Special Articles —
CFI-Argentina Report 2011
by Alejandro Borgo
February 8, 2012
In 2011, CFI-Argentina presented courses, lectures, meetings, group organizing, television appearances, and more.
Escepticismo para escépticos
by Luis Alfonso Gámez
¡Paparruchas!
February 6, 2012
Gracias a Internet y a la intensa actividad de unos pocos blogueros -no nos engañemos, los activos son cuatro-, la denuncia de la charlatanería nunca ha sido tan eficaz como en la actualidad.
CFI–Kenya Report: Spreading our mission of “science, reason, and free inquiry” beyond borders
by George Ongere
February 1, 2012
Despite the advancement of science and technology in this century, many African republics have incessantly clung to belief systems that are a thwart to human progress in this age of enlightenment.
Review of Syfy’s Fact or Faked
by Rebecca Watson
Skepchick
January 31, 2012
According to its website, FoFPF (pronounced: "fawf-pfffff") "revolutionizes paranormal programming by investigating the evidence witnesses post on the Internet every day." Finally, someone is paying attention to "amateur paranormal researchers" who post fuzzy videos on YouTube!
Wings over the Woodford Folk Festival
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
January 25, 2012
Protesting by Plane with the Stop The Anti-Vaccination Network
Indonesian Skeptic Puts Psychic Powers to the Test
by Lukas Dion Pradityo
January 18, 2012
The following is a report of an investigation conducted after learning of four local individuals with claimed psychic abilities. Pradityo asked each of the claimants to bring their own magical object for the test, performed double-blind tests of the claimants’ abilities, and reported back to us.
“Scientific”: It’s just a catchphrase!
by Sharon Hill
Sounds Sciencey
January 17, 2012
Science is all these things: a process, a way of looking at a topic, a community, an infrastructure, a career, a set of results, an authority, and more. We can use the word in many ways. That means it can be abused in many ways as well.
The Winchester Mystery House
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
December 29, 2011
This is another of the “Most Haunted Houses in America,” but this isn’t so much a paranormal story as one about a woman whose life was reputedly ruled and ruined by belief in the paranormal.
On Stanislaw Burzynski, the Streisand Effect, and Standing Up for Skeptical Bloggers
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
December 19, 2011
An Interview with Andy Lewis of Quackometer
(No) Escape from Alcatraz
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
December 5, 2011
Yet another claimant to the title of America’s “most haunted” place, Alcatraz certainly reigns as one of the world’s most notorious jails.
On Codes of Conduct, Part II
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
November 29, 2011
Sexism, Skepticism and Civility Online: an Interview with Jennifer Ouellette
The Inception of the Polish Sceptics Club
by Tomasz Witkowski and Maciej Zatonski
November 18, 2011
In 2010 (the best year for Polish charity), we were able to donate 43 million PLN to improve early cancer diagnosis in children. That’s forty-six times less than the money Polish people have thrown away for fortune tellers. This comparison quite effectively shows the preferences and beliefs of an average Pole.
Hello, Grandmother—What Big Eyes You Have
by Michelle Blackley
November 16, 2011
A review of Little Red Riding Hood (DVD).
Introducing the Menrva Foundation for Science and Reason
by Menrva Foundation
November 9, 2011
Founded in 2011, the Menrva Foundation for Science and Reason is striving to popularize science in Indonesia.
From Ghost-Believing to Ghost-Busting with Project Barnum: Interview with Hayley Stevens
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
November 4, 2011
Project Barnum exists to educate the public and venue providers about techniques that psychics and mediums often attempt to pass off as supernatural ability.
“Psychic medium” Ezio de Angelis
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
October 28, 2011
I attended Communicating with Spirit, a live performance by De Angelis, unaided by editing.
CSIcon 2011 Preview: Death from the Skies!
by CSI Staff
October 18, 2011
Astronomer Phil Plait worked for ten years on the Hubble Space Telescope and writes the Bad Astronomy blog for Discover magazine.
A review of Transcendent Man Live: a Conversation about the Future
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
October 11, 2011
A mixed bag of content, Transcendent Man Live: a Conversation about the Future perfectly illuminated the problem with discussing science in America.
New Zealand Skepticism in the Shaking City
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
October 7, 2011
Rationalism and Rebuilding at the Christchurch Convention, 2011
A review of Nostalgia for the Light
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
September 29, 2011
The Past is Now
El altar del equilibrio periodístico
by Luis Alfonso Gámez
¡Paparruchas!
September 28, 2011
Buena parte del éxito social de la superstición se debe a la actitud de los periodistas al cubrir la información científica.
