Skeptical Inquirer —
Civilizations Lost and Found: Fabricating History - Part One: An Alternate Reality
by Kenneth Feder, Bradley T. Lepper, Terry A. Barnhart, and Deborah A. Bolnick
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Feature
The Lost Civilizations of North America documentary is one in a long line of failed attempts to populate America’s ancient past with the denizens of lost tribes, lost cities, and, as its title indicates, lost civilizations.
The Haunted Brain
by Richard Wiseman
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Feature
Reports of alleged ghostly activity tell us a great deal about the innermost workings of our brains.
The Perpetual Quest
by Dimitry Rotstein
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Feature
How to make a perpetual motion device and live to tell about it.
The Life and Death of ‘Living God’ Sathya Sai Baba
by Ryan Shaffer
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Special Report
Sathya Sai Baba, a living god for nearly forty million people, died in April. He had a nine-billion-dollar organization and religious centers throughout the world. Who was Baba? Why was he thought to be a god?
In Search of the Emerald Grail
by Joe Nickell
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Investigative Files
Il Sacro Catino, “The Holy Basin,” is one of the most famous embodiments of the legendary “Holy Grail,” and I was able to study both it and its legend there in the fall of 2009, attempting to resolve some of the mysteries and controversies concerning it.
Selling Stem Cell Hype
by Steven Novella
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
The Science of Medicine
Stem cells have tremendous potential, and they will likely be playing an increasing role in medical therapies over the next twenty years. But reality has yet to catch up with the hype.
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
An Ambitious, Hopeful Response to 9/11
by Charles M. Wynn Sr.
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Commentary
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
When the Shrinks Ignore Science, Sue Them
by James D. Herbert and Richard Redding
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Commentary
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Engineering Truth
by Robert Blaskiewicz
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Special Report
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
The Flying Spaghetti Monster and the Pastafarian Quatrains
by Jonathan C. Smith
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Forum
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Why Belief Always Comes First
by Harriet Hall
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Book Review
A review of The Believing Brain by Michael Shermer
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Eight Impediments to Rationality
by Peter Lamal
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Book Review
A review of Believing Bullshit: How Not to Get Sucked into an Intellectual Black Hole by Stephen Law
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
A Flawed Attempt to Reconcile Religion and Science
by Jim Clark
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Book Review
A review of The Language of Science and Faith: Straight Answers to Genuine Questions by Karl W. Giberson and Francis S. Collins
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
A Modern Fable about Science and Religion
by Joe Szimhart
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Book Review
A review of The Monkey Bible: A Modern Allegory by Mark Laxer
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Who Really Wants Reliable Scientific Information?
by Kendrick Frazier
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Editor's Note
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
The Myth of Chastity Belts
by Massimo Polidoro
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Notes on a Strange World
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
On Miracles–Again
by Massimo Pigliucci
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Thinking About Science
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Commie Nazi Saucer Crashed at Roswell
by Robert Sheaffer
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Psychic Vibrations
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Dowsing: Dubious, Discredited, and Dangerous
by Ben Radford
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Skeptical Inquiree
The 9/11 Truth Movement: The Top Conspiracy Theory, a Decade Later
by Dave Thomas
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Feature
After ten years, the pesky 9/11 Truth movement has refined its arguments but still hasn’t proved the attacks were an inside job. Their key claims are refuted on multiple grounds.
A Bestiary of the 9/11 Truth Movement: Notes from the Front Line
by Jamie Bartlett and Carl Miller
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Feature
Two social scientists describe their experience confronting the 9/11 Truth movement in the United Kingdom after they published a paper linking conspiracy theories with extremist ideology.
Conflicts of Interest in Alternative Medicine
by Edzard Ernst
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Commentary
I am, of course, talking about a different type of conflict: the one that is created by strong belief and evangelic conviction.
Medium Allison DuBois Is Tested—and Fails—in the Real World
by Ryan Shaffer
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Special Report
Allison DuBois, the best-selling author who inspired the recently cancelled television show Medium, claims to have amazing psychic abilities. But when her skills are tested in the real world—first with a missing-child case and then at a dinner party on reality-TV—they prove less than stellar.
A Slam-Dunk Debunk
by Matt Crowley
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Book Review
A review of Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast in Fact, Fiction, and Folklore by Benjamin Radford
Photos of Ghosts: The Burden of Believing the Unbelievable
by Massimo Polidoro
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Notes on a Strange World
Seeing photos of ghostly faces and figures floating around in the air must have been quite a shock to our ancestors.
