Skeptics Archives • Page 6 of 9 • Skeptical Science

Detecting Bullshit

December 9, 2016March 22, 2012 by Dave

GrrlScientist has a good pointer in her Guardian blog entitled “Baloney Detection Kit”, and yes, the title is a heck of a lot more polite than I am. I’ll call a spade a spade … we are awash with bullshit, so it is indeed vital to be armed with a good means to work out … Read more

Burzynski Quackery … some updates, and some good news.

June 4, 2023November 30, 2011 by Dave

I’ve a few Burzynski quackery updates for you. First is the news that Rhys Morgan, the 17-year-old skeptical blogger, has an article published in today’s UK Guardian (now that is impressive). He writes about the details behind the Burzynski saga and then finishes with a very good quote that nails it … “[Plaintiffs] cannot, by simply … Read more

Derren Brown – Experiments … the secret of luck

September 9, 2014November 12, 2011 by Dave

Derren Brown, the UK-based illusionist, mentalist, painter, writer and skeptic has just finished a TV series called “The Experiments”. The last episode, “the secret of luck” was last night, so it is that I am now blogging about, but first, a bit of background. Derren is well-known for some truly amazing illusions and feats of … Read more

Zombie Horde to Carry Psychic Challenge

December 15, 2018October 26, 2011 by Dave

Talking to the dead is quite real, it happens all the time. However, what is truly tricky is getting them to talk back. It might sound weird, but there are indeed folks out there who have made a full-time career out of talking on behalf of the dead. This presents two options:- Its real, and … Read more

Famous Psychics and the $1 Million challenge

May 31, 2020September 6, 2011 by Dave

Not too long ago, the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) appeared on ABC’s Primetime Nightline where some famous psychics put their trickery up on display. It was obvious to most what was going on, the psychics knew before the show who they were doing a reading on, and … gasp … came back with information readily available via google, yet when asked to do a reading for others, declined with some excuse.

New Skeptics Dictionary – Just for Kids … cool.

May 29, 2022August 17, 2011 by Dave

The Skeptic’s Dictionary is a fabulous collection of cross-referenced skeptical essays written by a really smart chap called Bob Carroll. He has published it all on his website, skepdic.com, and also made it available as a book. If you have never seen it, then you really should go check it out, I highly recommend it. The site itself started in 1994, but it was not until 2003 that the book came out. Is it popular? Well, according to the back cover of the book, the on-line version receives approximately 500,000 hits per month, so he must be doing something right.

So what is it all about? Basically he tackles all flavors of woo including: alternative medicine, cryptozoology, UFOs, new age beliefs, the paranormal, the supernatural, etc… Is this another of those “balanced” works that present all views? Thankfully no, instead he opts for truth and rips into all the silly claims (quite right too).