isolated niches of research into more central ideas in academia.
Academic literature reviews can influence policy-making by providing a broader and more accurate picture of scientific findings.

The ivermectin literature does not seem to be exceptionally fraudulent compared to other medical research.
Researchers who criticized ivermectin studies have not made their data available for scrutiny.
Concerns about the quality of research in the medical field in general are highlighted in this analysis.

The 10,000-hour rule, popularized by Malcolm Gladwell, suggesting practice alone leads to expertise has been debunked by recent studies showing talent and various factors play a significant role in skill acquisition.
Criticism towards the 10,000-hour rule came from meta-analyses in sports, revealing that practice only accounted for a small percentage of the difference in performance levels, emphasizing the contribution of genetics and other factors.
Understanding the limits of practice is crucial as it challenges the notion that anyone can excel if they put in enough effort, and highlights that success is influenced by multiple elements beyond just practice.

High levels of LDL-cholesterol are not the sole cause of heart disease; it is the oxidative destruction of LDL particles, not the cholesterol concentration, that plays a central role.
Genetic mutations affecting LDL receptor activity reveal that poor activity increases the risk of heart disease, while greater activity decreases the risk significantly.
Blood lipid levels, although not determinants, can indicate metabolic issues related to LDL receptor function and should not be ignored as they provide essential clues about heart disease risk.

The total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio is an important predictor of heart disease mortality risk, with lower ratios associated with reduced risk across different age groups.
The ratio can indicate how long LDL particles stay in the blood, potentially reflecting the efficiency of LDL receptor activity.
Different dietary fats have varying effects on the total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio, with unsaturated fats and specific saturated fats like lauric acid decreasing the ratio, while trans fats increase it.