Running Hot and Cold: “Psychic Medium” Rebecca Rosen
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
September 26, 2011
Like James van Praagh, John Edward, Sylvia Browne, and many others before her, Rebecca Rosen has her own techniques for cold reading, and possibly hot reading.
A review of Attack the Block
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
September 19, 2011
Cheeky Goodness
Special CSIcon Event - An Evening with the Heathens
by CSI Staff
September 15, 2011
The Heathens are an all-star, all-skeptic rock and roll band from the entertainment capital of the world.
The Skeptical Canon, part 2
by Austin Dacey
Circumnavigations
September 14, 2011
Of late, many skeptics have been searching their souls, or searching the place where their souls would be, about the direction of the movement.
Days of Our Lives
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
September 7, 2011
I attended "Past Life Recall," a presentation by "certified" past-life regression therapists Greg McHugh and Paula Robbins.
You Can’t Handle the Truthiness: A Night Out with the 9/11 Truth Community
by Robert Blaskiewicz
Special Report
September 1, 2011
It’s the day of the Rapture, May 21st, 2011, but I’m on my way to the First Iconium Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, for other reasons.
The Daily Mail Gets It Right?
by Rebecca Watson
Skepchick
August 31, 2011
The Daily Mail published an article titled Mount Etna eruption closes airports and 'knocks clocks 15 minutes fast.' Nearly half those words are correct.
Interview with Barbara Forrest, Defender of Evolution and CSIcon 2011 Speaker
by Barbara Forrest
August 29, 2011
Forrest will be discussing her current work at CSIcon; while visiting CFI–Transnational in Amherst, Forrest sat down to share a preview of her presentation.
A review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
August 29, 2011
Unfortunately, what came in with a bang goes out with a whimper in this final installment of a much-loved series.
A review of Cowboys & Aliens
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
August 29, 2011
It’s not dramatic, not cheeky, not funny; Cowboys & Aliens is the film of not.
Disputing ‘Seven Deadly Medical Hypotheses’
by David H. Gorski, Mark Crislip, Avrum Z. Bluming, Carol Tavris, Harriet Hall, and Reynold Spector
Online Extras
August 19, 2011
The article "Seven Deadly Medical Hypotheses" by Reynold Spector, MD, in our March/April 2011 issue prompted considerable comment and controversy.
Interview With Professor Richard Wiseman
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
August 10, 2011
I was fortunate enough to see Richard Wiseman, a popular figure on the skeptical scene, present in Australia as a part of National Science Week...
Dark Side of the Sun
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
August 2, 2011
Our best protection against skin cancer is sunscreen, but this important defense is often demonized by pseudoscientific sources.
The Skeptical Canon
by Austin Dacey
Circumnavigations
July 26, 2011
The titles vary across skeptics meetings, but at the core are the now-familiar topics: psychics, monsters, ghosts, UFOs, creationism, ...
Chorradas paranormales
by Luis Alfonso Gámez
¡Paparruchas!
July 25, 2011
La crítica de las tonterías pseudocientíficas desagrada no sólo a quienes explotan la credulidad popular, ...
Codes of Conduct: A Brief History of Civility, Inclusivity, Sexism and Skepticism
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
July 20, 2011
In skepticism, the double-X chromosome is not queen; the broader landscape of gender politics is inescapable and influences how we interact with others and ...
Does the ‘Arab Spring’ Herald a Renaissance in Science and Open Inquiry?
by Kendrick Frazier
Online Extras
July 13, 2011
SKEPTICAL INQUIRER editor Kendrick Frazier reports from Doha, Qatar.
A review of Forks Over Knives
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
June 30, 2011
Forks Over Knives plays like a 1950s governmental instructional video, makes basic reasoning mistakes, and discredits itself ...
Skeptical Inquirer editor Kendrick Frazier reports from Doha, Qatar
by Kendrick Frazier
Online Extras
June 30, 2011
More than 700 science journalists from ninety countries—half of them from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East—are meeting on the outskirts of Doha ...
Psychic School
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
June 23, 2011
Teaching Psychics to Become Psychic Detectives
Science Diplomacy in the Arab Spring
by Austin Dacey
Circumnavigations
June 14, 2011
Two years and one revolution on, the status of science diplomacy in a realigned Arab world.
All They Want Is the Truth
by Robert Blaskiewicz
Special Report
June 9, 2011
At an unconventional convention in Atlanta in February, conspiracy theorists, UFO researchers, alternative medicine advocates, new patriots, and...
Book Review: The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry
by Kylie Sturgess
May 9, 2011
Ronson often investigates, usually with a gleeful sense of adrenalin-addiction, topics involving the fringes of mainstream society that spook him out.
The Little QEDCon That Can—Question, Explore, Discover In Manchester
by Kylie Sturgess
Special Report
May 4, 2011
It's not often that a convention is cheerfully preoccupied by the sound of crunching.
