copenlu/druid huggingface dataset:
Claim: There are no reliable tests for a specific COVID-19 virus (Jerry Day, Julian Rose, 2020-03-27)
Evidence (2022-01-18): - COVID-19 PCR tests use primers that match a segment of the virus’s genetic material. This allows many copies of that material to be made, which can be used to detect whether or not the virus is present. - A positive COVID-19 PCR test means that SARS-CoV-2 is present. A negative result could either mean that the sample did not contain any virus or that there is too little viral genetic material in the sample to be detected. [...] COVID-19 testing uses a modified version of PCR called quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). This method adds fluorescent dyes to the PCR process to measure the amount of genetic material in a sample. In this instance, healthcare workers measure the amount of genetic material from SARS-CoV-2.
Claim: There are no reliable tests for a specific COVID-19 virus (Jerry Day, Julian Rose, 2020-03-27)
Evidence (2023-02-22): There are two types of virus tests available that can diagnose COVID-19: - Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests (also called Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests [NAATs]) detect the genetic material of the virus that causes COVID-19. The samples are usually sent to a laboratory for testing, and results are usually available in 1 to 3 days. There are also rapid PCR diagnostic tests that are run on specialized equipment on-site, for which the results are available in several minutes. PCR tests tend to be the most reliable tests, whether or not you have symptoms. - Antigen tests detect specific proteins on the virus that causes COVID-19. Antigen tests are rapid diagnostic tests, which means results are available in several minutes. Self-tests taken at home are antigen tests. These tests are not as reliable as PCR tests, especially if you do not have symptoms.
Claim: There are no reliable tests for a specific COVID-19 virus (Jerry Day, Julian Rose, 2020-03-27)
Evidence (2024-02-06): - Testing is the only way to know that someone has been infected with SARS-CoV-2. People with HIV should immediately contact their health care provider if they test positive for COVID-19. People with HIV should also continue taking their HIV medicines as prescribed. [...] You should follow CDC recommendations regarding symptoms of COVID-19 and get tested immediately if you think you may be infected with SARS-CoV-2. A person can be infected with SARS-CoV-2 but show only a few symptoms or no symptoms at all (also known as asymptomatic infection). Testing is the only way to know that someone has been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Testing also ensures that people are not spreading the virus to others. Most health care providers offer COVID-19 testing. Contact your health care provider if you are experiencing COVID-19–related symptoms or have come in contact with an infected person. People can also get tested for COVID-19 at their local pharmacies by making scheduled appointments or drive throughs or by purchasing at-home rapid tests over the counter at local pharmacies. Residential households in the United States can now order free at-home testing kits from the U.S. Postal Service. Visit the CDC website for more information about self-testing and free at-home COVID-19 tests, and visit your state or local health department’s website for information on additional testing sites.
Claim: [S]unspot activity on the surface of our star has dropped to a new low. It’s feared this could herald the arrival of a uniquely grim ‘mini Ice Age’. (Jasper Hamill, 2018-11-20)
Evidence (2018-11-20): Observations have shown that solar flare activity on the surface of the Sun is in the quiet phase of its continuing 11-year cycle. This causes cooling of the thermosphere—a layer of the atmosphere that starts 65 miles above the surface—and will not cause noticeable cooling at the surface.
Claim: [S]unspot activity on the surface of our star has dropped to a new low. It’s feared this could herald the arrival of a uniquely grim ‘mini Ice Age’. (Jasper Hamill, 2018-11-20)
Evidence (2019-06-27): "Humanity is facing a long, cold winter which could see temperatures across the planet plunge to depressing lows. That’s the warning from a Nasa scientist who fears sunspot activity on the surface of our star has dropped so low that it could herald the arrival of a uniquely grim mini Ice Age." [...] "Humanity could soon face a long, cold winter which could see temperatures across the planet plunge to depressing lows. A Nasa scientist has revealed that sunspot activity on the surface of our star has dropped to a new low, causing temperatures in the upper layer of our atmosphere to plummet. Other researchers have previously warned that the slowdown in sunspot activity could herald the arrival of a uniquely grim ‘mini Ice Age’." [...] "A Nasa scientist has revealed that sunspot activity on the surface of our star has dropped to a new low, causing temperatures in the upper layer of our atmosphere to plummet. Other researchers have previously warned that the slowdown in sunspot activity could herald the arrival of a uniquely grim ‘mini Ice Age’. But the Nasa scientist went on to say that the trend he sees is overall global warming, not cooling, and insisted this ‘solar minimum’ does not mean the world is going to shiver through a depressingly long winter."
