"We've always had things that can be called inaccurate," she says. "The problem in the science realm is deciding where is the line between bad science reporting and fake news."
For instance, is a news story that says caffeine might cure cancer, based on a study of just 10 people, fake news or is the study just poorly reported?
Unlike other kinds of fake news, inaccurate science news often spreads through social networks because it sometimes offers hope, Brossard says. People will share stories that fit what they want to believe, like a new treatment might cure a loved one's Alzheimer's disease.
"Journalists are not all well-trained to assess the validity of a study," she says. "They are trying to find the human interest and the hope—a headline like: 'New study brings hope to families with Alzheimer's.'"
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2017-02-expert-science-fake-news.html#jCp