What Is Acupuncture?
by Steven Novella
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
The Science of Medicine
We must first define what acupuncture actually is before we can ask whether acupuncture works. This is not as easy as it might seem.
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Dave Thomas vs. Jesse Ventura: The Skeptical Smackdown
by Ben Radford
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Feature
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
‘Messages’ from the 9/11 Dead
by Joe Nickell
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Feature
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Deliberate Ignorance
by Keith Taylor
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Forum
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
The 2012 Doomsday Hoax: Update II
by David Morrison
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Follow-up
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Personal Genomics: The Fine Line between Science and Narcissism
by Massimo Pigliucci
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Book Review
A review of Here Is a Human Being: At the Dawn of Personal Genomics by Misha Angrist
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Escaping Mortality
by Daniel Grassam
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Book Review
A review of Long for This World: The Strange Science of Immortality by Jonathan Weiner
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
He Sees Dead People
by Robert Sheaffer
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Book Review
A review of The Key: A True Encounter by Whitley Strieber
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Examining 9/11 Conspiracy Theories
by Kendrick Frazier
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Editor's Note
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
The Séances of ‘Hellish Nell’: Solving the Unexplained
by Joe Nickell
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Investigative Files
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Popper vs. Kuhn: The Battle for Understanding How Science Works
by Massimo Pigliucci
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Thinking About Science
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
2012: Peter Gersten’s ‘Leap of Faith’
by Robert Sheaffer
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Psychic Vibrations
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Women and High-End Science: Nurture or Nature, Prejudice or Preference?
by Kenneth W. Krause
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Science Watch
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Is There a 100C Grain of Truth to Homeopathy?
by Ben Radford
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Skeptical Inquiree
A Skeptical Look at a Remarkable Case Report of ‘Overnight’ Amnesia
by Harald Merckelbach, Thomas Merten, and Scott O. Lilienfeld
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Feature
Extraordinary Symptoms, Weak Evidence, and a Breakdown in Peer Review
Power Lines and Cancer, Distant Healing and Health Care: Magnetism Misrepresented and Misunderstood
by Eugenie V. Mielczarek and Derek C. Araujo1
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Feature
The 1990s fear that background magnetic fields—hundreds of times weaker than Earth’s magnetic field—could cause cancer has been replaced.
We Live in Perilous Times for Science
by Elizabeth Loftus
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Commentary
If we as scientists want to preserve our freedom (and the welfare of others), now more than ever we have a responsibility.
The Case of the Miracle Oil
by Joe Nickell
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Investigative Files
I was invited to a home in Northern California where myriad icons, statues, and other religious effigies were “miraculously streaming oil”.
I Was a Teenage Psychic
by Massimo Polidoro
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Notes on a Strange World
As a guest on a popular Italian TV show, L’Istruttoria (The Inquest), I had a chance to test a theory I was rather curious about.
The Memory of Water
by Steven Novella
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
The Science of Medicine
While the practice is indistinguishable from ritual and witchcraft, the modern homeopath would like to cloak himself in the respectability of science.
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Slaying the Vampire: Solving the Chupacabra Mystery
by Ben Radford
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Feature
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
The Numerology of 23
by Mark Benecke
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Feature
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
GHO$TLY ENDEAVOR: Ethical Issues Haunt Kentucky Press
by Joe Nickell
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Special Report
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Three Types of Evidence Lacking for Paranormal Claims
by Jonathan C. Smith
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Forum
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Two Views of the War on Cancer
by Harriet Hall
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Book Review
Reviews of Pink Ribbon Blues by Gayle Sulik and The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Fresh Voice, Passionate Polemic
by Ryan Seals
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Book Review
A review of Tabloid Medicine: How the Internet Is Being Used to Hijack Medical Science for Fear and Profit by Robert Goldberg
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Pop Culture and Questionable Cases
by Kendrick Frazier
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Editor's Note
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
The Science of Unique Events
by Massimo Pigliucci
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Thinking About Science
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Abductology Implodes
by Robert Sheaffer
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Psychic Vibrations
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Denisovans and Human Hybrids in the Game-Changing Age of Paleogenetics
by Kenneth W. Krause
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Science Watch
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Anomaly Hunting
by Ben Radford
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Skeptical Inquiree
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
The Problem with Neurosexism
by Massimo Pigliucci
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Book Review
A review of Delusions of Gender: How Our Minds, Society, and Neurosexism Create Difference by Cordelia Fine
Back from the Future: Parapsychology and the Bem Affair
by James Alcock
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Feature
Psychologist Daryl Bem has reported data suggesting that future experiences can influence responses in the present. Careful scrutiny of his report reveals ...
