Joel Achenbach,

Joel Achenbach is a Washington, D.C.-based reporter who covers science and politics for The Washington Post. He has been with the newspaper since 1990 and has written extensively on topics such as dinosaurs, particle physics, earthquakes, extraterrestrial life, megafauna extinction and the electrical grid. A graduate of Princeton University in politics (1982), he is also a regular contributor to National Geographic.

Biography:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/joel-achenbach/

64%

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

85%

Examples:

  • The author seems to have a bias towards sensationalism and exaggeration in his reporting on the solar eclipse. He uses phrases such as 'Wow!' and 'totally worth it' which suggest that he is trying to elicit an emotional response from the reader rather than providing objective information.

Conflicts of Interest

0%

Examples:

  • The author does not appear to have any conflicts of interest in his reporting as he does not mention any personal or professional ties to the entities involved in the stories. However, this cannot be verified without more information on his sources and funding.

Contradictions

85%

Examples:

  • The author contradicts himself by stating that there was no significant evidence of brain injury in Havana syndrome patients while also reporting on findings that showed unusual characteristics on MRI scans. He also implies that the NIH study is conclusive when it actually found only weak associations.

Deceptions

100%

Examples:

  • The author is deceptive in his reporting by presenting biased and contradictory views that do not reflect the complexity of the issues he covers. He uses language to influence the reader's perception without providing sufficient evidence or context.

Recent Articles

Havana Syndrome: A Mysterious Illness Plaguing US Government Workers and Their Families

Havana Syndrome: A Mysterious Illness Plaguing US Government Workers and Their Families

Broke On: Monday, 18 March 2024 Havana syndrome, a mysterious illness affecting US government workers and their families in various locations including Cuba, Austria and China. Symptoms include severe headaches, dizziness, nausea and fatigue with no evidence of brain damage or unusual injury pattern.