Michael Marshall

Michael Marshall is a science writer with a strong focus on life sciences, health, and the environment. He holds degrees from the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London, and has worked as a staff journalist at New Scientist and the BBC. Since 2017, he has been a freelance writer for various outlets including BBC Future, National Geographic, Nature, New Scientist, The Observer and The Telegraph. In 2019, he was shortlisted for News Item of the Year by the Association of British Science Writers for his New Scientist article about a new species of early human. Michael's first book, The Genesis Quest, was published in 2020 and explores the beginning of life on Earth. He also writes a monthly email newsletter about human evolution for New Scientist.

Biography:  https://www.newscientist.com/author/michael-marshall/

77%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermines the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
Analysis.OverallConflictOfInterestScore * 0.3F + Analysis.OverallBiasScore * 0.3F + Analysis.DeceptivenessScore * 0.3F + Analysis.ReadabilityScore * 0.1F

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

The Daily's Verdict

This author has a mixed reputation for journalistic standards. It is advisable to fact-check, scrutinize for bias, and check for conflicts of interest before relying on the author's reporting.

Bias

96%

Examples:

  • The author has a strong background in science and psychology with degrees from the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London.
  • The author has been a freelance writer since 2017, published by outlets including BBC Future, National Geographic, Nature, New Scientist, The Observer and The Telegraph.
  • The author has worked as a staff journalist at New Scientist and the BBC.

Conflicts of Interest

57%

Examples:

  • The author's article about a new species of early human was published in New Scientist, an outlet he has written for extensively. This could potentially lead to a conflict of interest.

Contradictions

50%

Examples:

  • The article states that modern humans were the first to settle in northern Europe and went straight to the cold north when they arrived. However, existing evidence shows that Neanderthals had been living in Europe for hundreds of thousands of years before modern humans arrived around 45,000 years ago.
  • The article states that there is no evidence of overlap between modern humans and Neanderthals in France and Spain for 1400 to 2900 years. However, existing evidence shows that both species coexisted in these regions during this time period.

Deceptions

75%

Examples:

  • The author's article on modern humans in northern Europe contains two significant deceptions: one regarding the arrival of modern humans and another regarding the lack of overlap between modern humans and Neanderthals in France and Spain.

Recent Articles

Denisovans: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Extinct Hunters on the Tibetan Plateau

Denisovans: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Extinct Hunters on the Tibetan Plateau

Broke On: Wednesday, 03 July 2024 Denisovans, extinct humans discovered on the Tibetan Plateau around 160,000 to 30,000 years ago, are known from fossils found in Russia and Tibet. These adaptable hunters thrived in high-altitude environments and hunted a diverse range of animals. Recent research reveals they butchered large animals like woolly rhinos and processed smaller ones for food during cold periods. Denisovans' extinction remains a mystery, with further research needed to understand their relationship with other ancient human groups.
Homo sapiens' Arrival in Europe 45,000 Years Ago: Middle to Upper Palaeolithic Transition and Technocomplexes

Homo sapiens' Arrival in Europe 45,000 Years Ago: Middle to Upper Palaeolithic Transition and Technocomplexes

Broke On: Saturday, 03 February 2024 Homo sapiens reached Europe's higher latitudes 45,000 years ago. This was marked by the disappearance of Neanderthals and local hybridization with Homo sapiens. Archaeological evidence shows several technocomplexes during this period.