Heaven’s Stenographer: The ‘Guided’ Hand of Vassula Ryden
by Joe Nickell
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Investigative Files
She claims to receive communications not only from her guardian angel, “Daniel,” but also from Jesus and even Yahweh himself, who guide her hand ...
Strange Problems in the Wegman Report
by John R. Mashey
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Special Report
A computer scientist discusses the roles of plagiarism, conspiracies, anti-science memes, and intense beliefs in a global-warming denying report.
Magic or Miracle?
by Massimo Polidoro
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Notes on a Strange World
A Lesson Worth Remembering
Padre Pio: Scandals of a Saint
by Joe Nickell
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Book Review
A review of Padre Pio: Miracles and Politics in a Secular Age by Sergio Luzzatto.
Religion on Politics on Science: The Rough Ride for Stem Cells Continues
by Kenneth W. Krause
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Science Watch
Nothing obscures or distorts science quite like politics inspired by religion.
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
The Mysterious Morgellons Malady
by Ben Radford
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Skeptical Inquiree
Most doctors believe that Morgellons is a type of psychiatric disorder called delusional parasitosis, in which patients come to believe ...
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
On Time Travel
by Massimo Pigliucci
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Thinking About Science
Where does the know-how to build time machines ultimately come from?
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Why the Bem Experiments Are Not Parapsychology’s Next Big Thing
by Kendrick Frazier
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Editor's Note
The world of news and blogs began buzzing in mid-November. A prominent psychologist, Daryl Bem of Cornell University, had posted a paper on his website...
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Debunking the Trauma Myth
by Ben Radford
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Book Review
A review of The Trauma Myth: The Truth About the Sexual Abuse of Children—and Its Aftermath by Susan A. Clancy.
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
‘Unexplained’ Cases —Only If You Ignore All Explanations
by Robert Sheaffer
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Book Review
A review of UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Record by Leslie Kean.
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
A Little Too Grand?
by Justin Trottier
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Book Review
A review of The Grand Design by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow.
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
God in the News Again
by Mark Levy
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Forum
If you're a theist, you ought to acknowledge, at least occasionally, that God is responsible for terrible events as well as miraculous ones.
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Do Scientists Know Everything?
by Keith Taylor
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Forum
Scientists do things a little differently than the rest of us.
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Washington Rally to Restore Sanity a Plea for Reason
by Benjamin Wolozin
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Commentary
Media reports described it as a lighthearted day of comedy, but there was a much more profound message: a rallying cry for reason.
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Intravenous Nutrient Therapy: Cure-All or Just One More Unproven Therapy?
by Clifford W. Beninger
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Feature
Intravenous nutrient therapy is increasingly popular as a treatment for multiple ailments. But the evidence for the efficacy of IV nutrient treatments is...
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Seven Deadly Medical Hypotheses
by Reynold Spector
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Feature
Many medical hypotheses have been ill-conceived and/or inadequately tested. As a consequence, billions of dollars have been wasted and the public harmed.
The Voynich Manuscript: The Book Nobody Can Read
by Klaus Schmeh
Volume 35.1, January/February 2011
For almost 100 years, experts and amateur researchers have tried to solve the riddle of a handwritten book, referred to as the “Voynich manuscript,” comp...
‘Pop’ Culture: Patent Medicines Become Soda Drinks
by Joe Nickell
Volume 35.1, January/February 2011
Investigative Files
Mineral water, including naturally carbonated water, has long been promoted as a curative for various ailments.
The Aura: A Brief Review
by Bridgette M. Perez
Volume 35.1, January/February 2011
Column
Empirical studies show no evidence for the existence of an aura around humans that supposedly only psychics can see. Why, then, does belief in auras persist?
Magnetic Healing: An Old Scam That Never Dies
by Steven Novella
Volume 35.1, January/February 2011
Column
The notion that magnets can be used for healing has existed since humans discovered them.
