It is not an easy matter for non-scientists to come to an understanding of the debates and issues around any scientific issue, but it can and should be done.
In a situation where sometimes very narrow bands of scientific opinion are treated like holy writ and form the foundation for national government, or even transnational, policy it becomes the duty of the concerned citizen to try and construct the best understanding of which they are capable by carrying out their own research on important issues.
This process is not assisted by a mainstream media which foregrounds some opinions while occluding or even actively censoring other views from eminent qualified people expressing dissent.
This process of censorship and of the privileging of particular views is even more damaging when it occurs, as it does, in academia and in academic publishing, including the journals of specialist disciplines.
It is also not helped by social media platforms, or video streaming platforms such as YouTube, removing content featuring opposing views expressed by experts.
It is also unhelpful to plant the idea that content on a video streaming platform is automatically of no value, even if it is a lecture or an interview with an acknowledged expert - or the even more bizarre ideas that research is no good if it comes "off the internet" or is not "peer reviewed", as these notions demonstrate a complete lack of understanding of the breadth of content, including academic journals and monographs, that can be found online and a lack of knowledge about the nature of, and problems inherent in, the peer review process in all disciplines.
It is also a ludicrous assertion, disproved many times over, that only a mainstream media source can be a "trusted source".
Above all the process of reaching understanding on complex issues is not helped by labelling anyone making the attempt as an "extremist", a "denier" or any of the other ad hominem terms of abuse thrown at those asking questions of the powerful.
It is true that there are plenty of unfounded and dangerous ideas out there - but these are as likely to be expressed by a politician or their advisers or on a mainstream news program as they are anywhere else.
Bad ideas will be found out - but only through an open exchange of evidence and opinion.
So keep looking, keep thinking and keep questioning. In an actual democracy these activities would be encouraged: it says an awful lot about where we find ourselves that they are not.