Claim: [S]unspot activity on the surface of our star has dropped to a new low. It’s feared this could herald the arrival of a uniquely grim ‘mini Ice Age’. (Jasper Hamill, 2018-11-20)
Evidence (2024-10-08): The number of sunspots on our Sun typically ebbs and flows in a predictable 11-year cycle, but one unusual 70-year period when sunspots were incredibly rare has mystified scientists for three hundred years. Now a nearby Sun-like star seems to have paused its own cycles and entered a similar period of rare starspots, according to a team of researchers at Penn State. Continuing to observe this star could help explain what happened to our own Sun during this "Maunder Minimum" as well as lend insight into the Sun's stellar magnetic activity, which can interfere with satellites and global communications and possibly even affect climate on Earth. [...] Starspots appear as a dark spot on a star's surface due to temporary lower temperatures in the area resulting from the star's dynamo -- the process that creates its magnetic field. Astronomers have been documenting changes in starspot frequency on our Sun since they were first observed by Galileo and other astronomers in the 1600s, so there is a good record of its 11-year cycle. The exception is the Maunder Minimum, which lasted from the mid 1600s to early 1700s and has perplexed astronomers ever since. [...] According to the researchers, the star -- called HD 166620 -- was estimated to have a cycle of about 17 years but has now entered a period of low activity and has shown no signs of starspots since 2003.
Claim: [S]unspot activity on the surface of our star has dropped to a new low. It’s feared this could herald the arrival of a uniquely grim ‘mini Ice Age’. (Jasper Hamill, 2018-11-20)
Evidence (2018-11-20): Metro’s claims of coming "mini ice age" have no basis in reality
Claim: [S]unspot activity on the surface of our star has dropped to a new low. It’s feared this could herald the arrival of a uniquely grim ‘mini Ice Age’. (Jasper Hamill, 2018-11-20)
Evidence (2023-07-11): Explanation: Why is our Sun so active now? No one is sure. An increase in surface activity was expected because our Sun is approaching solar maximum in 2025. However, last month our Sun sprouted more sunspots than in any month during the entire previous 11-year solar cycle -- and even dating back to 2002. The featured picture is a composite of images taken every day from January to June by NASA's Solar Dynamic Observatory. Showing a high abundance of sunspots, large individual spots can be tracked across the Sun's disk, left to right, over about two weeks. As a solar cycle continues, sunspots typically appear closer to the equator. Sunspots are just one way that our Sun displays surface activity -- another is flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that expel particles out into the Solar System. Since these particles can affect astronauts and electronics, tracking surface disturbances is of more than aesthetic value. Conversely, solar activity can have very high aesthetic value -- in the Earth's atmosphere when they trigger aurora.
Claim: [S]unspot activity on the surface of our star has dropped to a new low. It’s feared this could herald the arrival of a uniquely grim ‘mini Ice Age’. (Jasper Hamill, 2018-11-20)
Evidence (2023-04-13): Sunspots are dark, planet-size regions of strong magnetic fields on the surface of the sun. They can spawn eruptive disturbances such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). [...] The frequency and intensity of sunspots visible on the surface indicate the level of solar activity during the 11-year solar cycle that is driven by the sun's magnetic field. Sunspots are our window into the sun's complicated magnetic interior, and they have fascinated solar observers for hundreds of years. [...] Then a few years later, the poles start to flip again, everything gets reconfigured, and the number of sunspots starts to to dwindle once more.