The Right Stuff
by Steven Doloff
Volume 35.1, January/February 2011
Column
Will America's (Foolish) Optimism Stare Down the Recession?
Defending Isagenix: A Case Study in Flawed Thinking
by Harriet Hall
Volume 35.1, January/February 2011
Column
Do those who comment on blogs even read the articles they are responding to? Here is a case study in emotional thinking, ad hominem arguments, logical...
The Conspiracy Meme
by Ted Goertzel
Volume 35.1, January/February 2011
Column
Many of these theories are clearly absurd, but some are plausible and others actually contain elements of truth.
The Storms over Climate Change
by David Morrison
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
Book Review
The three books I review here offer complementary frontline accounts of the Climate Wars.
Hovering UFO Closes Chinese Airport
by Robert Sheaffer
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
Psychic Vibrations
As is often the case, conflicting and confusing accounts of the UFO incident make it difficult to determine exactly what happened.
Infrared Cameras and Ghost Hunting
by Ben Radford
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
Skeptical Inquiree
More often than not, infrared cameras create false-positive readings that amateur ghost hunters mistake for ghostly activity.
From the Edge of Postcards: The Wem Ghost Photo
by Blake Smith
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
Following a fire in a small English town, a mysterious photo of the blaze-seemingly depicting a girl ghost-circulated around the world.
Frankenstein Was Not a Doctor
by Ron Watkins
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
Misconceptions about the novel Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus arose from the errant and misleading interpretations of the story in film adaptations.
MythBusters’s Adam Savage
by Karen Stollznow
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
Karen Stollznow, a host of the Center for Inquiry's Point of Inquiry podcast, recently spoke with him.
The True Cross: Chaucer, Calvin, and the Relic Mongers
by Joe Nickell
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
Investigative Files
Calvin suggested that "if we were to collect all these pieces of the True Cross exhibited in various parts, they would form a whole ship's cargo."
How to Make a Monster!
by Massimo Polidoro
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
Notes on a Strange World
The Legend of Creating Artificial Life: From the Golem to Pinocchio
Ghost-Hunting Mistakes: Science and Pseudoscience in Ghost Investigations
by Ben Radford
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
There are thousands of amateur ghost hunters around the world whose techniques are modeled after hit cable television shows such as Ghost Hunters, which...
The Poor, Misunderstood Placebo
by Steven Novella
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
Understanding placebo effects is critical to making sense of medical research and ever-expanding health claims within an increasingly unregulated market.
Illusionists at Work
by Edzard Ernst
Volume 34.5, September/October 2010
Commentary
How to 'Prove' That Bogus Treatments Are Effective
Swedenborg and Dr. Oz
by Martin Gardner
Volume 34.5, September/October 2010
Notes of a Fringe-Watcher
It is not widely known that Oz has been profoundly influenced by Emanuel Swedenborg, a Swedish Protestant fundamentalist who, late in life, became...
Nostradamus: A New Look at an Old Seer
by Joe Nickell
Volume 34.5, September/October 2010
Investigative Files
As these examples show, one cannot claim that Nostradamus successfully predicted the future.
Should Chiropractors Treat Children?
by Samuel Homola
Volume 34.5, September/October 2010
Feature
Parents should be made aware of possible risks associated with chiropractic treatment of children, particularly the services offered by “pediatric chirop...
Martin Gardner’s Notable Books
by The Editors
Volume 34.5, September/October 2010
Special Tribute
A list of Martin's works
A Gifted Writer and a Book Worth Giving
by Harriet Hall
Volume 34.5, September/October 2010
Book Review
A review of Evolution: How We and All Living Things Came to Be by Daniel Loxton
Raising the Bar for Investigating Paranormal Claims
by Robert Carroll
Volume 34.5, September/October 2010
Book Review
A Review of Scientific Paranormal Investigation: How to Solve Unexplained Mysteries by Benjamin Radford
The Martin Gardner Collection
by The Editors
Volume 34.5, September/October 2010
Special Tribute
Martin Gardner kindly donated his works to CFI Libraries in Amherst, NY
Martin Gardner: A Tribute and Celebration
by The Editors
Volume 34.5, September/October 2010
Special Tribute
In a celebration of his life, writings, and mind, we here present invited tributes from a number of noted skeptics and scholars.
