Helen Pearson
@helenpearson.bsky.social
Author of BEYOND BELIEF (2026) | Senior Editor at Nature | Honorary Professor of Practice at UCL | science journalist, author, speaker
Just arrived. First impression - this is a brilliant book: witty, wise, and eminently readable.
Helen Pearson@helenpearson.bsky.social · 3mo agoMy book BEYOND BELIEF is out today! It says: in a world flooded with questionable claims and misinformation, evidence from science can help show what’s nonsense – and what’s not. In other words: "Essential reading for the rational-minded". Please repost! 1/🧵 @princetonupress.bsky.social
The White House has received more than 340,000 comments on rules many researchers fear would politicize science. https://scim.ag/4fiHIWi
U.S. researchers outraged at proposed changes to federal grants
White House receives 340,000 comments on rules many fear would politicize science
scim.ag
Preprints don’t change much after peer review — and are rarely retracted. go.nature.com/4pebHmM
Think preprints are unreliable? Analysis of 70,000 studies might change your mind
Preprints don’t change much after peer review — and are rarely retracted.
go.nature.com
🏆Nominations for the 2026 Campbell Awards are now open! Recognize outstanding researchers in evidence synthesis, knowledge translation, evidence implementation or an exceptional early career researcher. Learn more: www.campbellcollaboration.org/get-involved... 📅 Nominations close 4 September 2026
"Impeccably researched" & "Pearson pulls off a narrative feat" says a review of Beyond Belief in @nature.com (And no - I didn't have any input into it - didn't even know it was coming out until last week!) 🙏 to reviewer & policy prof Peter John! tinyurl.com/bddynby5 @princetonupress.bsky.social
The rise of evidence-based medicine and the ‘mavericks’ who championed it
An impeccably researched account describes how clinical trials have transformed health and social policy.
tinyurl.com
A mathematical formula inscribed on a wall at the Maya site of Xultun in Guatemala has revealed the name of an important Maya mathematician-astronomer for the first time. And the person was called Sak Tahn Waax, or ‘White-Chested Fox’. 🧪 🏺 www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Mathematics formula found on Maya wall rivals insights of ancient masters
Mathematical texts from a Maya site in Guatemala identify an astronomer called Sak Tahn Waax.
nature.com
Nuanced reporting and analysis of several dementia studies in this Nature article. An excellent example of the importance of science writing, by @helenpearson.bsky.social
Nature Portfolio@natureportfolio.nature.com · 3w agoA feature in Nature reports on the data around lowering the risk of dementia, including lifestyle changes and how helpful they can be. #alzsky #medsky 🧪
What does science say about how to reduce risks of dementia? I explored this for @Nature - and found it’s more surprising and debated than you might think. 🧵 www.nature.com/articles/d41...
How to avoid dementia — what the science really says
Ambitious studies have been examining the protective effects of diet, exercise and socializing — with surprising results.
nature.com
"Beyond Belief is an excellent, thorough, and balanced guide," writes @philipcball.bsky.social in his lovely review in @thelancet.com. "For anyone ... fed up with being told “that's how we’ve always done it”, Pearson's book offers all the ammunition you need." Thank you! tinyurl.com/38pwc3up
The ascent of evidence-based medicine
To anyone trained in the natural sciences, the phrase “evidence-based medicine”, which became popular in the 1990s, might sound peculiar. What else would medicine be based on if not evidence that a tr...
thelancet.com
Philip Ball@philipcball.bsky.social · last mo.Here is my review for @thelancet.com of the excellent Beyond Belief by @helenpearson.bsky.social, on the rise of evidence-based decision making in medicine, social policy, policing, education and more. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
A pleasure to speak about my book BEYOND BELIEF and #evidence with @thedissenteryt.bsky.social - podcast and video now out! @princetonupress.bsky.social
The Dissenter@thedissenteryt.bsky.social · last mo.New episode (1273), with Helen Pearson (@helenpearson.bsky.social). We talk about her great book, Beyond Belief: How Evidence Shows What Really Works. #Science YouTube: youtu.be/uClYNGPwfco Podcast: tinyurl.com/m7yehm3h
Thread of the day Trust in science is “politically polarized in the US. Confidence has fallen among Republican leaning people but not Democrats. This has partly been powered by the populist view that scientists are part of an intellectual elite who do not represent the views of ordinary people.”
Helen Pearson@helenpearson.bsky.social · last mo.NEW: Is there a 'crisis' of public trust in science? It can feel that way — with attacks on research in the US and growing rejection of vaccines. I investigated for @nature.com - and found some surprises. My feature article is out today and a short🧵here www.nature.com/articles/d41...
"Social-media algorithms prioritize content that evokes outrage and emotion, not neutral presentations of science and data, says Alex Ruani (UCL) who studies misinformation. “We have great communicators, but they’re not being amplified — the algorithm doesn’t find them exciting enough,” she says"
Helen Pearson@helenpearson.bsky.social · last mo.NEW: Is there a 'crisis' of public trust in science? It can feel that way — with attacks on research in the US and growing rejection of vaccines. I investigated for @nature.com - and found some surprises. My feature article is out today and a short🧵here www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Paper mill cancer studies get twice the citations as genuine papers, according to a preprint study. Story from: @nature.com www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Paper mill cancer studies get double the number of citations as genuine papers
Potentially fraudulent papers often cite each other and could be inflating the impact factor of journals in which they are published.
nature.com
Have people stopped trusting science? The data tell a surprising story. (@helenpearson.bsky.social @nature.com) www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Have people stopped trusting science? The data tell a surprising story
Some say there’s a global crisis of trust — but research reveals where the real problems lie.
nature.com
New @nature.com collection on #trust in #science! A little anecdote from my conference travels opens the editorial – and in @helenpearson.bsky.social’s feature story I share my thoughts on what surveys (don’t) tell us about a “crisis of trust in science” and implications for #science #communication💡
Helen Pearson@helenpearson.bsky.social · last mo.NEW: Is there a 'crisis' of public trust in science? It can feel that way — with attacks on research in the US and growing rejection of vaccines. I investigated for @nature.com - and found some surprises. My feature article is out today and a short🧵here www.nature.com/articles/d41...
