Why Smart People Still Fall for Pseudoscience | Steven Novella, PhD | The Proof Podcast EP #364

👇 Visit The Proof website for the full show notes and supporting studies. 👇 https://theproof.com/podcast/ In a time where conspiracy thinking is becoming mainstream, critical thinking is no longer a nice-to-have — it’s a survival skill. In this episode, I sit down with Dr Steven Novella, neurologist, professor at Yale, and host of The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe, to unpack how misinformation takes hold, why smart people fall for bad science, and how we can sharpen our thinking in an age of echo chambers and AI-generated noise. We explore the psychology of belief, the decline in institutional trust, and the subtle line between healthy scepticism and reflexive contrarianism. Whether it’s decoding the carnivore diet or climate change denial, Dr Novella breaks down what it means to be truly evidence-based, and how to stay intellectually honest in a world full of false certainty. What we cover: The difference between skepticism and denialism How to talk to someone who believes in conspiracy theories Why scientific consensus matters and how to spot real expertise The psychological appeal of pseudoscience How to build a truth-seeking mindset grounded in humility and logic The role of AI in shaping the future of truth What we lose if we stop trusting science If you care about science communication, critical thinking, or simply making better sense of the world, this is an episode worth sharing. Subscribe and stay connected: Found this episode valuable? Subscribe to The Proof on YouTube and hit the notification bell to stay updated. Listening on Spotify or Apple Podcasts? Follow the show to ensure you never miss an episode. Support the show: The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. Visit http://theproof.com/friends for exclusive discounts. If you have any additional questions you would like answered in the future, let me know in the comments. Highlights: 00:00 Introduction 05:48 Skeptic vs. Contrarian: What's the difference? 08:57 Combating Misinformation and Disinformation 12:13 The Role of Critical Thinking 18:06 Why We Reject Facts That Make Us Uncomfortable 21:09 How Echo Chambers Hijack Reality 24:41 The Hardest Choice: Truth or Belonging? 37:54 Why People No Longer Trust Experts 48:16 Debating Pseudoscience 52:53 The Deadly Cost of Misinformation 56:03 The GMO Lies People Still Believe 01:03:00 How to Teach Critical Thinking to Anyone 01:10:00 How to Think, Not What to Think 01:14:34 Why Science Sounds Uncertain and Why That’s a Good Thing 01:23:51 Being Skeptical Doesn’t Make You Automatically Right 01:35:59 The Double-Edged Sword of AI Enjoy, friends. Simon This episode is brought to you by: 38TERA Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Head to https://38tera.com/?ref=SIMON and use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout. Function Health Take charge of your health with advanced blood testing and personalised insights. Function Health provides a practical solution to track key health markers such as cholesterol, blood sugar, and more. For the first 1,000 listeners, new members get a $100 credit when signing up. Head to https://www.functionhealth.com/simonhill to claim your credit. Only available to those living in the United States. Momentous My go-to supplement brand for protein and creatine is Momentous. Get 20% off your first purchase by using the code LIVINGPROOF at checkout at http://livemomentous.com/ Shopify Shopify, the world's leading e-commerce platform, helps you turn browsers into buyers with the internet’s best-converting check out–up to 36% better compared to other leading e-commerce platforms. To boost your conversion rate, and grow your business, sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at http://shopify.com/proof. Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons) Creator of http://theproof.com/ Host of https://theproof.com/podcast/ Author of https://theproof.com/book/ Subscribe & Connect: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheProofWit... Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7bAIJCV... Instagram:   / theproof   X: https://x.com/theproof Facebook:   / theproofwithsimonhill   Nourish your gut with my https://theproof.com/ferments/ and download my https://theproof.com/mealplan