Special Articles —
Review of Zombieland
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
November 19, 2009
Zombieland is half how-to video half tongue-in-cheek comic adventure.
Review of The Men Who Stare at Goats
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
November 17, 2009
A heartbroken reporter stumbles onto a story about cold war Jedi in Iraq to whom no human, rock, or goat is immune.
The ‘Ethics’ of Ghost Hunting?
by Karen Stollznow
The Naked Skeptic
November 16, 2009
If a doctor engages in malpractice, the practitioner is accountable to professional organizations...
Review of The Fourth Kind
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
November 16, 2009
Aliens, hysteria, hallucinations, theology, ancient civilizations, and psychotherapy merge en mass in Nome, Alaska.
The 2009 Seattle Creation Conference
by Pierre Stromberg
November 9, 2009
Friday evening, October 9, Halloween came early to Seattle in the form of the fifth annual Seattle Creation Conference.
Notes from the Harmonious Society: Dissident Science in China, Part II
by Austin Dacey
Circumnavigations
October 26, 2009
Two classical Confucian philosophers once had a famous disagreement over the morality of music. Mozi mounted a utilitarian...
New Age Spiritualism: I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
by Karen Stollznow
The Naked Skeptic
October 12, 2009
A friend who owns a bookstore once told me, "Customers drawn to the New Age section seem to buy every book but never find...
Notes from the Harmonious Society: Dissident Science in China, Part I
by Austin Dacey
Circumnavigations
September 30, 2009
Their vessel was the Xue Long, Snow Dragon, and it was bound for the South Pole...
Youth and Witchcraft Violence in Africa
by George Ongere
September 29, 2009
The new millennium was accompanied by great expectations in Africa, but the reality is that superstition still reigns supreme.
Camp Inquiry Rocks
by Angie McQuaig
September 14, 2009
Every summer, The Center for Inquiry hosts Camp Inquiry, a week-long summer camp in Holland, NY.
When The Beatles Were Bigger Than Jesus Christ
by Karen Stollznow
The Naked Skeptic
September 10, 2009
In 1966 John Lennon said that The Beatles were "more popular than Jesus." This was an observation of secularization to some...
Gods and Rockets: Part 2
by Austin Dacey
Circumnavigations
August 25, 2009
It is a recurring daydream of mine to launch a mail-order enlightenment business.
The Haunted (Pseudo) History of Bonaventure Cemetery
by Karen Stollznow
The Naked Skeptic
August 3, 2009
Bonaventure Cemetery near Savannah, Georgia is featured in Berendt's novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil...
Beware the Spinal Trap
by Simon Singh
July 29, 2009
Some practitioners claim it is a cure-all, but the research suggests chiropractic therapy has mixed results...
Gods and Rockets: A Tale of Science in India
by Austin Dacey
Circumnavigations
July 24, 2009
"We are afraid that the thunder-storms might have an impact on the scheduled launch."
How Can the Concept of Humanism Solve Witchcraft Belief in Africa?
by George Ongere
July 16, 2009
In the past months there have been shocking reports of witch hunting and burnings of suspected witches in Kenya.
Psychics Aren’t Psychic Anymore
by Karen Stollznow
The Naked Skeptic
June 30, 2009
During an investigation of a "haunted hotel" in California, I made the mistake of referring to a psychic as a "psychic."
Does Science Unite?
by Austin Dacey
Circumnavigations
June 16, 2009
Does science foster a universal culture? Julian Huxley thought so, and wrote this into the mandate of the U.N. What happened?
Methodological and Statistical Issues in Adult Nutritional Research
by Reynold Spector
May 1, 2009
In general, an overriding purpose of all science is to find the truth...
Science, Reason, and the Obama Administration
by Kendrick Frazier
April 21, 2009
Commentary to appear in the March/April 2009 Skeptical Inquirer
Joe Nickell Exorcises the Nonsense out of Reverend Larson
by Joe Nickell
December 29, 2008
CNN Interview with Joe Nickell and Reverend Bob Larsen
Skeptical Inquirer aids high school science teacher and students
by Barry Karr and Jamye Johnston
December 26, 2008
Correspondance between a Texas science teacher and CSI Director Barry Karr
The Wrath of the Secretrons
by Connie L. Schmidt
September 13, 2008
For the past few months I've been getting some pretty interesting hate mail in response to my blog, Whirled Musings
CSI’s Robert P. Balles Award Goes to New York Times Science Writer Natalie Angier
by Nathan Bupp
August 4, 2008
CSI awarded its third Robert P. Balles Annual Prize in Critical Thinking to Natalie Angier for her recent book.
