Bad Science

This book by Ben Goldacre has been genuinely recommended 4 times on Tim Ferriss. The people who vouched for it on air: Tim Ferriss. It comes up in conversations about addiction & recovery, brain health, exercise & strength, fasting, longevity & aging. The earliest recommendation we indexed is from Jun 2021 and the most recent from May 2025. Every quote below is verbatim, attributed, and linked to the exact second it was said. Sourced expert opinion, not medical advice.

Full of spleen, this will be a hilarious, invigorating and informative journey through the world of Bad Science.When Dr Ben Goldacre saw someone on daytime TV dipping her feet in an 'Aqua Detox' footbath, releasing her toxins into the water, turning it brown, he thought he'd try the same at home. 'Like some kind of Johnny Ball cum Witchfinder General', using his girlfriend's Barbie doll, he gently passed an electrical current through the warm salt water. It turned brown.

• “There's a book called Bad Science that I actually excerpted for the 4-Hour Body at one point just to give you an idea of what matters”

  Why it counts as a recommendation: “I actually excerpted for the 4-Hour Body”
  Tim Ferriss · The Tim Ferriss Show · May 202500:05:11

  Said during "New Health Gadgets, How to Drink Less, AI, & More". The episode features Kevin Rose: Tech entrepreneur and investor (founder of Digg, partner at True Ventures, host of the Modern Finance/Diggnation podcasts) and Tim Ferriss's recurring co-host on The Random Show. Tim Ferriss and Kevin Rose swap health gadgets, sobriety strategies, Japan/Taiwan travel, brain stimulation, genomics, and AI's threat to online trust.

• “And if they... read a book like Bad Science by Ben Goldacre, who's an MD. British, so some of the cultural context and examples may not resonate”

  Why it counts as a recommendation: “if they... read a book like Bad Science by Ben Goldacre”
  Tim Ferriss · The Tim Ferriss Show · Mar 202300:46:16

  Said during "Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, Dr. Peter Attia". The episode features Dr. Peter Attia: Physician focused on longevity and healthspan, founder of Early Medical, and author of the book Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity. Peter Attia unpacks the longevity science behind Outlive: muscle, VO2 max, glucose, cancer screening, and emotional health.

• “I'll make a recommendation there's a book called bad science by Ben goldacre who's a I believe he's a UK physician excellent Communicator as well”

  Why it counts as a recommendation: “I'll make a recommendation there's a book called bad science ... excellent Communicator ... there are a number of sections in this book that I think are valuable”
  Tim Ferriss · The Tim Ferriss Show · Jun 202200:09:18

  Said during "Ed Thorp on How to Think for Yourself, How to Be Inner-Directed, and The Dangers of Investing Fads". The episode features Ed Thorp: Mathematician, hedge fund pioneer, and author who beat blackjack and Wall Street; wrote Beat the Dealer, Beat the Market, and A Man for All Markets. Investor Ed Thorp on long-term thinking, numeracy, avoiding risks, and aging well at 89.

• “there's a book that i enjoy tremendously called bad science by ben goldacre... i enjoyed that so much that had a few excerpts from that book put into the appendix”

  Why it counts as a recommendation: “a book that i enjoy tremendously called bad science by ben goldacre”
  Tim Ferriss · The Tim Ferriss Show · Jun 202102:11:04

  Said during "Dr. Peter Attia, Longevity Drugs, Alzheimer's Disease, and More". The episode features Dr. Peter Attia: A physician focused on the applied science of longevity, blending nutrition, exercise, sleep, and pharmacology to extend lifespan and healthspan. A former ultra-endurance athlete and host of The Drive podcast, he trained at Johns Hopkins and NIH and holds an MD from Stanford. Peter Attia and Tim Ferriss go deep on longevity drugs, cancer screening, zone two training, psilocybin research, and how to read studies.