Simon Maechling, PhD

12 May

The biggest public health problem today isn’t chemicals. It’s scientific illiteracy.

open.substack.com11/4/25: EWW! You Should Still Wash ORGANIC Produce; What SNAP is Spent On; Donation Advice; Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity--What if it's NOT the Gluten?; Thanks for Giving with Build Up DietitiansBecause EVERYBODY Eats

19 Nov 2025

I’m not a bot. I’m a chemist. I’m a human with a PhD trying to talk about science. My goal is simple, make people smarter, not angrier. Science, explained clearly. If you’re human too, drop a “Hi” so I know I’m not shouting into the botnet.

Simon Maechling, PhD reposted

Build Up Dietitians

@builduprdns.bsky.social

4 Nov 2025

Sneak peek at Tuesday's GROCERY Cart Newsletter open.substack.com/pub/thegroce... Look for mention of @conscienhealth.bsky.social @mcgilloss.bsky.social @simonmaechling.bsky.social

Simon Maechling, PhD reposted

Physicians for a Healthy Democracy

@physiciandemocracy.medsky.social

6 Oct 2025

@drneilstone.bsky.social www.wrdw.com/2025/10/03/s...

Simon Maechling, PhD reposted

Physicians for a Healthy Democracy

@physiciandemocracy.medsky.social

5 Oct 2025

Physicians for a Healthy Democracy

5 Oct 2025

The appeal to nature fallacy isn’t cute or harmless. It’s the reason people fear medicine, vaccines, GMOs, and chemistry itself. It’s not “back to nature.” It’s back to ignorance.

Simon Maechling, PhD reposted

@physiciandemocracy.medsky.social

4 Oct 2025

What happens when farmers plant GMOs? A new study from Bangladesh shows the answer: ⬆️More yield. ⬇️Less pesticide. ⬆️Higher income. Let’s unpack the data 🧵1/

This isn’t a promise. It’s already happening. Bt brinjal is one of the most successful real-world GMO case studies. More countries should learn from Bangladesh. 🔁 Share this if you believe in science-based farming. 11/

tandfonline.comImpact of genetically modified Brinjal (Bt brinjal) on farmers’ income and production in Pabna District, BangladeshApproval of Bt brinjal cultivation represents a crucial step forward for Bangladesh in agricultural biotechnology. However, the scalability of Bt brinjal adoption faces barriers, mainly due to resi...

Here is the link to the study: Impact of genetically modified Brinjal (Bt brinjal) on farmers’ income and production in Pabna District, Bangladesh. 12/ www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

What happens when farmers plant GMOs? A new study from Bangladesh shows the answer: ⬆️More yield. ⬇️Less pesticide. ⬆️Higher income. Let’s unpack the data 🧵1/

THE BOTTOM LINE: Bt brinjal in Bangladesh delivers: ✅ More yield. ✅ Less pesticide. ✅ More income. ✅ Fewer sprays. ✅ No trade-offs. All thanks to a small genetic tweak. 9/

What if Europe allowed this too? Instead of banning gene editing… We could grow more with less and protect farmers. And reduce our pesticide footprint. But ideology still blocks innovation. 10/

What happens when farmers plant GMOs? A new study from Bangladesh shows the answer: ⬆️More yield. ⬇️Less pesticide. ⬆️Higher income. Let’s unpack the data 🧵1/

INCOME: +69% HIGHER PROFIT Bt brinjal farmers earned 90,708 BDT/ha. Non-Bt farmers earned 53,217 BDT/ha. That’s a $340 per hectare difference in local currency. Big deal for smallholders. 7/

NO YIELD TRADE-OFF: Critics often say GMOs trade off nutrition or quality. But here, the market price of Bt brinjal was similar or slightly better. No penalty. No rejection. Just better results. 8/

What happens when farmers plant GMOs? A new study from Bangladesh shows the answer: ⬆️More yield. ⬇️Less pesticide. ⬆️Higher income. Let’s unpack the data 🧵1/

YIELD: +43% MORE Bt brinjal farmers harvested 19.67 tons/ha. Non-Bt farmers got 13.75 tons/ha. That’s a massive jump from just one trait change. 5/

PESTICIDE: -40% LESS Bt brinjal required far fewer insecticide sprays. Why? The plant already protects itself. This means: 🟢 Lower costs. 🟢 Lower exposure. 6/

What happens when farmers plant GMOs? A new study from Bangladesh shows the answer: ⬆️More yield. ⬇️Less pesticide. ⬆️Higher income. Let’s unpack the data 🧵1/

Enter: Bt brinjal This is a genetically modified eggplant. It produces a natural protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that kills FSB. 3/

Study Design: ✔️ 300 farmers ✔️ 150 growing Bt brinjal ✔️ 150 growing non-Bt brinjal ✔️ Surveyed on yield, input costs, pesticide use, and profits. 4/