Expelling All Reason
by Dan Whipple
June 16, 2008
I was invited, probably by accident, to a preview in January of the independent movie Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed...
Ben Stein’s Trojan Horse: Mobilizing the State House and Local News Agenda
by Matt Nisbet
Science and the Media
June 2, 2008
In April, as the documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed premiered in more than a 1,000 theaters across the country...
Reality Check: Ghost Hunters and ‘Ghost Detectors’
by Ben Radford
June 2, 2008
Ghosts are big business. For entities that may or may not exist, they seem to be everywhere, especially during Halloween.
An Evening With James Randi and Friends
by Jon Cohen
May 23, 2008
The Willy Wonka of scepticism, the Evel Knievel of debunking, James 'The Amazing' Randi was in town...
Expelled
by Penny Higgins
May 16, 2008
I recently attended a showing of Ben Stein's new movie "Expelled."
Controversy Erupts Over Errors, Bias in Textbook
by Henry Huber
May 8, 2008
In 2006, public high-school junior Matthew LaClair secretly tape recorded the religious messages his teacher aimed at students.
Moving Beyond Gore’s Message: A Look Back (and Ahead) at Climate Change Communications
by Matt Nisbet
Science and the Media
January 9, 2008
Conventional wisdom pegs 2007 as the long awaited tipping point in waking the public up to the urgency of global warming.
Council of Europe Approves Resolution Against Creationism
by Martin Mahner
October 23, 2007
In October 2007, Europe's Parliamentary Assembly recommended that its member governments oppose the teaching of creationism.
On Creation Science
by Penny Higgins
September 26, 2007
It is best to fully understand the point of view of those with whom you disagree before you engage them in discussion.
Investigating a Haunted House – Buffalo, New York
by Ben Radford
September 18, 2007
Note: Respecting a request for anonymity, names have been changed. Except for the cat.
‘Psychics’ Fail to Foresee Their Own Fortunes
by Joe Nickell
May 18, 2007
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia's fortune tellers failed to foresee the closure of their shops
Faith & Reason
by Nica Lalli
May 7, 2007
The debate between the creationists and evolutionists has been raging for years. As a secular person I have watched in horror.
The Making of The Reaping: Behind the Scenes of a Supernatural Thriller
by Joe Nickell
April 5, 2007
If you were a filming a supernatural thriller, would you have Hilary Swank play a Joe Nickell type, or Joe Nickell play himself?
Design, by any other name
by Robert Camp
March 29, 2007
Do we accede too much when we allow that life appears to be designed?
Secrets and Lies
by Mary Carmichael and Ben Radford
Special Report
March 29, 2007
Last year, Rhonda Byrne discovered the secret of the universe.
A “Two Step Flow of Popularization” for Climate Change
by Matt Nisbet
Science and the Media
February 26, 2007
Recruiting Opinion-Leaders for Science
300 million year old rock
by Lauren Becker
January 17, 2007
The summer before my senior year of college I worked as a park ranger guiding hikes...
Identity Crisis
by Lauren Becker
January 17, 2007
Not long ago, while researching a talk for Darwin Day, I came across an article by Steve Silberman...
Splitters!
by Robert Camp
January 12, 2007
Thoughts on The God Delusion and the current controversy over the correct approach to opposing creationism.
Confessions of a Ghost Tour Guide and Skeptic
by Philip Howard
December 18, 2006
Two hundred and eighty-eight years ago, about a half mile from where I now sit, a remarkable man had his head lopped off.
The British Centre for Science Education (BCSE)
by csicop.org
December 11, 2006
The British Centre for Science Education is a newly formed organisation with the primary purpose of stopping the teaching of...
It’s CSI Now, Not CSICOP
by Kendrick Frazier
December 4, 2006
The Executive Council of CSICOP has formally adopted a shorter name for the organization: Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.
New Directions for Skeptical Inquiry
by Paul Kurtz
December 4, 2006
CSICOP has reached an historic juncture: the recognition that there is a critical need to change our direction.
Who Designed the Designer?
by Jason Rosenhouse
November 3, 2006
The existence of complex contrivances like computers or automobiles is routinely explained via the intelligent action of...
Ghost Photos: Scams, Slipups, and Spirits
by Ben Radford
November 3, 2006
One thing that ghosts, Bigfoot, and UFOs have in common is a lack of hard evidence for their existence.
Use and Abuse of the Fossil Record: The Case of the ‘Fish-ibian’
by Penny Higgins
September 13, 2006
A common argument of creationism is that no transitional forms between major organismal groups.
