ProPublica is going downhill.

I've generally liked ProPublica's investigative reporting, but man has its science reporting really gone downhill.

They had a recent story on cell phone radiation parroting some of the crappy fearmongering that just won't die on this topic. The author conflated some really basic things. And their piece on the coronavirus lab leak theory was just embarrassing on so many levels.

Albeit I don't rely on them for science reporting, but man it makes me question the rest of the outlet when they let stuff go to print that is this lousy.

And sure science reporting is hard and most outlets tend to be crap on it as a rule, but yeesh. These pieces weren't up to their usual high quality I've come to expect.

I'll be the first to acknowledge that NYTimes for years had the absolute worst science reporting. But they've actually improved a lot in the last few years. Really shows when an outlet invests in good science reporters (ahem the Atlantic).