What happens when farmers plant GMOs? A new study from Bangladesh shows the answer: ⬆️More yield. ⬇️Less pesticide. ⬆️Higher income. Let’s unpack the data 🧵1/

Location: Pabna District, Bangladesh. Brinjal (eggplant) is a major crop here. But pests like the fruit and shoot borer (FSB) cause major losses. 2/

Energy demand keeps rising. Food demand keeps rising. But our policies are stuck in 1970. It’s time to remove the ideological blinders. Because the world needs more power and more food — Not more fear. Let’s talk about nuclear and GMOs. 🧵1/

The only thing standing in the way? 🚫 Outdated ideologies 🚫 Anti-science movements 🚫 Fear-based politics The planet can’t afford that anymore. 8/

Bottom line: We need to power the future. We need to feed the future. That means embracing the tools that work. ☢️ Nuclear 🌽 GMOs Science is not the enemy. It’s our only way forward. 9/

What are the real risks? ⚠️ Burning more coal and gas because we shut down nuclear. ⚠️ Plowing more forests and using more pesticides because we banned biotech. We’re not avoiding danger. We’re creating it — by rejecting innovation. 6/

We don’t need magical new solutions. We already have: ✅ Clean, scalable power ✅ Precise, sustainable farming tools They’re called nuclear and GMOs. And they’re ready right now. 7/

Both nuclear and GMOs have been victims of the same script: 🔻 Decades of fear-mongering 🔻 Cherry-picked horror stories 🔻 “Natural is better” fallacies 🔻 Political paralysis 🔻 Activist lawsuits The result? We blocked the very technologies that could save lives. 4/

Let’s get this straight: ☢️ Nuclear is not dangerous. It has the lowest death rate per kWh of any energy source — including wind and solar. 🌽 GMOs are not risky. After 30 years, thousands of studies, and billions of meals: No proven health harms. Only benefits. 5/

Energy use is surging. AI, data centers, electric cars, industrial growth. We’re going to need 2x more electricity by 2050. Yet we’re shutting down nuclear — The cleanest, safest, and most reliable energy source ever invented. Why? 2/

Food demand is also rising fast. We need to grow more food using less land, less water, and fewer resources. GMOs help us do that. But instead of celebrating them, we ban them — While hunger, emissions, and prices rise. 3/

22 Sept 2025

I’ve played nice. I’ve held my tongue. But no more. The lie that vaccines are dangerous is killing people. We have lives to protect. Vaccines are safe, effective, and essential. Enough of the fear-mongering.

20 Sept 2025

I’m in the other place. What’s this place like. Is it worth me paying here?

20 Sept 2025

France just spent €11 million to answer one question: Are people living near vineyards dangerously exposed to pesticides? The results are in. 🧵 1/

So what’s the headline? Living near vineyards = more exposure, yes. But at low, regulated, safe levels. No health risks detected. €11 million later, the result is simple: The science is reassuring. 8/

lepoint.frPestiRiv' : une photographie rassurante de l’exposition des riverains aux pesticidesLes Français habitant près des vignes sont plus exposés à certains pesticides, confirme une vaste étude pilotée par l’Anses et Santé publique France. Mais les niveaux d’exposition restent faibles.

PestiRiv : une photographie rassurante de l’exposition des riverains aux pesticides Les Français habitant près des vignes sont plus exposés à certains pesticides, mais les niveaux d’exposition restent faibles. 9/ www.lepoint.fr/societe/pest...

France just spent €11 million to answer one question: Are people living near vineyards dangerously exposed to pesticides? The results are in. 🧵 1/

And here’s the big takeaway: The exposure levels measured match the worst-case scenarios already built into EU pesticide approvals. Translation: the regulatory system works. Predictions = reality. 6/

Still, the agencies recommend: Reducing pesticide use further (Ecophyto 2030). Informing residents better (close windows, clean floors during treatments). Practical steps, not panic. 7/

France just spent €11 million to answer one question: Are people living near vineyards dangerously exposed to pesticides? The results are in. 🧵 1/

Example: folpel, a common fungicide. Average indoor concentration during spraying season = 0.09 nanograms/m³. That’s 0.00000000009 grams per cubic meter. Detection ≠ danger. 4/

The study compared results to toxicological reference values (when they exist). Glyphosate, ETU, pyrethroids… All well below health concern thresholds. No alarm signal. 5/

France just spent €11 million to answer one question: Are people living near vineyards dangerously exposed to pesticides? The results are in. 🧵 1/

The PestiRiv study followed 2,700 people (adults + kids) living near and far from vineyards. Blood, urine, hair, dust, indoor & outdoor air samples. Two years of data, during and outside spraying season. A first-of-its-kind national snapshot. 2/

The findings? Yes - residents near vineyards have higher exposure to certain pesticides. Especially during spraying months (March–August). That’s expected. But here’s the key: levels are low. Very low. 3/