Use and Abuse of the Fossil Record: Defining Terms
by Penny Higgins
September 9, 2006
A common argument of creationism is that no transitional forms between major organismal groups...
Shame on Shamus Sham
by Joe Nickell
August 24, 2006
In addition to the portrait, Allison predicted the killer would have "connections" to Germany and Georgia, and gave details.
How Do You Spot A Bad Scientific Argument?
by Jason Rosenhouse
August 22, 2006
Anti-evolutionists are skillful at burying the weaknesses of their arguments beneath a wealth of scientific jargon.
The Next Big Storm
by Matt Nisbet and Chris Mooney
Science and the Media
August 3, 2006
Can Scientists and Journalists Work Together to Improve Coverage of the Hurricane-Global Warming Controversy?
The Next Big Storm
by Chris Mooney and Matthew Nisbet
Doubt and About
August 3, 2006
Can Scientists and Journalists Work Together to Improve Coverage of the Hurricane-Global Warming Controversy?
The “Vise Strategy” Undone: Kitzmiller et al. v. Dover Area School District
by Barbara Forrest
July 31, 2006
In a May 6, 2005, post on his Uncommon Descent blog, intelligent design creationist William Dembski was talking tough.
CSI: Turning from Science to Psychics
by Ben Radford
July 29, 2006
What happens when psychic powers are used for much more important and practical purposes, such as solving crimes?
Among The Bigfooters
by Ben Radford
July 29, 2006
“Some are doubters, some believe, the rest of us just know.”
Is Natural Selection a Tautology?
by Jason Rosenhouse
July 5, 2006
As I write this, Ann Coulter’s new book Godless: The Church of Liberalism is currently number one on the...
Beastly Numbers
by Ben Radford
June 6, 2006
June 6 isn't just any date, it is (or could be) a day of evil and bad luck, a date containing the reputed "Number of the Beast."
Going Nuclear: Frames and Public Opinion about Atomic Energy
by Matt Nisbet
Science and the Media
June 1, 2006
The debate over nuclear energy is back.
Does Evolution Have a Thermodynamics Problem?
by Jason Rosenhouse
May 19, 2006
Writing in a recent issue of the politically conservative magazine The American Spectator...
What Is Science?
by Jason Rosenhouse
May 18, 2006
Proponents of intelligent design (ID) offer a wide array of arguments in defense of their views. These arguments are, without...
Avian Flu and the Surveillance Function of the News Media
by Matt Nisbet
Science and the Media
April 26, 2006
Avian flu remains a topic heavy with scientific uncertainty, yet high in potential risk.
An Interview with Dr. Eugenie Scott
by Bill Busher
April 21, 2006
Dr. Eugenie C. Scott, Executive Director of the NCSE, recently spoke at OCC's Whitney Building on Evolution vs. I.D.
Critical Thinking in Commercial Endeavors
by Timothy E. Moore
April 13, 2006
Presentation to CSICOP — April 1, 2006
Stranger Danger: How Real Is It?
by Ben Radford
April 7, 2006
If you saw an innocent child being kidnapped by a stranger, would you help?
Cultural Indicators of the Paranormal
by Matt Nisbet
Science and the Media
March 22, 2006
Tracking the Media/Belief Nexus
Lake ‘Monster’ Resurfaces
by Joe Nickell
March 15, 2006
"Is there a monster in Lake Champlain?" asked Good Morning America, on their February 22, 2006, program.
Why “Intelligent Design” (ID) is not science
by Penny Higgins
March 1, 2006
Why "Intelligent Design" (ID) is not science, and why, therefore, it should not be taught in a science curriculum.
Turn out the lights, the “Teach the controversy” party’s over
by Robert Camp
February 25, 2006
The clarion call of the intelligent design movement is to “teach the controversy.”
Are there Any Important Differences between Intelligent Design and Creationism?
by Jason Rosenhouse
February 24, 2006
The Court's decision in the recently completed trial Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School Board contains the following:
How Press Coverage Limits Controversy in the U.S. Over Plant Biotechnology
by Matt Nisbet
Science and the Media
February 22, 2006
When the WTO ruled last week that the European Union had violated international trade rules by blocking U.S. imports...
Auras and Indigo Children
by Mario Mendez-Acosta
February 15, 2006
Beliefs in diverse paranormal phenomena tend to show a cyclical character, just like the width of neckties in vogue.