Civilizations Lost and Found: Fabricating History - Part One: An Alternate Reality
by Kenneth Feder, Bradley T. Lepper, Terry A. Barnhart, and Deborah A. Bolnick
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Feature
The Lost Civilizations of North America documentary is one in a long line of failed attempts to populate America’s ancient past with the denizens of lost tribes, lost cities, and, as its title indicates, lost civilizations.
The Haunted Brain
by Richard Wiseman
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Feature
Reports of alleged ghostly activity tell us a great deal about the innermost workings of our brains.
The Perpetual Quest
by Dimitry Rotstein
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Feature
How to make a perpetual motion device and live to tell about it.
The Life and Death of ‘Living God’ Sathya Sai Baba
by Ryan Shaffer
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Special Report
Sathya Sai Baba, a living god for nearly forty million people, died in April. He had a nine-billion-dollar organization and religious centers throughout the world. Who was Baba? Why was he thought to be a god?
In Search of the Emerald Grail
by Joe Nickell
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Investigative Files
Il Sacro Catino, “The Holy Basin,” is one of the most famous embodiments of the legendary “Holy Grail,” and I was able to study both it and its legend there in the fall of 2009, attempting to resolve some of the mysteries and controversies concerning it.
Selling Stem Cell Hype
by Steven Novella
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
The Science of Medicine
Stem cells have tremendous potential, and they will likely be playing an increasing role in medical therapies over the next twenty years. But reality has yet to catch up with the hype.
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
An Ambitious, Hopeful Response to 9/11
by Charles M. Wynn Sr.
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Commentary
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
When the Shrinks Ignore Science, Sue Them
by James D. Herbert and Richard Redding
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Commentary
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Engineering Truth
by Robert Blaskiewicz
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Special Report
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
The Flying Spaghetti Monster and the Pastafarian Quatrains
by Jonathan C. Smith
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Forum
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Why Belief Always Comes First
by Harriet Hall
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Book Review
A review of The Believing Brain by Michael Shermer
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Eight Impediments to Rationality
by Peter Lamal
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Book Review
A review of Believing Bullshit: How Not to Get Sucked into an Intellectual Black Hole by Stephen Law
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
A Flawed Attempt to Reconcile Religion and Science
by Jim Clark
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Book Review
A review of The Language of Science and Faith: Straight Answers to Genuine Questions by Karl W. Giberson and Francis S. Collins
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
A Modern Fable about Science and Religion
by Joe Szimhart
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Book Review
A review of The Monkey Bible: A Modern Allegory by Mark Laxer
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Who Really Wants Reliable Scientific Information?
by Kendrick Frazier
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Editor's Note
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
The Myth of Chastity Belts
by Massimo Polidoro
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Notes on a Strange World
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
On Miracles–Again
by Massimo Pigliucci
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Thinking About Science
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Commie Nazi Saucer Crashed at Roswell
by Robert Sheaffer
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Psychic Vibrations
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Dowsing: Dubious, Discredited, and Dangerous
by Ben Radford
Volume 35.5, September/October 2011
Skeptical Inquiree
The 9/11 Truth Movement: The Top Conspiracy Theory, a Decade Later
by Dave Thomas
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Feature
After ten years, the pesky 9/11 Truth movement has refined its arguments but still hasn’t proved the attacks were an inside job. Their key claims are refuted on multiple grounds.
A Bestiary of the 9/11 Truth Movement: Notes from the Front Line
by Jamie Bartlett and Carl Miller
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Feature
Two social scientists describe their experience confronting the 9/11 Truth movement in the United Kingdom after they published a paper linking conspiracy theories with extremist ideology.
Conflicts of Interest in Alternative Medicine
by Edzard Ernst
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Commentary
I am, of course, talking about a different type of conflict: the one that is created by strong belief and evangelic conviction.
Medium Allison DuBois Is Tested—and Fails—in the Real World
by Ryan Shaffer
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Special Report
Allison DuBois, the best-selling author who inspired the recently cancelled television show Medium, claims to have amazing psychic abilities. But when her skills are tested in the real world—first with a missing-child case and then at a dinner party on reality-TV—they prove less than stellar.
A Slam-Dunk Debunk
by Matt Crowley
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Book Review
A review of Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast in Fact, Fiction, and Folklore by Benjamin Radford
Photos of Ghosts: The Burden of Believing the Unbelievable
by Massimo Polidoro
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Notes on a Strange World
Seeing photos of ghostly faces and figures floating around in the air must have been quite a shock to our ancestors.