That influencers are "trusted" less than journalists is interesting imo when it comes to how surveys relate to actual trust in scientists (or any profession). Which professional group is booming and which one is withering away? Which group do people actually trust in practice, not on paper?
Helen Pearson@helenpearson.bsky.social · last mo.Other data show that scientists are one of the most trusted professions — similar to teachers and doctors. Journalists and politicians rank far lower. So there’s no global crisis of trust in science. But the idea of a crisis has become shorthand for a range of complex problems. 3/9
NEW: Is there a 'crisis' of public trust in science? It can feel that way — with attacks on research in the US and growing rejection of vaccines. I investigated for @nature.com - and found some surprises. My feature article is out today and a short🧵here www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Have people stopped trusting science? The data tell a surprising story
Some say there’s a global crisis of trust — but research reveals where the real problems lie.
nature.com
For the second time this month, a team of researchers has reported harnessing a precise gene-editing technique to alter the DNA of human embryos go.nature.com/4vwIXrO
‘Edited’ human embryos reveal secrets of our development — and fuel ethical debate
Ethical discussions are urgently needed as genome-editing science advances, some researchers say.
go.nature.com
With US science in unprecedented turmoil, can Europe step up to become the free world's science superpower? We crunched the data on Europe's strengths and weaknesses, plans & what headwinds the bloc faces 🧪 www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Europe as science superpower: what it will take to rival the US and China
Amid chaos in US science and geopolitical turmoil, Europe wants to position itself as a research haven — but questions about funding and innovation remain.
nature.com
Huge congratulations to Martin Ince for this deserved award, for all he’s done to illuminate science policy and support science journalism. And many congratulations to all the @absw.bsky.social award winners from this evening! 🏆
ABSW@absw.bsky.social · last mo.#ABSWawards 🏅And the Lifetime Achievement Award goes to... Martin Ince, freelance science & education writer For his excellent contribution to the understanding of science and science policy, through his many books. And for his dedication to ABSW and its mission. 1/2
Read this review in @lesechosfr.bsky.social by Julien Damon of @helenpearson.bsky.social's new book, Beyond Belief (€): www.lesechos.fr/idees-debats... #EuropeanReviewOfTheWeek 🇫🇷 🗞️
Le règne de la preuve et de la longévité
Par-delà les croyances, la démarche scientifique dit le vrai et propose du bien. Elle permet notamment de mieux vivre et de vivre plus vieux. Autant en profiter et se méfier autant de l'idéologie que de la toutologie.
lesechos.fr
Evidence suggests that AI-driven ‘deskilling’ is starting to happen in medicine, computer science and other fields go.nature.com/4vtwEN1
Is AI ruining our skills? Early results are in — and they’re not good
Reliance on artificial-intelligence tools degrades the abilities of physicians and software engineers, studies show.
go.nature.com
How nice: BEYOND BELIEF is one of the Financial Times' Best Summer Books 😎 That's right: you can even read it on the beach! Thank you FT columnist @anjahuja.bsky.social for this fantastic recommendation. Pack a copy in your suitcase! www.ft.com/content/7839...
Best summer books of 2026: Sport, Health and Wellness
Simon Kuper and Anjana Ahuja select their best mid-year reads
ft.com
Great to read @philipcball.bsky.social's fascinating @nature.com story about how biology cleverly masks otherwise harmful mutations with buffering proteins (poster child: HSP90) - and new work examining their roles in more detail than ever www.nature.com/articles/d41...
These ‘master’ proteins protect us from deadly mutations — and could inspire new drugs
Biology has clever ways to mask the effects of potentially harmful gene mutations. Scientists are investigating how this ‘buffering’ works — and how to exploit it.
nature.com
A look at where we are in science, 10 years from the Brexit vote. The UK is edging back into Horizon Europe (and from next year will be part of Erasmus+) but the country's role as a cornerstone of European research remains much diminished. www.nature.com/articles/d41... 🧪
Brexit tore apart European science — now the research rifts are healing
The UK's share of EU research funding is climbing, but lost networks will be harder to recover.
nature.com
I'm speaking at #LSEFestival on Saturday - with stellar science/data journalists @jburnmurdoch.ft.com and David Shukman - about Why Evidence Matters 2-3pm LSE Tickets free (in person or attend online) & I'm signing BEYOND BELIEF after! 📘 www.lse.ac.uk/events/lse-f... @princetonupress.bsky.social
Why evidence matters | Expert panel at LSE Festival
3:30pm Sat 20 Jun | John Burn-Murdoch, Helen Pearson, David Shukman | Ticket required
lse.ac.uk
Such a pleasure to talk about my book BEYOND BELIEF with @spencrgreenberg.bsky.social on his Clearer Thinking podcast: The Hidden History of Evidence-based Everything! (Clearly the title I should have used for the book!) @princetonupress.bsky.social podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/315/...
ClearerThinking.org Podcast | The Hidden History of Evidence-Based Everything (with Helen Pearson)
How do we know whether the things we do every day actually work? Why do so many practices in medicine, parenting, education, conservation, and public policy begin as intuition, authority, or anecdote ...
podcast.clearerthinking.org