Intelligent Design hits Australia
by Denise Sutherland
January 28, 2006
Earlier this year I stumbled across the Intelligent Design debate, courtesy of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
Psychic Predictions 2005
by Gene Emery
Psychic Predictions
January 17, 2006
There's 2005, and then there's the 2005 that never was but was supposed to have been, at least if you believed the psychics.
Welcome to Science Court
by Chris Mooney
Doubt and About
January 9, 2006
The ruling in the Dover evolution trial shows what the legal and scientific processes have in common—intellectual rigor
The New Partisan Divide in Public Opinion about Stem Cell Research
by Matt Nisbet
Science and the Media
January 9, 2006
It is still too early to gauge any public opinion fallout from the Korean stem cell scandal.
Why is it Unconstitutional to Teach Intelligent Design?
by Jason Rosenhouse
December 29, 2005
On December 20, 2005, federal judge John Jones handed down his decision in the case Kitzmiller...
The Mousetrap
by John Allen Paulos
December 19, 2005
Intelligent design rejects Darwin’s theory of evolution as being unable to explain the complexity of life.
Upping the Anti
by Chris Mooney
Doubt and About
December 8, 2005
Tom Bethell takes the modern political right’s “war on science” to a whole new level.
Putting the “Natural” in Natural History: Darwin Exhibit Opens In New York
by Austin Dacey
November 30, 2005
On the sunny autumn afternoon of Saturday, November 19, I was among the enthusiastic throng at the opening of a new...
Most Haunted Dead
by Rick Wood
November 19, 2005
For those of you who like a dash of professional wrestling with your paranormal television fare...
Very Like a… Machine?
by Robert Camp
November 15, 2005
"After all, both sides employ comparative devices and analogies (e.g. biologists often refer to cellular systems as machines)."
Would Stephen Jay Gould Have Signed the “Steves” List?
by Jason Rosenhouse
November 8, 2005
For several years now the National Center for Science Education has maintained Project Steve. This is a list of scientists...
Abductive Reasoning
by Chris Mooney
Doubt and About
November 2, 2005
In her first book, Susan Clancy successfully explains how normal Americans can devoutly believe they were kidnapped by aliens.
Halloween Scare Feeds False Fears
by Ben Radford
October 25, 2005
While children dress up as scary creatures and trick-or-treat, parents, police, and medical centers follow another ritual.
Intelligent Design or “No Model” Creationism Part I
by Ronald H. Pine
October 15, 2005
A Total Fraud and a Scam Why It Can't Qualify as Even a Pseudoscience
Intelligent Design or “No Model” Creationism Part II
by Ronald H. Pine
October 15, 2005
A Total Fraud and a Scam Why It Can't Qualify as Even a Pseudoscience
Understanding Bias in Coverage of Intelligent Design
by Matt Nisbet
Science and the Media
September 30, 2005
Follow-up on Columbia Journalism Review article and New York Times Series
Understanding Bias in Coverage of Intelligent Design
by Matt Nisbet
September 30, 2005
Follow-up on Columbia Journalism Review article and New York Times Series
Psychic Sleuthing: The Myth-making Process
by Joe Nickell
September 26, 2005
In July, a Pittsburgh news magazine cover story presented a rather confusing picture of the effectiveness of psychic detectives.
Achau Nguyen Test
by Jim Underdown
September 26, 2005
On July 23, The Independent Investigations Group, in conjunction with the JREF, conducted a test of alleged telepathic ability.
Can Probability Theory Be Used to Refute Evolution? (Part Two)
by Jason Rosenhouse
September 19, 2005
Arguments based on probability theory are a mainstay of creationist literature. There you can find elaborate calculations...
Can Probability Theory Be Used to Refute Evolution? (Part One)
by Jason Rosenhouse
September 19, 2005
In a privately published volume entitled The Evolution of Man Scientifically Disproved, in Fifty Arguments...
Science Looks for Bigfoot
by Ben Radford
September 3, 2005
In April (2005) a Manitoba ferry operator videotaped a large, dark, indistinct creature moving along a riverbank.
New Exorcism Film Highlights Deadly Rituals
by Ben Radford
September 1, 2005
The Exorcism of Emily Rose is about a priest accused of negligence resulting in the death of a nineteen-year-old woman.
Why do Scientists Get So Angry when Dealing with ID Proponents?
by Jason Rosenhouse
August 26, 2005
I am sometimes asked why supporters of evolution get so angry when addressing proponents of Intelligent Design.
Why Are Scientists Confident that Complex Biological Systems Evolved Gradually?
by Jason Rosenhouse
August 26, 2005
Proponents of intelligent design (ID) assert that certain complex biological systems could not emerge from a gradual...