What Is Acupuncture?
by Steven Novella
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
The Science of Medicine
We must first define what acupuncture actually is before we can ask whether acupuncture works. This is not as easy as it might seem.
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Dave Thomas vs. Jesse Ventura: The Skeptical Smackdown
by Ben Radford
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Feature
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
‘Messages’ from the 9/11 Dead
by Joe Nickell
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Feature
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Deliberate Ignorance
by Keith Taylor
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Forum
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
The 2012 Doomsday Hoax: Update II
by David Morrison
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Follow-up
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Personal Genomics: The Fine Line between Science and Narcissism
by Massimo Pigliucci
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Book Review
A review of Here Is a Human Being: At the Dawn of Personal Genomics by Misha Angrist
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Escaping Mortality
by Daniel Grassam
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Book Review
A review of Long for This World: The Strange Science of Immortality by Jonathan Weiner
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
He Sees Dead People
by Robert Sheaffer
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Book Review
A review of The Key: A True Encounter by Whitley Strieber
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Examining 9/11 Conspiracy Theories
by Kendrick Frazier
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Editor's Note
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
The Séances of ‘Hellish Nell’: Solving the Unexplained
by Joe Nickell
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Investigative Files
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Popper vs. Kuhn: The Battle for Understanding How Science Works
by Massimo Pigliucci
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Thinking About Science
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2012: Peter Gersten’s ‘Leap of Faith’
by Robert Sheaffer
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Psychic Vibrations
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Women and High-End Science: Nurture or Nature, Prejudice or Preference?
by Kenneth W. Krause
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Science Watch
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Is There a 100C Grain of Truth to Homeopathy?
by Ben Radford
Volume 35.4, July/August 2011
Skeptical Inquiree
A Skeptical Look at a Remarkable Case Report of ‘Overnight’ Amnesia
by Harald Merckelbach, Thomas Merten, and Scott O. Lilienfeld
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Feature
Extraordinary Symptoms, Weak Evidence, and a Breakdown in Peer Review
Power Lines and Cancer, Distant Healing and Health Care: Magnetism Misrepresented and Misunderstood
by Eugenie V. Mielczarek and Derek C. Araujo1
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Feature
The 1990s fear that background magnetic fields—hundreds of times weaker than Earth’s magnetic field—could cause cancer has been replaced.
We Live in Perilous Times for Science
by Elizabeth Loftus
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Commentary
If we as scientists want to preserve our freedom (and the welfare of others), now more than ever we have a responsibility.
The Case of the Miracle Oil
by Joe Nickell
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Investigative Files
I was invited to a home in Northern California where myriad icons, statues, and other religious effigies were “miraculously streaming oil”.
I Was a Teenage Psychic
by Massimo Polidoro
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Notes on a Strange World
As a guest on a popular Italian TV show, L’Istruttoria (The Inquest), I had a chance to test a theory I was rather curious about.
The Memory of Water
by Steven Novella
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
The Science of Medicine
While the practice is indistinguishable from ritual and witchcraft, the modern homeopath would like to cloak himself in the respectability of science.
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Slaying the Vampire: Solving the Chupacabra Mystery
by Ben Radford
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Feature
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The Numerology of 23
by Mark Benecke
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Feature
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GHO$TLY ENDEAVOR: Ethical Issues Haunt Kentucky Press
by Joe Nickell
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Special Report
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Three Types of Evidence Lacking for Paranormal Claims
by Jonathan C. Smith
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Forum
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Two Views of the War on Cancer
by Harriet Hall
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Book Review
Reviews of Pink Ribbon Blues by Gayle Sulik and The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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Fresh Voice, Passionate Polemic
by Ryan Seals
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Book Review
A review of Tabloid Medicine: How the Internet Is Being Used to Hijack Medical Science for Fear and Profit by Robert Goldberg
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Pop Culture and Questionable Cases
by Kendrick Frazier
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Editor's Note
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The Science of Unique Events
by Massimo Pigliucci
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Thinking About Science
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Abductology Implodes
by Robert Sheaffer
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Psychic Vibrations
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Denisovans and Human Hybrids in the Game-Changing Age of Paleogenetics
by Kenneth W. Krause
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Science Watch
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Anomaly Hunting
by Ben Radford
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Skeptical Inquiree
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The Problem with Neurosexism
by Massimo Pigliucci
Volume 35.3, May/June 2011
Book Review
A review of Delusions of Gender: How Our Minds, Society, and Neurosexism Create Difference by Cordelia Fine
Back from the Future: Parapsychology and the Bem Affair
by James Alcock
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Feature
Psychologist Daryl Bem has reported data suggesting that future experiences can influence responses in the present. Careful scrutiny of his report reveals ...
