Scientific American

Scientific American's Opinions

Science Would a hurricane in New Orleans cause thousands of deaths? Agree A major hurricane could swamp New Orleans under 20 feet of water, killing thousands. Human activities along the Mississippi River have dramatically increased the risk, and now only massive reengineering of southeastern Louisiana can save the city. Edit Pitches 01 Oct 2001    Source Health Do sunscreens work? Mostly Disagree Yet while most sunscreens block out at least some UVB radiation, many don’t screen UVA rays at all, making their use risky. According to the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG), by far most of the commercially available sunscreens do not provide adequate protection against the sun’s harmful UV radiation and may also contain chemicals with questionable safety records. Edit Pitches 22 Jul 2008    Source Does sun exposure cause skin cancer? Agree Each year millions of Americans visit tanning salons in search of that "healthy glow." But if you think tanning beds are a safe alternative to sunbathing, think again. The results of a new study, detailed in a report published today in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, suggest that people who use these devices may have an increased risk of developing skin cancers. Edit Pitches 22 Jul 2008    Source Is sunscreen toxic? Mostly Agree In all, 84 percent of the 831 sunscreens EWG tested did not pass health and environmental muster. Many contained potentially harmful chemicals like Benzophenone, homosalate and octyl methoxycinnamate (also called octinoxate), which are known to mimic naturally occurring bodily hormones and can thus throw the body’s systems out of whack. Some also contained Padimate-0 and parsol 1789 (also known as avobenzone), which are suspected of causing DNA damage when exposed to sunlight. Edit Pitches 22 Jul 2008    Source

Comparisons with Other Experts and Influencers

The similarity between Scientific American and each expert and influencer is calculated by looking at how the same questions were answered. These figures are used to calculate conforming, nonconforming, and projected opinions. The accuracy of the analysis depends on Scientific American's coverage, which grows with the number of their opinions entered into TakeOnIt.

Conforming Opinions

Scientific American's conforming opinions are opinions that align with the group of experts and influencers Scientific American typically agrees with.