Review of Zombieland
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
November 19, 2009
Zombieland is half how-to video half tongue-in-cheek comic adventure.
Review of The Men Who Stare at Goats
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
November 17, 2009
A heartbroken reporter stumbles onto a story about cold war Jedi in Iraq to whom no human, rock, or goat is immune.
The ‘Ethics’ of Ghost Hunting?
by Karen Stollznow
The Naked Skeptic
November 16, 2009
If a doctor engages in malpractice, the practitioner is accountable to professional organizations...
Review of The Fourth Kind
by LaRae Meadows
Voice in the Dark (theater)
November 16, 2009
Aliens, hysteria, hallucinations, theology, ancient civilizations, and psychotherapy merge en mass in Nome, Alaska.
The 2009 Seattle Creation Conference
by Pierre Stromberg
November 9, 2009
Friday evening, October 9, Halloween came early to Seattle in the form of the fifth annual Seattle Creation Conference.
Notes from the Harmonious Society: Dissident Science in China, Part II
by Austin Dacey
Circumnavigations
October 26, 2009
Two classical Confucian philosophers once had a famous disagreement over the morality of music. Mozi mounted a utilitarian...
New Age Spiritualism: I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
by Karen Stollznow
The Naked Skeptic
October 12, 2009
A friend who owns a bookstore once told me, "Customers drawn to the New Age section seem to buy every book but never find...
Notes from the Harmonious Society: Dissident Science in China, Part I
by Austin Dacey
Circumnavigations
September 30, 2009
Their vessel was the Xue Long, Snow Dragon, and it was bound for the South Pole...
Youth and Witchcraft Violence in Africa
by George Ongere
September 29, 2009
The new millennium was accompanied by great expectations in Africa, but the reality is that superstition still reigns supreme.
Camp Inquiry Rocks
by Angie McQuaig
September 14, 2009
Every summer, The Center for Inquiry hosts Camp Inquiry, a week-long summer camp in Holland, NY.
When The Beatles Were Bigger Than Jesus Christ
by Karen Stollznow
The Naked Skeptic
September 10, 2009
In 1966 John Lennon said that The Beatles were "more popular than Jesus." This was an observation of secularization to some...
Gods and Rockets: Part 2
by Austin Dacey
Circumnavigations
August 25, 2009
It is a recurring daydream of mine to launch a mail-order enlightenment business.
The Haunted (Pseudo) History of Bonaventure Cemetery
by Karen Stollznow
The Naked Skeptic
August 3, 2009
Bonaventure Cemetery near Savannah, Georgia is featured in Berendt's novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil...
Beware the Spinal Trap
by Simon Singh
July 29, 2009
Some practitioners claim it is a cure-all, but the research suggests chiropractic therapy has mixed results...
Gods and Rockets: A Tale of Science in India
by Austin Dacey
Circumnavigations
July 24, 2009
"We are afraid that the thunder-storms might have an impact on the scheduled launch."
How Can the Concept of Humanism Solve Witchcraft Belief in Africa?
by George Ongere
July 16, 2009
In the past months there have been shocking reports of witch hunting and burnings of suspected witches in Kenya.
Psychics Aren’t Psychic Anymore
by Karen Stollznow
The Naked Skeptic
June 30, 2009
During an investigation of a "haunted hotel" in California, I made the mistake of referring to a psychic as a "psychic."
Does Science Unite?
by Austin Dacey
Circumnavigations
June 16, 2009
Does science foster a universal culture? Julian Huxley thought so, and wrote this into the mandate of the U.N. What happened?
Methodological and Statistical Issues in Adult Nutritional Research
by Reynold Spector
May 1, 2009
In general, an overriding purpose of all science is to find the truth...
Science, Reason, and the Obama Administration
by Kendrick Frazier
April 21, 2009
Commentary to appear in the March/April 2009 Skeptical Inquirer
Joe Nickell Exorcises the Nonsense out of Reverend Larson
by Joe Nickell
December 29, 2008
CNN Interview with Joe Nickell and Reverend Bob Larsen
Skeptical Inquirer aids high school science teacher and students
by Barry Karr and Jamye Johnston
December 26, 2008
Correspondance between a Texas science teacher and CSI Director Barry Karr
The Wrath of the Secretrons
by Connie L. Schmidt
September 13, 2008
For the past few months I've been getting some pretty interesting hate mail in response to my blog, Whirled Musings
CSI’s Robert P. Balles Award Goes to New York Times Science Writer Natalie Angier
by Nathan Bupp
August 4, 2008
CSI awarded its third Robert P. Balles Annual Prize in Critical Thinking to Natalie Angier for her recent book.