Will Comet Elenin Destroy the World?
by David Morrison
Responding to Public Questions and Misconceptions
April 21, 2011
On Internet conspiracy sites, this comet is being blamed for the March 10 Japan earthquake and tsunami, and it is supposed to either hit the Earth or...
Charles Darwin Celebrations At Nairobi National Museum
by George Ongere
April 18, 2011
The participants, who were mostly students from different on-campus groups, were very keen to follow the arguments that were made by the different speakers.
Fear of Sun, Moon, and Comets
by David Morrison
Responding to Public Questions and Misconceptions
April 15, 2011
NASA astrobiologist David Morrison answers more questions
Review of Paul
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
April 13, 2011
Anyone calling Paul charismatic, humorous, or timeless is probably suffering a terrible case of confirmation bias.
Spreading the Skeptical Word through Music and Comedy
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
April 7, 2011
An Interview with Tim Minchin
Hard (Pseudo) Science: The Second Coming of the VIBE Machine
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
March 29, 2011
According to anecdotes, the machine has been used to treat a wide variety of conditions, including pancreatic cancer, intestinal parasites, anxiety...
From Manchester to Antarctica: Protesting Online and Worldwide
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
March 24, 2011
An Interview with Paul Willis
Paranormal Paramours
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
March 14, 2011
Things that go bump in the night
Critical Thinking in the Classroom and Beyond
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
March 10, 2011
An Interview with Michael Blanford of the James Randi Educational Foundation
Live Report: Rally to Restore Sanity And/Or Fear, a Plea for Reason
by Benjamin Wolozin
Online Extras
February 25, 2011
Dr. Benjamin Wolozin shares his thoughts and photos from October's Washington, DC event.
When “Big Pharma” Makes It Tough to be a Skeptic
by Rebecca Watson
Skepchick
February 25, 2011
But this is what it means to be a skeptic – doing your research and understanding that an industry can be suspect and immoral without necessarily being...
Escépticos en ‘prime time’
by Luis Alfonso Gámez
¡Paparruchas!
February 23, 2011
Nuestro objetivo es cautivar al público, divertirle, mostrarle que pensar críticamente es más ventajoso y gratificante que creerse las cosas porque sí...
Skepticism in the Face of Evidence Is No Virtue
by Barrett Brown
All Info All Ways
February 16, 2011
If dictators are so fond of the Internet, as some claim, why did Mubarak turn the damn thing off?
Sidestepping the Litigious Consumer: How to Survive in the Lucrative Toning-Shoe Market
by Gretchen McCormack
Online Extras
February 16, 2011
A recent lawsuit argues that “the scientific community has rejected [Skechers’s] claims” of enhanced fitness effects.
A Mug of a Different Color
by Lukas Dion Pradityo
February 9, 2011
A Javanese sorcerer's claims of clairvoyance face three simple double-blind experiments
‘Power Balance’ Bands Shown Worthless
by Ben Radford
Online Extras
February 4, 2011
Power Balance bracelets achieved global popularity, in part because they were embraced by a parade of celebrities.
Syntax Error
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
February 2, 2011
Correct language is not so correct...
Statement From CSI/CFI on Walmart’s Marketing of a Homeopathic Flu Remedy
by csicop.org
January 25, 2011
Statement from the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and the Center for Inquiry on Walmart’s marketing of a homeopathic flu remedy
Speaking of Skeptical Activism
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
January 24, 2011
An Interview with Skeptically Speaking's Desiree Schell.
In the Media: 2010 Report
by Joe Nickell
January 20, 2011
Chronicling another busy year for CSI's Senior Research Fellow, Joe Nickell.
Review of Black Swan
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
January 10, 2011
Well-acted and disturbing, Black Swan is a film that gives fleeting, peripheral glimpses of greatness.
The 10:23 Campaign Wants Your Help
by Michael Marshall
January 6, 2011
In 2011, the 10:23 Campaign wants your help in expanding the protests internationally, as Michael Marshall—co-founder of the campaign—explains.
Back from the Future: Parapsychology and the Bem Affair
by James Alcock
January 6, 2011
Psychologist Daryl Bem has reported data suggesting that individuals’ future experiences can influence their responses in the present. Careful scrutiny of...
Response to Alcock’s “Back from the Future: Comments on Bem”
by Daryl J. Bem
January 6, 2011
Daryl J. Bem, professor emeritus of psychology at Cornell University, responds to a critique of his recent article on his parapsychological research.
Response to Bem’s Comments
by James Alcock
January 6, 2011
James Alcock responds to Daryl Bem's comments on his critique.
