Scientific knowledge is created by the accumulation of results from many studies. You can often find two individual studies that contradict each other, so it's important to look at the range of research around a topic to figure out the conclusion most of the evidence is pointing to.
News outlets often report on recent individual scientific studies, and good science reporting will put that study in the context of other research that's been done on the topic. As you read news coverage of scientific topics, remember to not take just one attractive headline as fact or unquestioningly accept a sweeping conclusion if there isn't evidence for it.
Of course, scientists are human, and can be biased or prone to error. This video from the YouTube channel SciShow overviews some of the reasons that even peer-reviewed scholarly journal articles can have inaccuracies or not present the whole picture.
The YouTube channel Above the Noise by KQED gives tips on evaluating science reporting:
Within the last few years there has been an influx of misinformation about science, especially regarding COVID-19 and climate change.
For more information and tips on combating scientific misinformation, see the selected articles below or contact a librarian.