Expelling All Reason
by Dan Whipple
June 16, 2008
I was invited, probably by accident, to a preview in January of the independent movie Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed...
Ben Stein’s Trojan Horse: Mobilizing the State House and Local News Agenda
by Matt Nisbet
Science and the Media
June 2, 2008
In April, as the documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed premiered in more than a 1,000 theaters across the country...
Reality Check: Ghost Hunters and ‘Ghost Detectors’
by Ben Radford
June 2, 2008
Ghosts are big business. For entities that may or may not exist, they seem to be everywhere, especially during Halloween.
An Evening With James Randi and Friends
by Jon Cohen
May 23, 2008
The Willy Wonka of scepticism, the Evel Knievel of debunking, James 'The Amazing' Randi was in town...
Expelled
by Penny Higgins
May 16, 2008
I recently attended a showing of Ben Stein's new movie "Expelled."
Controversy Erupts Over Errors, Bias in Textbook
by Henry Huber
May 8, 2008
In 2006, public high-school junior Matthew LaClair secretly tape recorded the religious messages his teacher aimed at students.
Moving Beyond Gore’s Message: A Look Back (and Ahead) at Climate Change Communications
by Matt Nisbet
Science and the Media
January 9, 2008
Conventional wisdom pegs 2007 as the long awaited tipping point in waking the public up to the urgency of global warming.
Council of Europe Approves Resolution Against Creationism
by Martin Mahner
October 23, 2007
In October 2007, Europe's Parliamentary Assembly recommended that its member governments oppose the teaching of creationism.
On Creation Science
by Penny Higgins
September 26, 2007
It is best to fully understand the point of view of those with whom you disagree before you engage them in discussion.
Investigating a Haunted House – Buffalo, New York
by Ben Radford
September 18, 2007
Note: Respecting a request for anonymity, names have been changed. Except for the cat.
‘Psychics’ Fail to Foresee Their Own Fortunes
by Joe Nickell
May 18, 2007
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia's fortune tellers failed to foresee the closure of their shops
Faith & Reason
by Nica Lalli
May 7, 2007
The debate between the creationists and evolutionists has been raging for years. As a secular person I have watched in horror.
The Making of The Reaping: Behind the Scenes of a Supernatural Thriller
by Joe Nickell
April 5, 2007
If you were a filming a supernatural thriller, would you have Hilary Swank play a Joe Nickell type, or Joe Nickell play himself?
Design, by any other name
by Robert Camp
March 29, 2007
Do we accede too much when we allow that life appears to be designed?
Secrets and Lies
by Mary Carmichael and Ben Radford
Special Report
March 29, 2007
Last year, Rhonda Byrne discovered the secret of the universe.
A “Two Step Flow of Popularization” for Climate Change
by Matt Nisbet
Science and the Media
February 26, 2007
Recruiting Opinion-Leaders for Science
300 million year old rock
by Lauren Becker
January 17, 2007
The summer before my senior year of college I worked as a park ranger guiding hikes...
Identity Crisis
by Lauren Becker
January 17, 2007
Not long ago, while researching a talk for Darwin Day, I came across an article by Steve Silberman...
Splitters!
by Robert Camp
January 12, 2007
Thoughts on The God Delusion and the current controversy over the correct approach to opposing creationism.
Confessions of a Ghost Tour Guide and Skeptic
by Philip Howard
December 18, 2006
Two hundred and eighty-eight years ago, about a half mile from where I now sit, a remarkable man had his head lopped off.
The British Centre for Science Education (BCSE)
by csicop.org
December 11, 2006
The British Centre for Science Education is a newly formed organisation with the primary purpose of stopping the teaching of...
It’s CSI Now, Not CSICOP
by Kendrick Frazier
December 4, 2006
The Executive Council of CSICOP has formally adopted a shorter name for the organization: Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.
New Directions for Skeptical Inquiry
by Paul Kurtz
December 4, 2006
CSICOP has reached an historic juncture: the recognition that there is a critical need to change our direction.
Who Designed the Designer?
by Jason Rosenhouse
November 3, 2006
The existence of complex contrivances like computers or automobiles is routinely explained via the intelligent action of...
Ghost Photos: Scams, Slipups, and Spirits
by Ben Radford
November 3, 2006
One thing that ghosts, Bigfoot, and UFOs have in common is a lack of hard evidence for their existence.
Use and Abuse of the Fossil Record: The Case of the ‘Fish-ibian’
by Penny Higgins
September 13, 2006
A common argument of creationism is that no transitional forms between major organismal groups.