Review of Tron: Legacy
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
January 5, 2011
Chock full of glamour and lacking in substance, Tron: Legacy is all sizzle and no sausage.
The Belief with No Name
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
December 21, 2010
Share International comprises an eclectic set of paranormal and pseudoscientific beliefs and practices, and endeavors to appeal to people of all faiths
The Amazing Meeting Australia—The Token Skeptic Interviews
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
December 14, 2010
During my time at the conference, I took the opportunity to get as much feedback from the participants and the audience about their experiences...
Predicting the End of the World
by David Morrison
Responding to Public Questions and Misconceptions
December 6, 2010
NASA astrobiologist David Morrison answers more common questions
Vulgares estafadores
by Luis Alfonso Gámez
¡Paparruchas!
December 3, 2010
Por eso hacen falta más Fernandos Cuarteros. Necesitamos que haya quien llame a las cosas por su nombre.
Science Fiction and Skepticism:
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
November 30, 2010
An Interview with Scott Sigler
Concerns about the Solar Maximum and Planet X
by David Morrison
Responding to Public Questions and Misconceptions
November 24, 2010
Questions from the public regarding the next solar maximum and the hypothesized "Planet X"
Hoaxes: For Better or for Worse
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
November 19, 2010
Skeptics expose the hoaxes, but should skeptics ever be the hoaxers?
Joe Nickell Investigates: Alcatraz [Video]
by Joe Nickell
November 15, 2010
Joe Nickell recently traveled to Alcatraz to experience for himself some of the alleged supernatural claims made about the island.
Science vs. Pseudoscience Seminar in Argentina
by Alejandro Borgo
November 15, 2010
The so-called “academic world” in Argentina is often reluctant to address pseudoscience subjects, so it is not common practice for universities to hold...
Hereafter
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
November 9, 2010
If the events of Hereafter happened in real life, they would not make a rewarding drama but a tragic story used to show the maliciousness of blind...
Keep the Hell Out of Stull!
by Blake Smith
November 8, 2010
Like many others before me, I had come to Stull looking for answers to a mysterious question. But the answer I found made me sad for the people who make...
IIG Visits the Wonderful World of Woo at Para-Con
by Jim Underdown
November 3, 2010
Any good skeptic should touch down in an alien world like Para-Con every now and then, so there were good reasons for us to attend the convention...
CFI/Argentina Report 2010
by Alejandro Borgo
November 2, 2010
During June and July, the Scientific Society of Argentina held a course on the paranormal and critical thinking...
14th Annual CFI Houdini Seance
by Joe Nickell
Special Report
October 31, 2010
Joe Nickell recently sat down with Director of CFI Libraries Tim Binga to hold the 14th Annual Committee for Skeptical Inquiry Houdini Séance.
Paranormal Activity 2
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
October 28, 2010
Sure, Paranormal Activity 2 offers nothing more than roller-coaster thrills, but what’s not to love about roller coasters?
The Exhumation of Simón Bolívar
by Sami Rozenbaum
October 25, 2010
Scholarly research or official witchcraft?
Will Africa Still Be Immersed in Deep Superstition by the Year 2030?
by George Ongere
October 22, 2010
It is a fact that superstitious beliefs have still remained a disease in most parts of Africa even up to this century of enlightenment...
A Close Encounter with Jeff Peckman
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
October 20, 2010
If the conspiracy theorists are to be believed, the United States government has been suppressing proof of the existence of UFOs and aliens for many decades...
10:23 Campaign in 2011: An Interview with Andy Wilson of http://www.1023.org.uk
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
October 19, 2010
On Jan 30, 2010 at 10:23am, more than three hundred skeptics in the UK took part in a mass homeopathic overdose...
Historia Sagrada
by Luis Alfonso Gámez
¡Paparruchas!
October 18, 2010
El último ejemplo de esa contaminación del saber histórico popular por la ficción religiosa lo vivimos en septiembre...
Case 39
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
October 15, 2010
Case 39 is the perfect example of how to annoy, aggravate, and incense an audience to the point that its members intend to hunt down all involved...
Let Me In
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
October 15, 2010
Chilling, edgy, and intimate, Let Me In is a heart breaking, heartwarming vampire drama that left me stirred.
UFOs Over New York City!
by Tom Flynn
October 14, 2010
Mysterious objects in the sky have the internet atwitter, but here at CSI this scene is old hat.
A Modern Solution to An Age-Old Problem
by Barrett Brown
All Info All Ways
October 11, 2010
Clearly it is not the science but rather the journalism that constitutes the limiting factor in the quality of science journalism.
