What is "junk science"

n. 1 (context uncountable pejorative English) Assertions that have the appearance, but not the actuality, of scientific support. 2 (context countable pejorative English) A cluster of assertions, publications, and experts that have the appearance, but not the actuality, of a scientific specialty.

The expression junk science is used to describe scientific data, research, or analysis considered by the person using the phrase to be spurious or fraudulent. The concept is often invoked in political and legal contexts where facts and scientific results have a great amount of weight in making a determination. It usually conveys a pejorative connotation that the research has been untowardly driven by political, ideological, financial, or otherwise unscientific motives.

The concept was popularized in the 1990s in relation to expert testimony in civil litigation. More recently, invoking the concept has been a tactic to criticize research on the harmful environmental or public health effects of corporate activities, and occasionally in response to such criticism. The term has been used by proponents of both sides of such political debates. Author Dan Agin in his book Junk Science harshly criticized those who deny the basic premise of global warming, while former Fox News commentator Steven Milloy has extensively denounced research linking the fossil fuel industry to climate change, on his website junkscience.com.

In some contexts, junk science is counterposed to the "sound science" or "solid science" that favors one's own point of view. This dichotomy has been particularly promoted by Steven Milloy and the Advancement of Sound Science Center, and is somewhat different from pseudoscience and fringe science.

Junk Science is the first studio album by electronic music duo Deep Dish. The album reached #37 in United Kingdom.