SSC
Links 7/17: URL of Sandwich
A collection of interesting links spanning architecture, science, politics and economics, with commentary on studies about lithium, lead exposure, minimum wage, and free speech.
15 min read 2,200 words
A thread through the archive
study critique
Essays tagged “study critique”. Follow an idea across the archive.
Essays on study critique
269 essaysSSC
Links 6/17: Silinks Is Golden
A collection of interesting links covering a wide range of topics, from scientific studies and historical facts to current events and amusing anecdotes.
18 min read 2,776 words
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Postmarketing Surveillance Is Good And Normal
Scott Alexander argues that the 33% rate of post-marketing safety events for FDA-approved drugs is not necessarily concerning and explains why post-marketing surveillance is a normal part of drug safety monitoring.
12 min read 1,738 words
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Links 5/17: Rip Van Linkle
A Links post presenting various news items and articles, ranging from cultural curiosities like the multiocular O to scientific findings about brain sex differences and genetic research, along with commentary on current events and politics.
23 min read 3,478 words
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Anorexia And Metabolic Set Point
Scott Alexander speculates that anorexia might be caused by a distorted metabolic set point, similar to but opposite of obesity's mechanisms.
12 min read 1,770 words
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SSC Journal Club: Childhood Trauma And Cognition
Scott Alexander discusses a study challenging the idea that childhood abuse lowers IQ, and explores its implications for understanding the effects of child abuse on various outcomes.
9 min read 1,254 words
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Links 3/17: Relinkquishment
A links post featuring various news stories, research findings, and interesting facts, from Jewish pirates to ancient Roman artifacts to the fallout of various Trump-related controversies.
16 min read 2,417 words
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Links 3/17: Siteochrome P450
A wide-ranging links post covering recent research, political developments, and interesting findings across various fields, with particular focus on psychology research, political polling, and academic developments.
20 min read 3,046 words
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Antidepressant Pharmacogenomics: Much More Than You Wanted To Know
Scott Alexander critically examines pharmacogenomic testing for antidepressants, particularly the GeneSight test, expressing skepticism about its current effectiveness and validity.
42 min read 6,454 words
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SSC Journal Club: Analytical Thinking Style And Religion
Scott Alexander examines a failed replication of a study claiming analytical thinking promotes religious disbelief, and discusses the broader implications for understanding the relationship between thinking styles and religious belief.
23 min read 3,531 words
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Link: Guyenet On Taubes
Scott Alexander reviews Stephan Guyenet's critique of Gary Taubes' anti-sugar book, agreeing with Guyenet's multi-factorial view of obesity and disease causes, and retracting his previous support for Taubes.
7 min read 1,067 words
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Links 1/17: Inaugurl Address
A diverse collection of links covering current events, scientific studies, and cultural developments, with brief commentary on each story's significance or implications.
17 min read 2,587 words
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Should Buzzfeed Publish Claims Which Are Explosive If True But Not Yet Proven?
Scott Alexander critiques a Buzzfeed article skeptical of growth mindset research, arguing that while skepticism is warranted, more robust evidence is needed to disprove the theory.
10 min read 1,505 words
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Links 12/16: The Site Before Christmas
A collection of interesting links covering various topics from Judaism and science to media bias and hate crime hoaxes, with Scott's commentary on each story.
15 min read 2,219 words
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Links 12/16: Site Makes Right
A links post featuring various news and articles about politics, science, and culture, with Scott's commentary on research papers and current events.
13 min read 1,974 words
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Thin Air
Scott examines the relationship between altitude and obesity, then explores and ultimately dismisses the theory that increased atmospheric CO2 could be causing the obesity epidemic.
12 min read 1,809 words
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Links 11/16: Site Unseen
Scott Alexander shares a collection of interesting links and studies on various topics, including scientific research, cultural observations, and current events, with brief commentary on each.
9 min read 1,395 words
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The Heart Has Its Reasons That Reason Knows Not Of
Scott examines conflicting evidence on whether humans choose mates based on parental imprinting or genetics, concluding that mate choice might be based on mysterious romantic love.
18 min read 2,648 words
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Somewhat Against Psychiatric Conditions As Domestication Failure
Scott Alexander examines a theory linking autism and schizophrenia to human self-domestication, initially dismissing it before reconsidering its merits in light of Williams Syndrome.
16 min read 2,422 words
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Links 10/16: New URLeans
Scott shares various interesting news items and studies spanning history, science, politics, and technology, with commentary on each item's significance or irony.
13 min read 1,888 words
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Reverse Voxsplaining: Brand-Name Drugs
Scott argues against Vox's proposal for drug price controls, citing studies that such policies would significantly reduce pharmaceutical innovation and potentially cost millions of life-years long-term.
31 min read 4,731 words
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Links 8/16: On My Right Hand Michael; On My Left Hand URL
A link roundup post covering various topics from video games to scientific studies, with Scott's commentary on each news item or piece of research.
14 min read 2,074 words
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Links 8/16: Ode On A Grecian URL
A collection of interesting links covering science, politics, and culture, with topics ranging from desalinization and medical studies to quirky historical facts and political developments.
11 min read 1,622 words
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Links 7/16: Grad, Div, and URL
A collection of interesting links spanning drug policy, scientific studies, historical oddities, and current events, with Scott's commentary on each.
8 min read 1,210 words
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Links 7/16: Peter Linklage
A collection of interesting links covering various topics from scientific studies, social issues, and current events, including problems with brain imaging studies, AI safety developments, and surprising research findings.
13 min read 1,933 words