Like probably most HN readers I think of myself as reasonably well educated in science and engineering. However, when it comes to interpreting the vast majority

Like probably most HN readers I think of myself as reasonably well educated in science and engineering. However, when it comes to interpreting the vast majority of scientific discoveries I have to rely on my sense of scientific authority, not on firsthand knowledge. Now put yourself in the average person's shoes: how can you trust anyone when there's so much contradictory information and, frankly, so much bad science around us? Also, people love to argue so they will often take extreme positions just for the heck of it.