Claim: [S]unspot activity on the surface of our star has dropped to a new low. It’s feared this could herald the arrival of a uniquely grim ‘mini Ice Age’. (Jasper Hamill, 2018-11-20)
Evidence (2022-03-24): The number of sunspots on our sun typically ebbs and flows in a predictable 11-year cycle, but one unusual 70-year period when sunspots were incredibly rare has mystified scientists for 300 years. Now, a nearby sun-like star seems to have paused its own cycles and entered a similar period of rare starspots, according to a team of researchers at Penn State. Continuing to observe this star could help explain what happened to our own sun during this "Maunder minimum" as well as lend insight into the sun's stellar magnetic activity, which can interfere with satellites and global communications and possibly even affect climate on Earth. [...] Starspots appear as a dark spot on a star's surface due to temporary lower temperatures in the area resulting from the star's dynamo—the process that creates its magnetic field. Astronomers have been documenting changes in starspot frequency on our sun since they were first observed by Galileo and other astronomers in the 1600s, so there is a good record of its 11-year cycle. The exception is the Maunder minimum, which lasted from the mid 1600s to early 1700s and has perplexed astronomers ever since. [...] According to the researchers, the star—called HD 166620—was estimated to have a cycle of about 17 years but has now entered a period of low activity and has shown no signs of starspots since 2003.
Claim: [S]unspot activity on the surface of our star has dropped to a new low. It’s feared this could herald the arrival of a uniquely grim ‘mini Ice Age’. (Jasper Hamill, 2018-11-20)
Evidence (2024-04-26): Analysis of "Earth heading for ‘mini ice age’ within 15 years" [...] Earth about to enter 30-YEAR ‘Mini Ice Age’ [...] Metro’s claims of coming "mini ice age" have no basis in reality
Claim: [S]unspot activity on the surface of our star has dropped to a new low. It’s feared this could herald the arrival of a uniquely grim ‘mini Ice Age’. (Jasper Hamill, 2018-11-20)
Evidence (2019-01-09): Recently, alarming claims that we are heading towards a "mini ice age" have been popping up across the web. This was the subject of a widely discussed Metro article titled "A mini ice age could be on the way which means it will get very, very cold". Similar claims were also repeated without verification throughout a network of unreliable outlets for climate news including Sputnik, The Sun, Fox News, and numerous hyper-partisan blogs such as Zero Hedge, Principia Scientific, IceAgeNow, Alien-Star… [...] The Metro journalist claimed that this drop in solar activity could cause a cooling at the Earth’s surface: "Sunspot activity on the surface of our star has dropped to a new low. NASA scientist Martin Mlynczak explained to Climate Feedback that headline claims of coming cold weather are false and result from a misunderstanding, as the temperature effect of this low solar activity is primarily felt in the far upper reaches of the outer atmosphere, and is not expected to have any effect on the surface temperatures we experience: [...] Claims of an imminent "mini ice age" linked to solar activity appear frequently at certain outlets, as they make for attention-grabbing stories that purport to contradict projections of human-caused climate change. Scientists have debunked similar statements in the past. In July 2015, for instance, the Telegraph published an article titled "Earth heading for ‘mini ice age’ within 15 years". And in 2016, the Heartland Institute published a booklet aimed at children in the US claiming that "the next few decades may be marked by global cooling rather than warming".
Claim: [S]unspot activity on the surface of our star has dropped to a new low. It’s feared this could herald the arrival of a uniquely grim ‘mini Ice Age’. (Jasper Hamill, 2018-11-20)
Evidence (2024-09-01): A region of lower brightness and more intense magnetic activity on the surface of a star, equivalent to a sunspot.
Claim: Chemtrails contain toxic substances such as barium salts that are 10 thousand times more toxic to your nervous system than lead (William Deagle, 2023-06-04)
Evidence (2023-06-04): Aeroplanes sometimes leave a trail of condensed water – a contrail – in their wake depending on factors such as altitude and weather conditions. The water condenses as the hot exhaust from the engine hits air, which is cold at high altitude. Some people have pointed to these as evidence of chemtrails but they are water vapour. There is no evidence of chemicals including barium salts deliberately deposited in the atmosphere to counter climate change or for any other reason.
Claim: Chemtrails contain toxic substances such as barium salts that are 10 thousand times more toxic to your nervous system than lead (William Deagle, 2023-06-04)
Evidence (2022-07-22): Some think malign forces are spraying the population with dangerous chemicals - so-called chemtrails - for purposes that are neither entirely clear nor consistent. [...] Initially, believers claimed sprays containing a toxic metal, barium, were being used to either pacify or reduce populations. [...] Chemtrail social media groups also often contain anti-vaccine posts and promote climate change denialism, feeding off an increase in conspiracy thinking during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the rise of the QAnon conspiracy theory during the Trump presidency.
