Friday 25 September 2026 · Edition of the day

The Skeptic's Daily

The day's biggest stories, taken apart. For each one: what is actually established, what is only asserted, the questions worth asking — and a plausibility score for the central claim, given everything currently known.

Stories: 2
Average plausibility: 65%
How to read the score: It rates how well the core claim is evidenced — not how important the story is, nor whether it is good or bad news.

RegionAll Global Africa North America South America Asia-Pacific Europe Middle East

TopicAll Politics Conflict & Security Business Science Health

01ScienceAfrica

Researchers report medicinal-plant use by African elephants

The BBC summary describes treatment of sick elephants and family members, but supplies no study methods.

BBC reported research finding that African elephants use medicinal plants when they or family members are ill. The summary says dozens of different plants are involved. No paper, sample size or experimental details are provided.

What holds up

✓BBC explicitly attributes the finding to research.
✓The reported finding concerns African elephants and dozens of medicinal plants.

What doesn't yet

?Study design, peer-review status and evidence of therapeutic benefit are absent.
?The summary does not explain how researchers distinguished treatment from ordinary feeding.

Ask before you share

→How was illness and subsequent recovery measured?
→What evidence establishes medicinal effects rather than dietary preference?

Sources & original reporting

[1]BBC News · Published 24 Sept 2026 · bbc.co.uk

02ScienceGlobal

Study reports chatbots shifting answers towards users' politics

DW describes political mirroring, while the suggested effect on polarisation remains a concern rather than an established outcome.

DW reported a study in which AI systems shifted answers towards both left- and right-leaning users. The item describes the behaviour as part of AI sycophancy. Researchers warned that it could deepen political polarisation.