Looking for the Gorillas in Our Midst
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
September 24, 2010
An interview with Professor Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris
CFI-Argentina Report 2011
by Alejandro Borgo
February 8, 2012
In 2011, CFI-Argentina presented courses, lectures, meetings, group organizing, television appearances, and more.
Escepticismo para escépticos
by Luis Alfonso Gámez
¡Paparruchas!
February 6, 2012
Gracias a Internet y a la intensa actividad de unos pocos blogueros -no nos engañemos, los activos son cuatro-, la denuncia de la charlatanería nunca ha sido tan eficaz como en la actualidad.
CFI–Kenya Report: Spreading our mission of “science, reason, and free inquiry” beyond borders
by George Ongere
February 1, 2012
Despite the advancement of science and technology in this century, many African republics have incessantly clung to belief systems that are a thwart to human progress in this age of enlightenment.
Review of Syfy’s Fact or Faked
by Rebecca Watson
Skepchick
January 31, 2012
According to its website, FoFPF (pronounced: "fawf-pfffff") "revolutionizes paranormal programming by investigating the evidence witnesses post on the Internet every day." Finally, someone is paying attention to "amateur paranormal researchers" who post fuzzy videos on YouTube!
Wings over the Woodford Folk Festival
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
January 25, 2012
Protesting by Plane with the Stop The Anti-Vaccination Network
Indonesian Skeptic Puts Psychic Powers to the Test
by Lukas Dion Pradityo
January 18, 2012
The following is a report of an investigation conducted after learning of four local individuals with claimed psychic abilities. Pradityo asked each of the claimants to bring their own magical object for the test, performed double-blind tests of the claimants’ abilities, and reported back to us.
“Scientific”: It’s just a catchphrase!
by Sharon Hill
Sounds Sciencey
January 17, 2012
Science is all these things: a process, a way of looking at a topic, a community, an infrastructure, a career, a set of results, an authority, and more. We can use the word in many ways. That means it can be abused in many ways as well.
The Winchester Mystery House
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
December 29, 2011
This is another of the “Most Haunted Houses in America,” but this isn’t so much a paranormal story as one about a woman whose life was reputedly ruled and ruined by belief in the paranormal.
On Stanislaw Burzynski, the Streisand Effect, and Standing Up for Skeptical Bloggers
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
December 19, 2011
An Interview with Andy Lewis of Quackometer
(No) Escape from Alcatraz
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
December 5, 2011
Yet another claimant to the title of America’s “most haunted” place, Alcatraz certainly reigns as one of the world’s most notorious jails.
On Codes of Conduct, Part II
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
November 29, 2011
Sexism, Skepticism and Civility Online: an Interview with Jennifer Ouellette
The Inception of the Polish Sceptics Club
by Tomasz Witkowski and Maciej Zatonski
November 18, 2011
In 2010 (the best year for Polish charity), we were able to donate 43 million PLN to improve early cancer diagnosis in children. That’s forty-six times less than the money Polish people have thrown away for fortune tellers. This comparison quite effectively shows the preferences and beliefs of an average Pole.
Hello, Grandmother—What Big Eyes You Have
by Michelle Blackley
November 16, 2011
A review of Little Red Riding Hood (DVD).
Introducing the Menrva Foundation for Science and Reason
by Menrva Foundation
November 9, 2011
Founded in 2011, the Menrva Foundation for Science and Reason is striving to popularize science in Indonesia.
From Ghost-Believing to Ghost-Busting with Project Barnum: Interview with Hayley Stevens
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
November 4, 2011
Project Barnum exists to educate the public and venue providers about techniques that psychics and mediums often attempt to pass off as supernatural ability.
“Psychic medium” Ezio de Angelis
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
October 28, 2011
I attended Communicating with Spirit, a live performance by De Angelis, unaided by editing.
CSIcon 2011 Preview: Death from the Skies!
by CSI Staff
October 18, 2011
Astronomer Phil Plait worked for ten years on the Hubble Space Telescope and writes the Bad Astronomy blog for Discover magazine.
A review of Transcendent Man Live: a Conversation about the Future
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
October 11, 2011
A mixed bag of content, Transcendent Man Live: a Conversation about the Future perfectly illuminated the problem with discussing science in America.
New Zealand Skepticism in the Shaking City
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
October 7, 2011
Rationalism and Rebuilding at the Christchurch Convention, 2011
A review of Nostalgia for the Light
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
September 29, 2011
The Past is Now
El altar del equilibrio periodístico
by Luis Alfonso Gámez
¡Paparruchas!
September 28, 2011
Buena parte del éxito social de la superstición se debe a la actitud de los periodistas al cubrir la información científica.
Running Hot and Cold: “Psychic Medium” Rebecca Rosen
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
September 26, 2011
Like James van Praagh, John Edward, Sylvia Browne, and many others before her, Rebecca Rosen has her own techniques for cold reading, and possibly hot reading.