Claim: Chemtrails contain toxic substances such as barium salts that are 10 thousand times more toxic to your nervous system than lead (William Deagle, 2023-06-04)
Evidence (2021-04-19): Environmental barium: potential exposure and health-hazards [...] Moffett D, Smith C, Stevens Y, Ingerman L, Swarts S, Chappell L (2007) Toxicological profile for barium and barium compounds. Agency for toxic substances and disease registry. US Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, Georgia [...] Serenella Medici or Geir Bjørklund.
Claim: Chemtrails contain toxic substances such as barium salts that are 10 thousand times more toxic to your nervous system than lead (William Deagle, 2023-06-04)
Evidence (2021-10-07): The belief in chemtrails parallels increasing public distrust of elites and social institutions, according to earlier social science research. To those convinced, the chemicals are sprayed to regulate the food supply, control human population and/or manipulate weather patterns. In recent years, the theory has expanded to include government-sponsored geoengineering to mitigate climate change. [...] "Despite the persistence of erroneous theories about atmospheric chemical spraying programs, until now there were no peer-reviewed academic studies showing that what some people think are chemtrails are just ordinary contrails," said Carnegie investigator and co-author Ken Caldeira. "Contrails are becoming more abundant as air travel expands. Also, it is possible that climate change is causing contrails to persist for longer than they used to." [...] UC Irvine’s Davis said: "We don’t imagine that we’re going to sway the beliefs of hardcore adherents to the chemtrails conspiracy theory with this study. But we thought it was important to go on the record with fundamental scientific facts to refute claims that the government is deliberately spreading harmful chemicals from aircraft."
Claim: Chemtrails contain toxic substances such as barium salts that are 10 thousand times more toxic to your nervous system than lead (William Deagle, 2023-06-04)
Evidence (2016-08-16): Chemtrails Debunked by Atmospheric Scientists [...] RELATED: Viral Video Claims to Prove Chemtrails Conspiracy Theory Beyond that, when showed the evidence presented by chemtrails proponents — such as strontium, barium and aluminum found in water, soil and snow samples — the researchers concluded that those things could be explained through other factors, "including well-understood physics and chemistry associated with aircraft contrails and atmospheric aerosols."
Claim: Chemtrails contain toxic substances such as barium salts that are 10 thousand times more toxic to your nervous system than lead (William Deagle, 2023-06-04)
Evidence (2022-01-27): If Your Time is short • So-called "chemtrails" are not real, according to atmospheric chemists and geochemists. [...] Some people believe that chemtrails are a "secret, large-scale atmospheric spraying program," said a study published in 2016 by the Carnegie Institution for Science, University of California Irvine and the nonprofit organization Near Zero. [...] The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has also debunked the chemtrails conspiracy theory. The agency says it is not aware of any deliberate release of chemicals or biological agents into the atmosphere.
Claim: Chemtrails contain toxic substances such as barium salts that are 10 thousand times more toxic to your nervous system than lead (William Deagle, 2023-06-04)
Evidence (2016-08-12): Surveyed scientists debunk chemtrails conspiracy theory [...] "Despite the persistence of erroneous theories about atmospheric chemical spraying programs, until now there were no peer-reviewed academic studies showing that what some people think are chemtrails are just ordinary contrails," said Carnegie investigator and co-author Ken Caldeira. "Contrails are becoming more abundant as air travel expands. Also, it is possible that climate change is causing contrails to persist for longer than they used to." [...] UCI’s Davis said: "We don’t imagine that we’re going to sway the beliefs of hardcore adherents to the chemtrails conspiracy theory with this study. But we thought it was important to go on the record with fundamental scientific facts to refute claims that the government is deliberately spreading harmful chemicals from aircraft."
