NYT Epic Fail on Acupuncture
https://theness.com/neurologicablog/nyt-epic-fail-on-acupuncture/
The NYT Magazine piece on the interstitium leans into a speculative link to acupuncture that falls apart on closer look. The interstitium is a real anatomical concept, but the claim that it explains how acupuncture works is a historical misinterpretation and misrepresentation. Acupuncture as a practice is far younger than claimed, with a history that doesn’t align with ancient anatomical knowledge. Even when studies touch on correlations between interstitial spaces and meridians, the evidence is weak and inconsistent. In short, no solid evidence supports meridians or acupuncture points, and the interstitium doesn’t resolve the mystery of acupuncture’s effectiveness. The piece becomes sloppy pseudoscience rather than a clear update on biology.