Heaven’s Stenographer: The ‘Guided’ Hand of Vassula Ryden
by Joe Nickell
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Investigative Files
She claims to receive communications not only from her guardian angel, “Daniel,” but also from Jesus and even Yahweh himself, who guide her hand ...
Strange Problems in the Wegman Report
by John R. Mashey
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Special Report
A computer scientist discusses the roles of plagiarism, conspiracies, anti-science memes, and intense beliefs in a global-warming denying report.
Magic or Miracle?
by Massimo Polidoro
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Notes on a Strange World
A Lesson Worth Remembering
Padre Pio: Scandals of a Saint
by Joe Nickell
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Book Review
A review of Padre Pio: Miracles and Politics in a Secular Age by Sergio Luzzatto.
Religion on Politics on Science: The Rough Ride for Stem Cells Continues
by Kenneth W. Krause
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Science Watch
Nothing obscures or distorts science quite like politics inspired by religion.
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The Mysterious Morgellons Malady
by Ben Radford
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Skeptical Inquiree
Most doctors believe that Morgellons is a type of psychiatric disorder called delusional parasitosis, in which patients come to believe ...
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On Time Travel
by Massimo Pigliucci
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Thinking About Science
Where does the know-how to build time machines ultimately come from?
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Why the Bem Experiments Are Not Parapsychology’s Next Big Thing
by Kendrick Frazier
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Editor's Note
The world of news and blogs began buzzing in mid-November. A prominent psychologist, Daryl Bem of Cornell University, had posted a paper on his website...
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Debunking the Trauma Myth
by Ben Radford
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Book Review
A review of The Trauma Myth: The Truth About the Sexual Abuse of Children—and Its Aftermath by Susan A. Clancy.
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‘Unexplained’ Cases —Only If You Ignore All Explanations
by Robert Sheaffer
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Book Review
A review of UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Record by Leslie Kean.
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A Little Too Grand?
by Justin Trottier
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Book Review
A review of The Grand Design by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow.
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God in the News Again
by Mark Levy
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Forum
If you're a theist, you ought to acknowledge, at least occasionally, that God is responsible for terrible events as well as miraculous ones.
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Do Scientists Know Everything?
by Keith Taylor
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Forum
Scientists do things a little differently than the rest of us.
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Washington Rally to Restore Sanity a Plea for Reason
by Benjamin Wolozin
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Commentary
Media reports described it as a lighthearted day of comedy, but there was a much more profound message: a rallying cry for reason.
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Intravenous Nutrient Therapy: Cure-All or Just One More Unproven Therapy?
by Clifford W. Beninger
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Feature
Intravenous nutrient therapy is increasingly popular as a treatment for multiple ailments. But the evidence for the efficacy of IV nutrient treatments is...
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Seven Deadly Medical Hypotheses
by Reynold Spector
Volume 35.2, March/April 2011
Feature
Many medical hypotheses have been ill-conceived and/or inadequately tested. As a consequence, billions of dollars have been wasted and the public harmed.
The Voynich Manuscript: The Book Nobody Can Read
by Klaus Schmeh
Volume 35.1, January/February 2011
For almost 100 years, experts and amateur researchers have tried to solve the riddle of a handwritten book, referred to as the “Voynich manuscript,” comp...
‘Pop’ Culture: Patent Medicines Become Soda Drinks
by Joe Nickell
Volume 35.1, January/February 2011
Investigative Files
Mineral water, including naturally carbonated water, has long been promoted as a curative for various ailments.
The Aura: A Brief Review
by Bridgette M. Perez
Volume 35.1, January/February 2011
Column
Empirical studies show no evidence for the existence of an aura around humans that supposedly only psychics can see. Why, then, does belief in auras persist?
Magnetic Healing: An Old Scam That Never Dies
by Steven Novella
Volume 35.1, January/February 2011
Column
The notion that magnets can be used for healing has existed since humans discovered them.