A review of Attack the Block
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
September 19, 2011
Cheeky Goodness
Special CSIcon Event - An Evening with the Heathens
by CSI Staff
September 15, 2011
The Heathens are an all-star, all-skeptic rock and roll band from the entertainment capital of the world.
The Skeptical Canon, part 2
by Austin Dacey
Circumnavigations
September 14, 2011
Of late, many skeptics have been searching their souls, or searching the place where their souls would be, about the direction of the movement.
Days of Our Lives
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
September 7, 2011
I attended "Past Life Recall," a presentation by "certified" past-life regression therapists Greg McHugh and Paula Robbins.
You Can’t Handle the Truthiness: A Night Out with the 9/11 Truth Community
by Robert Blaskiewicz
Special Report
September 1, 2011
It’s the day of the Rapture, May 21st, 2011, but I’m on my way to the First Iconium Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, for other reasons.
The Daily Mail Gets It Right?
by Rebecca Watson
Skepchick
August 31, 2011
The Daily Mail published an article titled Mount Etna eruption closes airports and 'knocks clocks 15 minutes fast.' Nearly half those words are correct.
Interview with Barbara Forrest, Defender of Evolution and CSIcon 2011 Speaker
by Barbara Forrest
August 29, 2011
Forrest will be discussing her current work at CSIcon; while visiting CFI–Transnational in Amherst, Forrest sat down to share a preview of her presentation.
A review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
August 29, 2011
Unfortunately, what came in with a bang goes out with a whimper in this final installment of a much-loved series.
A review of Cowboys & Aliens
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
August 29, 2011
It’s not dramatic, not cheeky, not funny; Cowboys & Aliens is the film of not.
Disputing ‘Seven Deadly Medical Hypotheses’
by David H. Gorski, Mark Crislip, Avrum Z. Bluming, Carol Tavris, Harriet Hall, and Reynold Spector
Online Extras
August 19, 2011
The article "Seven Deadly Medical Hypotheses" by Reynold Spector, MD, in our March/April 2011 issue prompted considerable comment and controversy.
Interview With Professor Richard Wiseman
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
August 10, 2011
I was fortunate enough to see Richard Wiseman, a popular figure on the skeptical scene, present in Australia as a part of National Science Week...
Dark Side of the Sun
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
August 2, 2011
Our best protection against skin cancer is sunscreen, but this important defense is often demonized by pseudoscientific sources.
The Skeptical Canon
by Austin Dacey
Circumnavigations
July 26, 2011
The titles vary across skeptics meetings, but at the core are the now-familiar topics: psychics, monsters, ghosts, UFOs, creationism, ...
Chorradas paranormales
by Luis Alfonso Gámez
¡Paparruchas!
July 25, 2011
La crítica de las tonterías pseudocientíficas desagrada no sólo a quienes explotan la credulidad popular, ...
Codes of Conduct: A Brief History of Civility, Inclusivity, Sexism and Skepticism
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
July 20, 2011
In skepticism, the double-X chromosome is not queen; the broader landscape of gender politics is inescapable and influences how we interact with others and ...
Does the ‘Arab Spring’ Herald a Renaissance in Science and Open Inquiry?
by Kendrick Frazier
Online Extras
July 13, 2011
SKEPTICAL INQUIRER editor Kendrick Frazier reports from Doha, Qatar.
A review of Forks Over Knives
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
June 30, 2011
Forks Over Knives plays like a 1950s governmental instructional video, makes basic reasoning mistakes, and discredits itself ...
Skeptical Inquirer editor Kendrick Frazier reports from Doha, Qatar
by Kendrick Frazier
Online Extras
June 30, 2011
More than 700 science journalists from ninety countries—half of them from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East—are meeting on the outskirts of Doha ...
Psychic School
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
June 23, 2011
Teaching Psychics to Become Psychic Detectives
Science Diplomacy in the Arab Spring
by Austin Dacey
Circumnavigations
June 14, 2011
Two years and one revolution on, the status of science diplomacy in a realigned Arab world.
All They Want Is the Truth
by Robert Blaskiewicz
Special Report
June 9, 2011
At an unconventional convention in Atlanta in February, conspiracy theorists, UFO researchers, alternative medicine advocates, new patriots, and...
Book Review: The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry
by Kylie Sturgess
May 9, 2011
Ronson often investigates, usually with a gleeful sense of adrenalin-addiction, topics involving the fringes of mainstream society that spook him out.
The Little QEDCon That Can—Question, Explore, Discover In Manchester
by Kylie Sturgess
Special Report
May 4, 2011
It's not often that a convention is cheerfully preoccupied by the sound of crunching.
