We live in an era where information—and misinformation—travels at the speed of a scroll. Whether it’s the enduring skepticism surrounding the 1969 moon landing, bizarre theories about pop stars being replaced by body doubles, or deeply polarizing political narratives, conspiracy theories have moved from the fringes of the internet to the center of our daily discourse. But why do some people simply “scroll past” these wild claims while others become deeply committed, or even radicalized, by them? Recent research from the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center provides a much-needed lens through which to view this phenomenon, suggesting that…

In an era where artificial intelligence and social media algorithms can amplify misinformation just as quickly as they provide answers, the challenge of discerning truth is nowhere more critical than in the realm of neurodevelopmental health. Recognizing that families and caregivers are frequently bombarded by unverified “cures” and oversimplified claims, the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine recently hosted its 10th annual Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Conference. This year’s theme, Navigating Autism Science & Identity in the (Mis)Information Age, was specifically chosen to address the growing gap between viral online trends and the nuanced, often complex realities of clinical…