Refractor – Bias and Credibility

Refractor is rated Pro-Science with High factual reporting by Media Bias Fact Check.

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PRO-SCIENCE

History

Refractor is an independent science and health news website launched in March 2026 as a spin-off from New Atlas (formerly Gizmag), a science and technology publication founded in 2002. According to its About page, Refractor was created to provide more focused and editorially driven coverage of science and health while maintaining the journalistic standards developed over more than two decades at Gizmag/New Atlas. The publication specializes in reporting scientific discoveries, medical research, environmental science, biology, and health-related developments for a general audience.

Read our profile on the UK media and government.

Funded by / Ownership

Refractor is published by Gizmag Pty Ltd., the same privately owned company behind New Atlas. According to its editorial disclosures, the publication is funded through advertising, memberships, clearly labeled sponsored content, and affiliate partnerships. Refractor states that it has no outside investors and operates independently. The site maintains a detailed editorial policy emphasizing fact-checking, reliance on primary sources, scientific skepticism, transparency, and a prohibition on AI-generated editorial content.

Analysis / Bias

Refractor reports on science and health topics with minimal political bias and consistently supports evidence-based scientific consensus. The publication demonstrates strong sourcing practices by linking directly to peer-reviewed research, university studies, and scientific journals.

For example, 700,000-year-old poop tells a rich story of a lost Ice Age world, reports on ancient DNA research published in Nature Communications, and includes direct references to the participating universities and researchers. Likewise, Largest-ever osteoarthritis study finds single biological driver of the disease covers findings from researchers at the University of Oxford and references the underlying scientific publication while providing expert commentary and contextual analysis.

Environmental coverage also relies heavily on academic sources. For example, Historical accidents show just how long ‘forever chemicals’ last republishes research-based reporting from The Conversation, clearly disclosing authorship, institutional affiliations, and the original source. The article discusses PFAS contamination using documented scientific findings and established public-health research rather than political advocacy.

While some environmental and health topics naturally align with scientific consensus on issues such as climate change, pollution, and public health, Refractor approaches these subjects through a scientific rather than ideological lens. Articles reviewed rely on peer-reviewed research, university studies, and expert analysis with minimal use of emotionally loaded language. Overall, the publication demonstrates rigorous sourcing and a consistent commitment to evidence-based reporting.

Failed Fact Checks

• None to date.

Overall, we rate Refractor Pro-Science based on its strong reliance on peer-reviewed research, scientific consensus, and evidence-based reporting. We rate it High for factual reporting due to excellent sourcing practices, editorial transparency, and a demonstrated commitment to scientific accuracy and journalistic rigor. Refractor largely continues the editorial standards that earned its parent publication, New Atlas, a strong reputation for science journalism. (D. Van Zandt 06/16/2026)

Source: https://refractor.io/

Last Updated on June 16, 2026 by Media Bias Fact Check

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