Will Comet Elenin Destroy the World?
by David Morrison
Responding to Public Questions and Misconceptions
April 21, 2011
On Internet conspiracy sites, this comet is being blamed for the March 10 Japan earthquake and tsunami, and it is supposed to either hit the Earth or...
Charles Darwin Celebrations At Nairobi National Museum
by George Ongere
April 18, 2011
The participants, who were mostly students from different on-campus groups, were very keen to follow the arguments that were made by the different speakers.
Fear of Sun, Moon, and Comets
by David Morrison
Responding to Public Questions and Misconceptions
April 15, 2011
NASA astrobiologist David Morrison answers more questions
Review of Paul
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
April 13, 2011
Anyone calling Paul charismatic, humorous, or timeless is probably suffering a terrible case of confirmation bias.
Spreading the Skeptical Word through Music and Comedy
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
April 7, 2011
An Interview with Tim Minchin
Hard (Pseudo) Science: The Second Coming of the VIBE Machine
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
March 29, 2011
According to anecdotes, the machine has been used to treat a wide variety of conditions, including pancreatic cancer, intestinal parasites, anxiety...
From Manchester to Antarctica: Protesting Online and Worldwide
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
March 24, 2011
An Interview with Paul Willis
Paranormal Paramours
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
March 14, 2011
Things that go bump in the night
Critical Thinking in the Classroom and Beyond
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
March 10, 2011
An Interview with Michael Blanford of the James Randi Educational Foundation
Live Report: Rally to Restore Sanity And/Or Fear, a Plea for Reason
by Benjamin Wolozin
Online Extras
February 25, 2011
Dr. Benjamin Wolozin shares his thoughts and photos from October's Washington, DC event.
When “Big Pharma” Makes It Tough to be a Skeptic
by Rebecca Watson
Skepchick
February 25, 2011
But this is what it means to be a skeptic – doing your research and understanding that an industry can be suspect and immoral without necessarily being...
Escépticos en ‘prime time’
by Luis Alfonso Gámez
¡Paparruchas!
February 23, 2011
Nuestro objetivo es cautivar al público, divertirle, mostrarle que pensar críticamente es más ventajoso y gratificante que creerse las cosas porque sí...
Skepticism in the Face of Evidence Is No Virtue
by Barrett Brown
All Info All Ways
February 16, 2011
If dictators are so fond of the Internet, as some claim, why did Mubarak turn the damn thing off?
Sidestepping the Litigious Consumer: How to Survive in the Lucrative Toning-Shoe Market
by Gretchen McCormack
Online Extras
February 16, 2011
A recent lawsuit argues that “the scientific community has rejected [Skechers’s] claims” of enhanced fitness effects.
A Mug of a Different Color
by Lukas Dion Pradityo
February 9, 2011
A Javanese sorcerer's claims of clairvoyance face three simple double-blind experiments
‘Power Balance’ Bands Shown Worthless
by Ben Radford
Online Extras
February 4, 2011
Power Balance bracelets achieved global popularity, in part because they were embraced by a parade of celebrities.
Syntax Error
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
February 2, 2011
Correct language is not so correct...
Statement From CSI/CFI on Walmart’s Marketing of a Homeopathic Flu Remedy
by csicop.org
January 25, 2011
Statement from the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and the Center for Inquiry on Walmart’s marketing of a homeopathic flu remedy
Speaking of Skeptical Activism
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
January 24, 2011
An Interview with Skeptically Speaking's Desiree Schell.
In the Media: 2010 Report
by Joe Nickell
January 20, 2011
Chronicling another busy year for CSI's Senior Research Fellow, Joe Nickell.
Review of Black Swan
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
January 10, 2011
Well-acted and disturbing, Black Swan is a film that gives fleeting, peripheral glimpses of greatness.
The 10:23 Campaign Wants Your Help
by Michael Marshall
January 6, 2011
In 2011, the 10:23 Campaign wants your help in expanding the protests internationally, as Michael Marshall—co-founder of the campaign—explains.
Back from the Future: Parapsychology and the Bem Affair
by James Alcock
January 6, 2011
Psychologist Daryl Bem has reported data suggesting that individuals’ future experiences can influence their responses in the present. Careful scrutiny of...
Response to Alcock’s “Back from the Future: Comments on Bem”
by Daryl J. Bem
January 6, 2011
Daryl J. Bem, professor emeritus of psychology at Cornell University, responds to a critique of his recent article on his parapsychological research.
Response to Bem’s Comments
by James Alcock
January 6, 2011
James Alcock responds to Daryl Bem's comments on his critique.