Claim: Chemtrails contain toxic substances such as barium salts that are 10 thousand times more toxic to your nervous system than lead (William Deagle, 2023-06-04)
Evidence (2019-05-11): The chemtrail conspiracy theory /ˈkɛmtreɪl/ is the erroneous[1] belief that long-lasting condensation trails left in the sky by high-flying aircraft are actually "chemtrails" consisting of chemical or biological agents, sprayed for nefarious purposes undisclosed to the general public.[2] Believers in this conspiracy theory say that while normal contrails dissipate relatively quickly, contrails that linger must contain additional substances.[3][4] Those who subscribe to the theory speculate that the purpose of the chemical release may be solar radiation management,[3] weather modification, psychological manipulation, human population control, biological or chemical warfare, or testing of biological or chemical agents on a population, and that the trails are causing respiratory illnesses and other health problems.[2][5] [...] The term 'chemtrail' is a portmanteau of the words 'chemical' and 'trail', just as 'contrail' blends 'condensation' and 'trail'.[12] [...] Jim Marrs has cited a 2007 Louisiana television station report as evidence for chemtrails. In the report, the air underneath a crosshatch of supposed chemtrails was measured and apparently found to contain unsafe levels of barium: at 6.8 parts per million, three times the nationally recommended limit. But a subsequent analysis of the footage showed that the equipment had been misused and the reading exaggerated by a factor of 100—the true level of barium measured was both usual and safe.[8]
Claim: Chemtrails contain toxic substances such as barium salts that are 10 thousand times more toxic to your nervous system than lead (William Deagle, 2023-06-04)
Evidence (2023-04-20): The conspiracy theory that the U.S. government is intentionally spraying toxic chemicals into the air has persisted for nearly two decades. The baseless claims often refer to so-called "chemtrails" and say that the condensation trails behind airplanes are part of an atmospheric spraying program meant to depopulate the world. A new, related claim says the government has admitted to the spraying, citing a video of former CIA Director John Brennan.
Claim: Chemtrails contain toxic substances such as barium salts that are 10 thousand times more toxic to your nervous system than lead (William Deagle, 2023-06-04)
Evidence (2022-07-22): Some think malign forces are spraying the population with dangerous chemicals - so-called chemtrails - for purposes that are neither entirely clear nor consistent. [...] Initially, believers claimed sprays containing a toxic metal, barium, were being used to either pacify or reduce populations. [...] Like many persistent conspiracies, the chemtrails idea comes with a kernel of truth.
Claim: Chemtrails contain toxic substances such as barium salts that are 10 thousand times more toxic to your nervous system than lead (William Deagle, 2023-06-04)
Evidence (2012-07-01): Chemical trails harmful to health 15.3.2012 [...] According to an Italian blogger, from 1996 until now, there has been an increase in chemical trails, also known as chemtrails, which many people know nothing about. These trails, unlike condensation trails, do not dissipate quickly into the atmosphere. In addition, there is proof which confirms the presence of there being harmful chemical elements in the trails. Some researchers have studied the composition and effects of this phenomenon, which may to us seem harmless and commonplace. According to these experts, chemical trails are the result of experimental operations which have manifold purposes. The main objectives, albeit unproven, range from the meteorological to the military. The analyses carried out have verified the presence of the following elements in the chemtrails: barium, aluminium, radioactive thorium and caesium, copper, titanium, silicon, lithium, cobalt, lead, ethylene dibromide and several pathogenic agents. Chemical trails can cause a condition called Morgellons syndrome. It is a disease which causes serious deterioration in the body. As well as this disease, chemtrails are associated with other illnesses such as tumours, Parkinson’s disease and cardiac dysfunction.
Claim: Chemtrails contain toxic substances such as barium salts that are 10 thousand times more toxic to your nervous system than lead (William Deagle, 2023-06-04)
Evidence (2024-05-06): Increased Cancer Risk: Many of the elements found in chemtrails, such as barium, aluminium, and lead, are known carcinogens, contributing to a higher incidence of cancer in exposed populations. [...] While the debate over the existence and purpose of chemtrails continues, evidence suggesting their harmful effects on human health cannot be ignored. The presence of potentially toxic elements and pathogens in chemtrails poses significant risks to public health, manifesting in various ailments ranging from respiratory illnesses to neurological disorders and cancer. Further research and public awareness are essential to address this pressing issue and mitigate the potential health impacts of chemtrail exposure. [...] Chemical trails harmful to health