The Right Stuff
by Steven Doloff
Volume 35.1, January/February 2011
Column
Will America's (Foolish) Optimism Stare Down the Recession?
Defending Isagenix: A Case Study in Flawed Thinking
by Harriet Hall
Volume 35.1, January/February 2011
Column
Do those who comment on blogs even read the articles they are responding to? Here is a case study in emotional thinking, ad hominem arguments, logical...
The Conspiracy Meme
by Ted Goertzel
Volume 35.1, January/February 2011
Column
Many of these theories are clearly absurd, but some are plausible and others actually contain elements of truth.
The Storms over Climate Change
by David Morrison
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
Book Review
The three books I review here offer complementary frontline accounts of the Climate Wars.
Hovering UFO Closes Chinese Airport
by Robert Sheaffer
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
Psychic Vibrations
As is often the case, conflicting and confusing accounts of the UFO incident make it difficult to determine exactly what happened.
Infrared Cameras and Ghost Hunting
by Ben Radford
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
Skeptical Inquiree
More often than not, infrared cameras create false-positive readings that amateur ghost hunters mistake for ghostly activity.
From the Edge of Postcards: The Wem Ghost Photo
by Blake Smith
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
Following a fire in a small English town, a mysterious photo of the blaze-seemingly depicting a girl ghost-circulated around the world.
Frankenstein Was Not a Doctor
by Ron Watkins
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
Misconceptions about the novel Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus arose from the errant and misleading interpretations of the story in film adaptations.
MythBusters’s Adam Savage
by Karen Stollznow
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
Karen Stollznow, a host of the Center for Inquiry's Point of Inquiry podcast, recently spoke with him.
The True Cross: Chaucer, Calvin, and the Relic Mongers
by Joe Nickell
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
Investigative Files
Calvin suggested that "if we were to collect all these pieces of the True Cross exhibited in various parts, they would form a whole ship's cargo."
How to Make a Monster!
by Massimo Polidoro
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
Notes on a Strange World
The Legend of Creating Artificial Life: From the Golem to Pinocchio
Ghost-Hunting Mistakes: Science and Pseudoscience in Ghost Investigations
by Ben Radford
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
There are thousands of amateur ghost hunters around the world whose techniques are modeled after hit cable television shows such as Ghost Hunters, which...
The Poor, Misunderstood Placebo
by Steven Novella
Volume 34.6, November/December 2010
Understanding placebo effects is critical to making sense of medical research and ever-expanding health claims within an increasingly unregulated market.
Illusionists at Work
by Edzard Ernst
Volume 34.5, September/October 2010
Commentary
How to 'Prove' That Bogus Treatments Are Effective
Swedenborg and Dr. Oz
by Martin Gardner
Volume 34.5, September/October 2010
Notes of a Fringe-Watcher
It is not widely known that Oz has been profoundly influenced by Emanuel Swedenborg, a Swedish Protestant fundamentalist who, late in life, became...
Nostradamus: A New Look at an Old Seer
by Joe Nickell
Volume 34.5, September/October 2010
Investigative Files
As these examples show, one cannot claim that Nostradamus successfully predicted the future.
Should Chiropractors Treat Children?
by Samuel Homola
Volume 34.5, September/October 2010
Feature
Parents should be made aware of possible risks associated with chiropractic treatment of children, particularly the services offered by “pediatric chirop...
Martin Gardner’s Notable Books
by The Editors
Volume 34.5, September/October 2010
Special Tribute
A list of Martin's works
A Gifted Writer and a Book Worth Giving
by Harriet Hall
Volume 34.5, September/October 2010
Book Review
A review of Evolution: How We and All Living Things Came to Be by Daniel Loxton
Raising the Bar for Investigating Paranormal Claims
by Robert Carroll
Volume 34.5, September/October 2010
Book Review
A Review of Scientific Paranormal Investigation: How to Solve Unexplained Mysteries by Benjamin Radford
The Martin Gardner Collection
by The Editors
Volume 34.5, September/October 2010
Special Tribute
Martin Gardner kindly donated his works to CFI Libraries in Amherst, NY
Martin Gardner: A Tribute and Celebration
by The Editors
Volume 34.5, September/October 2010
Special Tribute
In a celebration of his life, writings, and mind, we here present invited tributes from a number of noted skeptics and scholars.