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On the Origin of Life, Long Story Short Goes After Pop YouTube Science

Image source: Discovery Institute.

“It’s easy to say things that aren’t true and get people to believe them, especially when they sound science-y and are mixed in with well-known facts.” You can say that again. The latest Long Story Short video is out today and this one could be my favorite in the series so far. It’s quite funny as it tackles three lame but highly popular YouTube videos on the origin of life (herehere, and here). One of videos, from the PBS channel Be Smart, has 2.6 million views. Be Smart promises, “We give you deep answers to simple questions about science and the rest of the universe.” Yeah, right. See if you believe that once Long Story gets through with them. 

It’s remarkable to think that young and old YouTube viewers are being fed this stuff, which, on life’s origins — “super easy!” — ranges from misleading to half true to not true at all. Watch the new Long Story and enjoy. In coming days we’ll be following up on the release with three excellent treatments of the underlying science from Dr. Rob Stadler.

David Klinghoffer

Senior Fellow and Editor, Evolution News
David Klinghoffer is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute and the editor of Evolution News & Science Today, the daily voice of Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture, reporting on intelligent design, evolution, and the intersection of science and culture. Klinghoffer is also the author of six books, a former senior editor and literary editor at National Review magazine, and has written for the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Seattle Times, Commentary, and other publications. Born in Santa Monica, California, he graduated from Brown University in 1987 with an A.B. magna cum laude in comparative literature and religious studies. David lives near Seattle, Washington, with his wife and children.

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abiogenesisBe Smartbiologybuilding blocks of lifechemical evolutionearly EarthLong Story Shortorigin of lifePBSRob StadlerscienceuniverseYouTube videos