Yvette d'Entremont

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Yvette d'Entremont
File:Yvette d'Entremont at the American Atheists 2015 National Convention.png
Yvette d'Entremont speaking at the American Atheists 2015 National Convention
Born Newburyport, Massachusetts, United States
Residence Anaheim, California, United States
Alma mater Emmanuel College
Known for Science blogging
Website www.scibabe.com

Yvette d'Entremont, also known as SciBabe, is a public speaker, science blogger, and former analytical chemist. She also has a background in both forensics and toxicology.[1] Her blog, SciBabe, is dedicated to "clearing up misinformation about science, food and nutrition."[1] She also debunks ideas about alternative medicine, the anti-vaccination movement, and the anti-GMO (genetically modified organisms) movement.[2]

Biography

D'Entremont was born in Newburyport[3] and raised in New Hampshire. She currently lives in Anaheim.[4] She has bachelor's degrees in theater and chemistry and a master's degree in forensic science.[5][6] She is a graduate of Emmanuel College.[3]

When d'Entremont began to suffer what she described as "the worst headache of my life", which lasted for eight months, she tried various remedies and attempted different diets, going vegan or all organic. None of these things helped her, and she eventually got the right diagnosis (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) and the right combination of medicine for her condition.[6][7][8] D'Entremont also suffers from celiac's disease, an autoimmune disorder associated with the consumption of gluten.[8] She cites these experiences as her motivation for becoming a blogger and debunking diet myths.[6]

D'Entremont has worked for Amvac Chemical Corp[4] and was an adjunct professor at Emmanuel College.

Work

D'Entremont believes that using "snarky humor" is an important tool for communicating science, and she says that she has been influenced by the style of Penn & Teller's show, Bullshit.[6]

D'Entremont started blogging in 2014.[5] Her writing, which includes real science and a lot of humor, came to the attention of an editor at Gawker.[9] When D'Entremont's April 2015 Gawker article about Vani Hari, titled The 'Food Babe' Blogger is Full of Shit[6] went viral,[9] she began to get wider recognition. Though it was her first paid writing job, this article led to a book deal. SciBabe's Ten Rules for BS Detection[4] due to be released in 2016, will deal with ways to tell the difference between real science and pseudoscience.[3]

Hari's moniker of "Food Babe" inspired d'Entremont to choose a similar name: "Science Babe."[6] Since that name had previously been claimed by another scientist, Debbie Berebichez, the name became shortened to "SciBabe."[6] In response to criticism about using the word babe in her nickname, d'Entremont has said it is about helping science seem "relatable and sexy."[10]

Some science communicators have praised the approach writers such as d'Entremont use for writing about science as being "relatable", and so it can "play an important role in teaching the public."[4] Pamela Ronald, a biologist at UC Davis applauded d'Entremont's sense of humor.[4]

D'Entremont has also conducted several "stunt" tests of homeopathic remedies in order to demonstrate their ineffectiveness or deceptive advertising. In one event, she drank six bottles of homeopathic laxatives sold as "CVS Constipation Relief" from CVS Pharmacy chains.[11] Drinking the "remedy" did not cause any effects, except to make her well over the legal blood-alcohol limit because the "CVS Constipation Relief" contained only alcohol and water.[11] In another stunt, she created a YouTube video where she took 50 "homeopathic sleeping pills" at once, with no effects.[12]

References

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External links