Use and Abuse of the Fossil Record: Defining Terms
by Penny Higgins
September 9, 2006
A common argument of creationism is that no transitional forms between major organismal groups...
Shame on Shamus Sham
by Joe Nickell
August 24, 2006
In addition to the portrait, Allison predicted the killer would have "connections" to Germany and Georgia, and gave details.
How Do You Spot A Bad Scientific Argument?
by Jason Rosenhouse
August 22, 2006
Anti-evolutionists are skillful at burying the weaknesses of their arguments beneath a wealth of scientific jargon.
The Next Big Storm
by Matt Nisbet and Chris Mooney
Science and the Media
August 3, 2006
Can Scientists and Journalists Work Together to Improve Coverage of the Hurricane-Global Warming Controversy?
The Next Big Storm
by Chris Mooney and Matthew Nisbet
Doubt and About
August 3, 2006
Can Scientists and Journalists Work Together to Improve Coverage of the Hurricane-Global Warming Controversy?
The “Vise Strategy” Undone: Kitzmiller et al. v. Dover Area School District
by Barbara Forrest
July 31, 2006
In a May 6, 2005, post on his Uncommon Descent blog, intelligent design creationist William Dembski was talking tough.
CSI: Turning from Science to Psychics
by Ben Radford
July 29, 2006
What happens when psychic powers are used for much more important and practical purposes, such as solving crimes?
Among The Bigfooters
by Ben Radford
July 29, 2006
“Some are doubters, some believe, the rest of us just know.”
Is Natural Selection a Tautology?
by Jason Rosenhouse
July 5, 2006
As I write this, Ann Coulter’s new book Godless: The Church of Liberalism is currently number one on the...
Beastly Numbers
by Ben Radford
June 6, 2006
June 6 isn't just any date, it is (or could be) a day of evil and bad luck, a date containing the reputed "Number of the Beast."
Going Nuclear: Frames and Public Opinion about Atomic Energy
by Matt Nisbet
Science and the Media
June 1, 2006
The debate over nuclear energy is back.
Does Evolution Have a Thermodynamics Problem?
by Jason Rosenhouse
May 19, 2006
Writing in a recent issue of the politically conservative magazine The American Spectator...
What Is Science?
by Jason Rosenhouse
May 18, 2006
Proponents of intelligent design (ID) offer a wide array of arguments in defense of their views. These arguments are, without...
Avian Flu and the Surveillance Function of the News Media
by Matt Nisbet
Science and the Media
April 26, 2006
Avian flu remains a topic heavy with scientific uncertainty, yet high in potential risk.
An Interview with Dr. Eugenie Scott
by Bill Busher
April 21, 2006
Dr. Eugenie C. Scott, Executive Director of the NCSE, recently spoke at OCC's Whitney Building on Evolution vs. I.D.
Critical Thinking in Commercial Endeavors
by Timothy E. Moore
April 13, 2006
Presentation to CSICOP — April 1, 2006
Stranger Danger: How Real Is It?
by Ben Radford
April 7, 2006
If you saw an innocent child being kidnapped by a stranger, would you help?
Cultural Indicators of the Paranormal
by Matt Nisbet
Science and the Media
March 22, 2006
Tracking the Media/Belief Nexus
Lake ‘Monster’ Resurfaces
by Joe Nickell
March 15, 2006
"Is there a monster in Lake Champlain?" asked Good Morning America, on their February 22, 2006, program.
Why “Intelligent Design” (ID) is not science
by Penny Higgins
March 1, 2006
Why "Intelligent Design" (ID) is not science, and why, therefore, it should not be taught in a science curriculum.
Turn out the lights, the “Teach the controversy” party’s over
by Robert Camp
February 25, 2006
The clarion call of the intelligent design movement is to “teach the controversy.”
Are there Any Important Differences between Intelligent Design and Creationism?
by Jason Rosenhouse
February 24, 2006
The Court's decision in the recently completed trial Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School Board contains the following:
How Press Coverage Limits Controversy in the U.S. Over Plant Biotechnology
by Matt Nisbet
Science and the Media
February 22, 2006
When the WTO ruled last week that the European Union had violated international trade rules by blocking U.S. imports...
Auras and Indigo Children
by Mario Mendez-Acosta
February 15, 2006
Beliefs in diverse paranormal phenomena tend to show a cyclical character, just like the width of neckties in vogue.
