Glossary
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Plandemic | A term used by conspiracy theorists to claim the COVID-19 pandemic was planned. The claims have been repeatedly debunked. Science Literacy |
| Planet | A large body that orbits a star, is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, and has cleared its orbital path of other objects. Science General |
| Plate tectonics | The theory that Earth's outer shell is divided into large plates that move slowly, causing earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building. Science General |
| Plutocrats | Wealthy individuals and corporate magnates - wield outsized influence over public discourse. Their funding networks shape think tanks, political campaigns, and media outlets that cast doubt on scientific consensus, particularly around climate change and public health. Science General |
| Pneumococcal vaccine | A vaccine that protects against Streptococcus pneumoniae, a common cause of pneumonia, meningitis, and ear and bloodstream infections. Vaccines |
| Polio | Poliomyelitis, a viral disease that can cause permanent paralysis. Vaccination has eliminated wild poliovirus from most of the world. Vaccines |
| Polymer | A large molecule made of many repeating units, such as plastics, proteins, and DNA. Science General |
| Polysaccharide vaccine | A vaccine made from sugar molecules on a bacterium's surface. It works poorly in young children, which led to the development of conjugate vaccines. Vaccines |
| Population | The entire group the researcher is studying. If the researcher cannot gather data from the population, studying large random samples taken from the population can be used to estimate how the population would respond. Science General |
| Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc | Latin for 'after this, therefore because of this'. The fallacy that because one event followed another, the first caused the second, as in claims that a vaccine caused a later illness. Antiscience |