Almanac · Editorial Policy
Standards
How articles on this site are researched, sourced, corrected and funded.
Articles are researched against primary sources wherever possible: peer-reviewed literature, standards documentation from bodies such as the National Weather Service and the World Health Organization, and published model specifications. Secondary sources are used for orientation, not as the basis for factual claims.
Where a claim rests on a physical or physiological mechanism, the article explains the mechanism rather than asserting the conclusion. A reader who understands why UVB fails in winter can apply that anywhere; a reader told only that winter sun does not work cannot.
Several subjects covered here have genuinely contested evidence bases — the mechanism of seasonal affective disorder, the magnitude of nature-exposure effects, the performance threshold for dehydration, the recovery effects of cold exposure. In those cases the article states that the evidence is mixed, describes the competing positions, and identifies the methodological limitations rather than selecting the more satisfying answer.
We would rather publish "this is unresolved" than a confident claim the literature does not support.
Every calculator page names the model it implements, describes the calculation, and lists what the model cannot account for. Where a model carries embedded assumptions that commonly mislead — as the heat index does with its shade and walking-pace assumptions — those assumptions are stated on the page rather than left implicit.
Errors of fact are corrected promptly. Substantive corrections to published articles are noted on the article rather than made silently. If you find an error, the contact page is the fastest route.
Articles touching on heat illness, hydration, vitamin D status, cold exposure and mood carry an explicit statement that they are general education rather than medical advice, and direct readers to a clinician for anything personal. We do not provide diagnosis, dosing recommendations, or treatment plans.
This site is funded by display advertising through Google AdSense and by affiliate commission through the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.
No advertiser or affiliate partner has any input into editorial content, receives advance review of articles, or influences which topics are covered. Affiliate links appear only on the gear page, which carries its own disclosure, and are marked with rel="sponsored". We do not accept payment for coverage, guest posts, or link placement.
Where AI tools assist with drafting or research, output is reviewed and verified against sources by a human before publication. Responsibility for accuracy rests with the publisher regardless of the tools used.