Intelligent Design hits Australia
by Denise Sutherland
January 28, 2006
Earlier this year I stumbled across the Intelligent Design debate, courtesy of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
Psychic Predictions 2005
by Gene Emery
Psychic Predictions
January 17, 2006
There's 2005, and then there's the 2005 that never was but was supposed to have been, at least if you believed the psychics.
Welcome to Science Court
by Chris Mooney
Doubt and About
January 9, 2006
The ruling in the Dover evolution trial shows what the legal and scientific processes have in common—intellectual rigor
The New Partisan Divide in Public Opinion about Stem Cell Research
by Matt Nisbet
Science and the Media
January 9, 2006
It is still too early to gauge any public opinion fallout from the Korean stem cell scandal.
Why is it Unconstitutional to Teach Intelligent Design?
by Jason Rosenhouse
December 29, 2005
On December 20, 2005, federal judge John Jones handed down his decision in the case Kitzmiller...
The Mousetrap
by John Allen Paulos
December 19, 2005
Intelligent design rejects Darwin’s theory of evolution as being unable to explain the complexity of life.
Upping the Anti
by Chris Mooney
Doubt and About
December 8, 2005
Tom Bethell takes the modern political right’s “war on science” to a whole new level.
Putting the “Natural” in Natural History: Darwin Exhibit Opens In New York
by Austin Dacey
November 30, 2005
On the sunny autumn afternoon of Saturday, November 19, I was among the enthusiastic throng at the opening of a new...
Most Haunted Dead
by Rick Wood
November 19, 2005
For those of you who like a dash of professional wrestling with your paranormal television fare...
Very Like a… Machine?
by Robert Camp
November 15, 2005
"After all, both sides employ comparative devices and analogies (e.g. biologists often refer to cellular systems as machines)."
Would Stephen Jay Gould Have Signed the “Steves” List?
by Jason Rosenhouse
November 8, 2005
For several years now the National Center for Science Education has maintained Project Steve. This is a list of scientists...
Abductive Reasoning
by Chris Mooney
Doubt and About
November 2, 2005
In her first book, Susan Clancy successfully explains how normal Americans can devoutly believe they were kidnapped by aliens.
Halloween Scare Feeds False Fears
by Ben Radford
October 25, 2005
While children dress up as scary creatures and trick-or-treat, parents, police, and medical centers follow another ritual.
Intelligent Design or “No Model” Creationism Part I
by Ronald H. Pine
October 15, 2005
A Total Fraud and a Scam Why It Can't Qualify as Even a Pseudoscience
Intelligent Design or “No Model” Creationism Part II
by Ronald H. Pine
October 15, 2005
A Total Fraud and a Scam Why It Can't Qualify as Even a Pseudoscience
Understanding Bias in Coverage of Intelligent Design
by Matt Nisbet
Science and the Media
September 30, 2005
Follow-up on Columbia Journalism Review article and New York Times Series
Understanding Bias in Coverage of Intelligent Design
by Matt Nisbet
September 30, 2005
Follow-up on Columbia Journalism Review article and New York Times Series
Psychic Sleuthing: The Myth-making Process
by Joe Nickell
September 26, 2005
In July, a Pittsburgh news magazine cover story presented a rather confusing picture of the effectiveness of psychic detectives.
Achau Nguyen Test
by Jim Underdown
September 26, 2005
On July 23, The Independent Investigations Group, in conjunction with the JREF, conducted a test of alleged telepathic ability.
Can Probability Theory Be Used to Refute Evolution? (Part Two)
by Jason Rosenhouse
September 19, 2005
Arguments based on probability theory are a mainstay of creationist literature. There you can find elaborate calculations...
Can Probability Theory Be Used to Refute Evolution? (Part One)
by Jason Rosenhouse
September 19, 2005
In a privately published volume entitled The Evolution of Man Scientifically Disproved, in Fifty Arguments...
Science Looks for Bigfoot
by Ben Radford
September 3, 2005
In April (2005) a Manitoba ferry operator videotaped a large, dark, indistinct creature moving along a riverbank.
New Exorcism Film Highlights Deadly Rituals
by Ben Radford
September 1, 2005
The Exorcism of Emily Rose is about a priest accused of negligence resulting in the death of a nineteen-year-old woman.
Why do Scientists Get So Angry when Dealing with ID Proponents?
by Jason Rosenhouse
August 26, 2005
I am sometimes asked why supporters of evolution get so angry when addressing proponents of Intelligent Design.
Why Are Scientists Confident that Complex Biological Systems Evolved Gradually?
by Jason Rosenhouse
August 26, 2005
Proponents of intelligent design (ID) assert that certain complex biological systems could not emerge from a gradual...