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Feb 19, 2020
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Links 2/20

22 min • 3,021 words • 501 comments
Scott Alexander presents a curated list of interesting links and news items on topics ranging from politics and science to technology and culture. Longer summary
This post is a collection of interesting links and news items curated by Scott Alexander. It covers a wide range of topics including politics, science, technology, economics, and culture. Some highlights include: a study on the effects of gender-balanced corporate boards in California, a debate about YouTube's algorithm and radicalization, updates on the coronavirus outbreak, and interesting scientific findings on topics like obesity and climate models. The post also includes humorous items and writing prompts. Shorter summary
Oct 28, 2015
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Meat Your Doom

9 min • 1,176 words • 201 comments
Scott Alexander analyzes the health risks of eating processed meat, demonstrating how to put such risks in perspective and interpret mortality statistics accurately. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the importance of putting health risks in perspective, using the example of a recent study linking processed meat consumption to increased cancer risk. He calculates that eating processed meat daily might reduce life expectancy by about three weeks, or roughly a minute per serving. He then expands on how to interpret relative risk increases in mortality, explaining that a 20% increase in mortality doesn't mean reducing lifespan by 20%, but rather a much smaller effect. The post emphasizes the need to distinguish between absolute and relative risk, and to consider the trade-offs between health risks and quality of life when making dietary decisions. Shorter summary
Jun 11, 2013
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Medical and Psychological Studies for June

8 min • 1,114 words • 68 comments
Scott Alexander presents a roundup of recent medical and psychological studies, covering topics from UV light exposure to belief in science during stress. Longer summary
This post is a roundup of recent medical and psychological studies from June. Scott Alexander covers a wide range of topics, including UV light exposure benefits, gut microbiota research, obesity factors, iodine deficiency effects on intelligence, Medicare cost variations, ketamine for depression, hypothermia caps for chemotherapy patients, cruise ships as alternatives to assisted living, peer review effectiveness, genetic risk for schizophrenia and IQ, obesity rates in lesbians, oxytocin and pair-bonding, and belief in science during stressful situations. The tone is informative with occasional humorous or sarcastic comments. Shorter summary