Review of Tron: Legacy
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
January 5, 2011
Chock full of glamour and lacking in substance, Tron: Legacy is all sizzle and no sausage.
The Belief with No Name
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
December 21, 2010
Share International comprises an eclectic set of paranormal and pseudoscientific beliefs and practices, and endeavors to appeal to people of all faiths
The Amazing Meeting Australia—The Token Skeptic Interviews
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
December 14, 2010
During my time at the conference, I took the opportunity to get as much feedback from the participants and the audience about their experiences...
Predicting the End of the World
by David Morrison
Responding to Public Questions and Misconceptions
December 6, 2010
NASA astrobiologist David Morrison answers more common questions
Vulgares estafadores
by Luis Alfonso Gámez
¡Paparruchas!
December 3, 2010
Por eso hacen falta más Fernandos Cuarteros. Necesitamos que haya quien llame a las cosas por su nombre.
Science Fiction and Skepticism:
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
November 30, 2010
An Interview with Scott Sigler
Concerns about the Solar Maximum and Planet X
by David Morrison
Responding to Public Questions and Misconceptions
November 24, 2010
Questions from the public regarding the next solar maximum and the hypothesized "Planet X"
Hoaxes: For Better or for Worse
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
November 19, 2010
Skeptics expose the hoaxes, but should skeptics ever be the hoaxers?
Joe Nickell Investigates: Alcatraz [Video]
by Joe Nickell
November 15, 2010
Joe Nickell recently traveled to Alcatraz to experience for himself some of the alleged supernatural claims made about the island.
Science vs. Pseudoscience Seminar in Argentina
by Alejandro Borgo
November 15, 2010
The so-called “academic world” in Argentina is often reluctant to address pseudoscience subjects, so it is not common practice for universities to hold...
Hereafter
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
November 9, 2010
If the events of Hereafter happened in real life, they would not make a rewarding drama but a tragic story used to show the maliciousness of blind...
Keep the Hell Out of Stull!
by Blake Smith
November 8, 2010
Like many others before me, I had come to Stull looking for answers to a mysterious question. But the answer I found made me sad for the people who make...
IIG Visits the Wonderful World of Woo at Para-Con
by Jim Underdown
November 3, 2010
Any good skeptic should touch down in an alien world like Para-Con every now and then, so there were good reasons for us to attend the convention...
CFI/Argentina Report 2010
by Alejandro Borgo
November 2, 2010
During June and July, the Scientific Society of Argentina held a course on the paranormal and critical thinking...
14th Annual CFI Houdini Seance
by Joe Nickell
Special Report
October 31, 2010
Joe Nickell recently sat down with Director of CFI Libraries Tim Binga to hold the 14th Annual Committee for Skeptical Inquiry Houdini Séance.
Paranormal Activity 2
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
October 28, 2010
Sure, Paranormal Activity 2 offers nothing more than roller-coaster thrills, but what’s not to love about roller coasters?
The Exhumation of Simón Bolívar
by Sami Rozenbaum
October 25, 2010
Scholarly research or official witchcraft?
Will Africa Still Be Immersed in Deep Superstition by the Year 2030?
by George Ongere
October 22, 2010
It is a fact that superstitious beliefs have still remained a disease in most parts of Africa even up to this century of enlightenment...
A Close Encounter with Jeff Peckman
by Karen Stollznow
The Good Word
October 20, 2010
If the conspiracy theorists are to be believed, the United States government has been suppressing proof of the existence of UFOs and aliens for many decades...
10:23 Campaign in 2011: An Interview with Andy Wilson of http://www.1023.org.uk
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
October 19, 2010
On Jan 30, 2010 at 10:23am, more than three hundred skeptics in the UK took part in a mass homeopathic overdose...
Historia Sagrada
by Luis Alfonso Gámez
¡Paparruchas!
October 18, 2010
El último ejemplo de esa contaminación del saber histórico popular por la ficción religiosa lo vivimos en septiembre...
Case 39
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
October 15, 2010
Case 39 is the perfect example of how to annoy, aggravate, and incense an audience to the point that its members intend to hunt down all involved...
Let Me In
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
October 15, 2010
Chilling, edgy, and intimate, Let Me In is a heart breaking, heartwarming vampire drama that left me stirred.
UFOs Over New York City!
by Tom Flynn
October 14, 2010
Mysterious objects in the sky have the internet atwitter, but here at CSI this scene is old hat.
A Modern Solution to An Age-Old Problem
by Barrett Brown
All Info All Ways
October 11, 2010
Clearly it is not the science but rather the journalism that constitutes the limiting factor in the quality of science journalism.
Looking for the Gorillas in Our Midst
by Kylie Sturgess
Curiouser and Curiouser
September 24, 2010
An interview with Professor Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris