Podcasts about Skeptical Inquirer

Sponsored by: Set for LifeSet For Life Insurance helps doctors safeguard their future with True Own Occupational Disability Insurance. A single injury or illness can change everything, but the best physicians plan ahead. Protect your income and secure your future before life makes the choice for you. Your career deserves protection—act now at https://www.doctorpodcastnetwork.co/setforlife_______________ In an era where misinformation can masquerade as science, how do you discern credible research? Host Dr. Bradley Block welcomes Dr. Katie Suleta, to unpack the importance of scrutinizing study authors and journals for conflicts of interest. Drawing from her recent experience with the Journal of Personalized Medicine, where a case study on supplements for autism treatment failed to disclose a lead author's affiliation with a supplement company, Dr. Suleta shares her journey to push for its retraction. This episode equips physicians with tools to inoculate themselves against junk science, emphasizing intellectual humility and lateral reading to protect patient care and public trust.Three Actionable Takeaways:Check Author Affiliations – Before reading a study, investigate authors' affiliations and potential conflicts of interest using readily available information to assess bias.Evaluate Journal Credibility – Be wary of journals with overly long or suspicious titles, and research their reputation to avoid predatory publications.Practice Lateral Reading – Cross-check studies or news articles with other sources to verify credibility and understand broader reactions, enhancing your information hygiene.About the Show:PGD  Physician's Guide to Doctoring covers patient interactions, burnout, career growth, personal finance, and more. If you're tired of dull medical lectures, tune in for real-world lessons we should have learned in med school!About the Guest:Dr. Katie Suleta is a trained epidemiologist with expertise in infectious diseases and health informatics, serving as the regional director of research and graduate medical education. She mentors residents daily and works as a science writer, contributing to outlets like the American Council on Science and Health, The Conversation, Skeptical Inquirer, and STAT News. Known for her advocacy against misinformation, Dr. Saleta recently exposed a case study in the Journal of Personalized Medicine where a lead author's undisclosed supplement company affiliation led her to push for its retraction, highlighting the need for transparency in scientific publishing.LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/katherine-sota-ortecho-447a4899Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katysota?igsh=Njd0NG4weW90OWJiAbout the Host Dr. Bradley Block is a board-certified otolaryngologist at ENT and Allergy Associates in Garden City, NY. He specializes in adult and pediatric ENT, with interests in sinusitis and obstructive sleep apnea. Dr. Block also hosts The Physician's Guide to Doctoring podcast, focusing on personal and professional development for physiciansWant to be a guest?Email Brad at brad@physiciansguidetodoctoring.com or visit www.physiciansguidetodoctoring.com to learn more!Socials:@physiciansguidetodoctoring on Facebook@physicianguidetodoctoring on YouTube@physiciansguide on Instagram and Twitter Visit www.physiciansguidetodoctoring.com to connect, dive deeper, and keep the conversation going. Let's grow! Disclaimer:This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, financial, or legal advice. Always consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance.

In the 1950s, a strange story emerged about a ship called the USS Eldridge docked at a naval shipyard in Philadelphia. According to a man aboard another ship docked nearby, in October of 1948 the hull of the Eldridge suddenly glowed an eery blueish green and then the entire ship disappeared, became invisible. But that's not all. After it turned invisible, it then suddenly teleported 300 miles away to another naval shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia and back. The crew aboard the Eldridge reportedly suffered ill effects, disorientation, burns, and some of them even had body parts fused to the hull of the ship. This witness, a man named Carl Allen or sometimes Carlos Allende, claimed that what he had seen was a top secret government experiment gone wrong, an experiment that had been covered up ever since. But what was the Philadelphia Experiment really - a government conspiracy or a hoax turned urban legend? Let's fix that. Support the show! Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast)Buy some merchBuy Me a CoffeeVenmo @Shea-LaFountaineSources: Naval History and Heritage Command "Philadelphia Experiment"Wikipedia "Philadelphia Experiment"Military.com "This Is the Truth Behind WWII's Creepy Philadelphia Experiment"Wikipedia "Carl Meredith Allen"ussslater.org "Destroyer Escort Anecdotes"How Stuff Works "How the Philadelphia Experiment Worked"Skeptical Inquirer "Solving a UFOlogical Murder: The Case of Morris K. Jessup"Wikipedia "Morris Ketchum Jesup"Shoot me a message!

In the winter of 1973, director William Friedkin released his iconic horror classic The Exorcist, a film that has shocked and terrified audiences for more than fifty years. Based on William Peter Blatty's novel of the same name, The Exorcist tells the story of a young girl who becomes possessed by a demonic entity, and the two Catholic priests who attempt to exorcise the demon. Even more terrifying than the content of the film, however, was the fact that The Exorcist was supposedly based on a true story. William Peter Blatty had always stated The Exorcist was based on a supposedly true story he'd heard while at Georgetown University. According to Blatty, a Maryland boy, known as “Roland Doe,” had become possessed by a demonic entity and, among other things, underwent a negative personality change and began exhibiting impossible abilities including an ability to speak Latin. It was only through the dedication of one Jesuit priest that the boy was eventually freed of his possession and went on to live a normal life.Since the release of both the novel and the film in the 1970s, a great deal more has been learned about “Roland Doe” and the supposedly true story that inspired The Exorcist, raising many questions about the veracity of the original claims. Who was “Roland Doe,” and was he truly possessed by a demon, or just the intense emotions of an adolescent boy?Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!ReferencesAllen, Thomas. 1993. Possessed: The True Story of the Most Famous Exorcism of Modern Time. New York, NY: Doubleday.Associated Press. 1949. "'Evil spirit' cast out of 14-yearf-old." The Bee (Danville, Virginia), August 10: 8.McGuire, John M. 2005. "Priest was last of three who did 1949 exorcism." St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 3: A1.News and Observer. 1964. "Tar Heel develops space ceramics." News and Observer (Raleigh, NC), September 3: 27.Nickell, Joe. 2001. "Exorcism!: Driving Out the Nonsense." Skeptical Inquirer 20-24.Opsasnick, Mark. 1999. "The haunted boy of Cottage City, the cold hard facts behind the story that Inspired The Exorcist." Strange Magazine. Young, Maya. 2010. Boy whose case inspired The Exorcist is named by US magazine. December 20. Accessed March 17, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/20/the-exorcist-boy-named-magazine.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A mongoose is a mongoose of course, of course. And no one can talk to a mongoose of course, of course. That is, unless, of course you're a thirteen-year-old girl in the Isle of Man. On this episode, Charlie tells the Legends about the strange case of Gef the Talking Mongoose!Late Night Legends is a paranormal podcast and stream which believes Spooky Season should be all year long. Listen every week to learn what paratopic the Legends are getting into.Join our Discord!https://discord.gg/jcEGgpZHqELate Night Legends is for a mature audience and can discuss topics which may not be suitable for all audiences. Please take care of yourself!Sources: Primary Sources:Price, Harry, and R.S. Lambert. The Haunting of Cashen's Gap: A Modern "Miracle" Investigated. London: Methuen & Co., 1936.Irving, James. Unpublished letters and notes regarding Gef (1931-1945). Manx National Heritage Library, Douglas, Isle of Man.Fodor, Nandor. Case files on Gef the Mongoose (1935-1937). Collection of the American Society for Psychical Research, New York.Secondary Sources:Books:Josiffe, Christopher. Gef! The Strange Tale of an Extra-Special Talking Mongoose. London: Strange Attractor Press, 2017.Price, Harry. Confessions of a Ghost-Hunter. London: Putnam, 1936. (Chapter 12: "The Talking Mongoose")Wilson, Colin. Poltergeists: A History of Violent Ghostly Phenomena. London: Llewellyn Publications, 1981.Journal Articles:"Proceedings of the Talking Mongoose Case." Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 34, no. 642 (December 1937): 121-135.Bartholomew, Robert E. "Mass Delusions and Hysterias: Highlights from the Past Millennium." Skeptical Inquirer 25, no. 3 (2001): 20-25.Newspaper Archives:Isle of Man Times (1931-1945) - Extensive coverage of Gef phenomenonThe Times (London) - Reports on Lambert v. Levita libel case (1936)Daily Express (1935-1937) - Sensationalized accounts of GefAudio/Visual Materials:The Manx Talking Mongoose. BBC Radio 4 Documentary. First broadcast 15 March 2017.Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose. Directed by Adam Sigal. 2023. Feature film dramatization.Unpublished Materials:Dennis, Captain William. Private investigation notes on Gef case (1935-1936). Held in Harry Price Collection, University of London.Irving, Voirrey. Unpublished diary references to Gef (ca. 1931-1945). Current whereabouts unknown.Theses/Dissertations:McKay, Georgina. "Folklore and Forteana in Interwar Britain: The Case of Gef the Talking Mongoose." PhD diss., University of Edinburgh, 2019.Archival Collections:Harry Price Papers. Senate House Library, University of London.Manx Folklore Archive. Manx National Heritage, Douglas.Black Magic by The Amazons, https://lickd.lnk.to/JNcr0sID License ID: P3Vvw8GgqaYBlack Magic by The Amazons, https://lickd.lnk.to/JNcr0sID License ID: P3Vvw8GgqaY

The extraterrestrial comedy podcast where we probe the water beasty allegedly truthfully prowling the depths of Lake Champlain. This beast had been witnessed around 200 times by the 1990's and evidence was so legitimate that a law was passed protecting the monster, which could be anything ranging from a plesiosaur to driftwood. What evidence do we have, we hear you ask… Echolocation! This monster has been seen HAULING A$$. All that and more on this week's file.     Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/butitwasaliens   Store: https://butitwasaliens.co.uk/shop/     Probe us: Email: butitwasaliens@gmail.com Instagram/Threads @ ButItWasAliens Twitter @ ButItWasAliens Facebook: @ ButItWasAliens - join Extraterrestrial Towers     Music:  Music created via Garageband. Additional music via: https://freepd.com - thank you most kindly good people.     Sources:  Lake Champlain Region: https://www.lakechamplainregion.com/heritage/champ   Religion News article on the 2024 Bulwagga Bay sighting: https://religionnews.com/2024/10/25/champ-americas-loch-ness-monster-spotted-in-drone-footage-from-filmmakers/    Skeptical Inquirer article: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/lake-lsquomonsterrsquo-resurfaces/    YouTube Bulwagga Bay Champie Footage: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Dkpzfqlt3PI   Affolter 2005 footage: https://www.reddit.com/r/Cryptozoology/comments/y05c7b/the_publicly_available_segment_of_the_mostly_lost/   BiteSized Paranormal video on echolocation: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U83gAUVXRJI    Daily Mail article on echolocation at Lake Champlain: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2834423/amp/Does-Nessie-COUSIN-Audio-recordings-reveal-evidence-underwater-monster-Vermont.html    Documentary Channel documentary with sightings: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a5ORlAZG2Gc

La fameuse malédiction Winchester ! Cette malédiction qui aurait frappé cette famille héritière de l'usine de fabrication d'arme du même nom. Sarah Winchester, veuve et dernière héritière de cette industrie aurait tellement été affectée qu'elle aurait fait construire une maison pour occuper les esprits qui la tourmentait. Mais si on vous disait que tout ça n'est qu'une pure création ? Vous ne nous croyez pas ? Alors c'est partie pour un nouveau moment d'Occulte ! --------------------------- Devenez membre de cette chaine pour bénéficier d'avantages exclusifs : https://www.youtube.com/c/Occulture/membership --------------------------- Tous les liens utiles de la chaine (réseaux sociaux, boutiques, chaine secondaire...) : bento.me/occulture --------------------------- Sources : DOCUMENTATION Captive du labyrinthe : Sarah L. Winchester, Heiress to the Rifle Fortune - Ignoffo, Mary Jo Ghostland : Une histoire américaine en lieux hantés - Dickey, Colin Demystifying the Winchester Mystery House". Skeptoid 824 (22 mars) - Dunning, Brian L'histoire d'une femme : Sarah L. Winchester, héritière de la fortune des fusils. Révisé et mis à jour - University of Missouri Press, 2022 The Winchester Mystery House and other haunted places - McAndrew, Frank T. Winchester Mystery House : Fact vs. fiction Skeptical Inquirer (septembre/octobre) - Nickell, Joe. The Mystery Chronicles : More Real Life X-Files - The University Press of Kentucky Winchester Mystery House : San Jose California - Roberts, Mike. The Winchester Mystery House. Skeptical Inquirer (29 décembre) - Stollznow, Karen SITES https://skepticalinquirer.org/ https://skeptoid.com/ https://www.lefigaro.fr/ https://www.francebleu.fr/ https://www.lesechos.fr/ https://www.nationalgeographic.fr/ https://fr.wikipedia.org/ https://en.wikipedia.org/ https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/ https://www.psychologytoday.com Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

Sharon A. Hill is an American science writer who has researched reports of strange natural phenomena for over 30 years. For the past 15 years, she studied the interaction between science and the public, specifically how science is used in paranormal investigation. She has a degree in Geosciences from Penn State University and a Education Masters degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She has written for the Fortean Times and the Skeptical Inquirer, among other publications, and in 2017 published her book Scientifical Americans: The Culture of Amateur Paranormal Researchers. She currently writes about spooky geology - the intersection between fringe and paranormal beliefs and earth sciences.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-x-zone-radio-tv-show--1078348/support.

Welcome to another episode where we dive deep into the mysteries of the legendary Sasquatch. Today, we embark on a journey through time, exploring the origins of this enigmatic creature's name, the pioneers who paved the way for cryptozoological research, and the modern-day encounters cataloged by the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO). Finally, we'll take a closer look at the track evidence that has sparked heated debates in both the scientific and cryptid communities.The Genesis of the Name SasquatchLong before Bigfoot became a household name, indigenous cultures across North America shared stories of large, hairy beings that roamed the forests.The term Sasquatch itself originates from the Coast Salish word Sésquac, meaning “wild man.” It was introduced to popular culture in the 1920s by J.W. Burns, a Canadian teacher who collected and documented First Nations' accounts of the creature. From there, Sasquatch slowly made its way into the cryptid lexicon, preceding the more famous moniker Bigfoot, which wouldn't gain traction until the late 1950s.The pursuit of unknown creatures isn't new. In the mid-20th century, a new branch of study emerged—cryptozoology—dedicated to investigating creatures that exist on the fringes of scientific recognition. Figures like Bernard Heuvelmans, Ivan T. Sanderson, and Grover Krantz were instrumental in developing this field, applying scientific methods to analyze claims of mysterious creatures, including Sasquatch. Krantz, in particular, became one of the foremost defenders of Bigfoot's potential existence, arguing that physical evidence—especially footprints—could not be easily dismissed.The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO) has meticulously cataloged thousands of encounters, compiling witness reports from across North America. From fleeting glimpses to prolonged close encounters, the database serves as one of the largest repositories of Bigfoot-related evidence. Patterns have emerged over time—frequent sightings in the Pacific Northwest, eerie vocalizations heard in dense forests, and even alleged physical interactions with the creature. But with this vast amount of anecdotal evidence, the question remains: Are these reports merely misidentifications, hoaxes, or something more?Tracks and the Debate Over Their AuthenticityFootprints have long been one of the most cited pieces of evidence in the search for Sasquatch. Some tracks, like the famous Cripple Foot print analyzed by Grover Krantz, have been presented as near-definitive proof of the creature's existence. Others, like the tracks discovered by Paul Freeman, have been widely debated, with skeptics arguing they were fabricated. This brings us to an article published in The Skeptical Inquirer by Michael R. Dennett, titled Bigfoot Evidence: Are These Tracks Real? In this piece, Dennett critically examines track evidence, particularly those tied to Freeman and Krantz, raising questions about their authenticity and whether belief has clouded scientific rigor.Final ThoughtsWhether you're a believer, a skeptic, or somewhere in between, the mystery of Sasquatch remains one of the most enduring and fascinating topics in cryptozoology. The stories, the evidence, and the ongoing debates keep us questioning what might be lurking in the remote wilderness. As we sift through history, firsthand encounters, and the physical evidence left behind, one thing is certain—the legend of Sasquatch isn't going anywhere.Tune in and decide for yourself: Are we on the cusp of a major cryptozoological discovery, or is the truth behind Sasquatch forever lost in folklore and fabrication?Get Our FREE NewsletterGet Brian's Books Leave Us A VoicemailVisit Our WebsiteSupport Our SponsorsVisit Untold Radio AMVisit HIMS.COMBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sasquatch-odyssey--4839697/support.

Gene and Chris present Benjamin Radford, an editor for Skeptical Inquirer, and author of “Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast in Fact, Fiction, and Folklore.” Are reports of such creatures real, fanciful — what? Inquiring minds want to know.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-paracast-the-gold-standard-of-paranormal-radio--6203433/support.

Dziś poruszymy kontrowersyjny temat zjawisk UFO i tajemniczych znaków w kształcie celownika lub koła sterowego, które na swoich ciałach odkrywają ludzie na całym świecie. Pojawienie się takich śladów kilkanaście lat temu wywołało pewne poruszenie w środowisku ufologicznym, przez co niektórzy badacze - również w Polsce - do dziś prezentują takie przypadki jako autentyczne znaki pochodzące od UFO, odrzucając bądź celowo ignorując możliwe racjonalne wyjaśnienia. Po analizie prezentacji autorstwa badacza ufologii Jacquesa Vallée, Mick West z Skeptical Inquirer odkrył, że wiele z tych znaków może być wynikiem oparzeń od suszarek do włosów. Wskazał przy tym na podobieństwa między wzorami na skórze a kratkami suszarek, co prowadzi do pytania o możliwe naturalne wyjaśnienia dla rzekomych śladów o paranormalnym pochodzeniu.

Sharon A. Hill is an American science writer who has researched reports of strange natural phenomena for over 30 years. For the past 15 years, she studied the interaction between science and the public, specifically how science is used in paranormal investigation. She has a degree in Geosciences from Penn State University and a Education Masters degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She has written for the Fortean Times and the Skeptical Inquirer, among other publications, and in 2017 published her book Scientifical Americans: The Culture of Amateur Paranormal Researchers. She currently writes about spooky geology - the intersection between fringe and paranormal beliefs and earth sciences.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-x-zone-radio-tv-show--1078348/support.

Did you know The Bye Bye Man started as a creepy Ouija board story? Now it's an urban legend that preys on anyone who dares to think or say his name.Darkness Syndicate members get the ad-free version. https://weirddarkness.com/syndicateInfo on the next LIVE SCREAM event. https://weirddarkness.com/LiveScreamInfo on the next WEIRDO WATCH PARTY event. https://weirddarkness.com/TVIN THIS EPISODE: Once you learn his name, he preys on you. What is the reality behind the Bye Bye Man? Is the movie last year really a true story, or is it only loosely based on real events? Or is it entirely fiction despite being promoted as a true story? (The Truth Behind The Bye Bye Man) *** Recently released Pentagon papers indicate that in 2004, an unknown, 45-foot long object played cat and mouse with the U.S. Navy off the coast of California. And did so for several days. But can we believe the Pentagon papers are the real deal? (UFO's Stalk Navy Ships) *** The Denver Airport; it has been plagued by incredibly strange theories since it opened. (The Denver Airport Conspiracy) *** For some it can be fun staying with grandma. For others it can be a terrifying experience. (Strange Incidents at Grandma's House) *** In Japan there are reports of a sinister spirit – one that is eternally hungry… and to satisfy its hunger, it makes you ravenous with insatiable hunger as well. (Hungry Ghosts of Japan) *** Even seasoned police officers working on a military base can have the wits frightened out of them when they come across the paranormal. (Night School) *** Having a fine pedigree means nothing if you murder someone in cold blood – just ask the 7th Earl of Lucan, if you can find him. (Lord Lucan: Wanted For Murder) *** One of our Weirdo family members shares what he once saw in a cemetery in South Africa. (British Solider In The Mist) *** On July 8, 1878, one of the strangest murder plots in Pennsylvania history began with the purchase of four insurance policies – and ended with a lingering spirit that still haunts a local churchyard to this day. (The Blue-Eyed Six Murder) *** She was a housewife, who turned killer – then vanished without a trace. Now, over 40 years later, Sharon Kinne's whereabouts remain unknown. (Sharon Kinne: The Murdering Housewife) *** Leo Frank was imprisoned and lynched for the murder of Mary Phagan – but was he truly guilty of the crime? (The Lynching of Leo Frank) ***A phantom-like creature torments a young boy at his aunt's house. (Glaring Red Eyes)CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Disclaimer and Cold Open00:01:27.325 = Show Intro00:04:40.135 = The Truth Behind ‘The Bye Bye Man'00:19:28.894 = Glaring Red Eyes00:25:16.398 = UFOs Stalk Navy Ships00:29:40.598 = Grandma's House00:31:31.675 = Lord Lucan, Wanted For Murder00:35:39.932 = Hungry Ghosts of Japan00:45:49.828 = British Soldier in the Mist00:48:12.261 = Night School00:59:24.540 = The Lynching of Leo Frank01:38:01.939 = Blue Eyed Six Murder01:45:06.106 = Show OutroSOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE…“The Denver Airport Conspiracy” by Orrin Grey for The Line Up: http://bit.ly/2YHVRol“British Soldier In The Myst” by Ken Fyfe, submitted directly to Weird Darkness“Those Glaring Red Eyes” by SB at PhantomsAndMonsters.com: http://bit.ly/2E8wkvd“UFOs Stalk Navy Ships” by Paul Seaburn for Mysterious Universe: http://bit.ly/2RScZWW“The Truth Behind The Bye Bye Man” by Benjamin Radford for the Skeptical Inquirer: http://bit.ly/2PhacFl“Night School” posted at Ghosts N Ghouls: (website no longer exists)“Lord Lucan: Wanted For Murder” by Doug MacGowan for Historic Mysteries: http://bit.ly/2PffmBx“Hungry Ghosts of Japan” by Brent Swancer for Mysterious Universe: http://bit.ly/38vsDgY“Strange Incidents at Grandma's House” by Toni Dorland for My Haunted Life Too: http://bit.ly/2LPcUzI“The Lynching of Leo Frank” posted at The Unredacted: http://bit.ly/2YGvHCs“The Blue-Eyed Six Murder” by Troy Taylor: http://bit.ly/2LOktGRWeird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.= = = = =Originally aired: August 28, 2018SOURCES PAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/ByeByeManTRANSCRIPT: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/y8jxyck2

In this episode, Meagan interviews Kenny Biddle, who recently took on the role of chief investigator for the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and is now living the dream as a professional investigator of paranormal claims! ** You can find Kenny on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/IAmKennyBiddle/), TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@kennybiddle42) and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@KennyBiddle). Kenny's Skeptical Inquirer articles can be found here: https://skepticalinquirer.org/authors/kenny-biddle/ ** Want to listen without the ads? Check out our Patreon, where you can get ad-free episodes & more! https://www.patreon.com/spookyscipod ** Links to our social media & more: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/spookyscipod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@spookyscience Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spookyscipod Threads: https://www.threads.net/@spookyscipod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@spookysciencesisters Discord Server: https://discord.gg/vf7pC7GkbH Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/spookysciencesisterspodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guy P. Harrison is an acclaimed author of nine thought-provoking books that encourage curiosity and critical thinking. In this engaging episode, he and Michael Shermer discuss how science fiction inspires us to think beyond the ordinary and explore the vast possibilities of human progress. From his latest work to his passion for rational dialogue, Harrison's insights are both inspiring and accessible. Shermer and Harrison tackle a diverse range of topics, including the societal value of science fiction, the flawed debates about religion and evolution, and why humanity might ultimately prevail despite existential threats like AI. They examine UFOs and the Fermi Paradox, discuss redefining atheism, and share optimism about human progress. Harrison's engaging insights inspire curiosity and critical thinking throughout the episode. Guy Harrison is an award-winning writer and author of nine books, including Think: Why You Should Question Everything, At Least Know This, 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God, and Good Thinking. His work has been featured in Skeptic, Reader's Digest, The Institute of Arts and Ideas, Skeptical Inquirer, Free Inquiry, Big Think, and many other publications. Guy is a longtime essayist for Psychology Today and contributed a chapter about race and racism to The Cognitive Science of Beliefpublished by Cambridge University Press. Random House featured his book Think: Why You Should Question Everything as recommended reading for all first-year university students, and the San Diego Union-Tribunenamed At Least Know This a top-five summer read. His new book, Damn You, Entropy! 1,001 of the Greatest Science Fiction Quotes was a New Scientist magazine “Best Science Fiction Books of the Month” selection.

On this episode, the Satanic Skeptic shines an infernal light on the controversy rocking the skeptic community- the question of whether biological sex and gender are binaries. As a scientific skeptic, and a trans woman, someone who has seen so-called critical thinkers make jokes of trans athletes, spread misinformation and pseudoscience, fan the flames of fear and anxiety, and call for the criminalization of gender affirming care that twice impeached, convicted felon, adjudicated rapist Donald Trump has promised, this episode is a grand declaration of war. It as educational as it is aggressive. It explains while it accuses and affirms while it condemns. Friendlier, more even tempered versions were submitted to Skeptical Inquirer magazine, and rejected for publication. So now, the gloves are off and the fangs are bared. Either you believe trans rights are human rights, or you're on the wrong side of the future.

My special guest tonight is Satki who works with people to rid themselves of entities that pick can pick up in various ways including sexually. Visit her website. Parapsychology Main article: Parapsychology Participant of a Ganzfeld experiment which proponents say may show evidence of telepathy. Experimental investigation of the paranormal has been conducted by parapsychologists. J. B. Rhine popularized the now famous methodology of using card-guessing and dice-rolling experiments in a laboratory in the hopes of finding evidence of extrasensory perception.[20] However, it was revealed that Rhine's experiments contained methodological flaws and procedural errors. In 1957, the Parapsychological Association was formed as the preeminent society for parapsychologists. In 1969, they became affiliated with the  American Association for the Advancement of Science.[24] Criticisms of the field were focused in the creation (in 1976) of the  Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (now called the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry) and its periodical, the Skeptical Inquirer.[25] Eventually, more mainstream scientists became critical of parapsychology as an endeavor, and statements by the National Academies of Science and the National Science Foundation cast a pall on the claims of evidence for parapsychology. Today, many cite parapsychology as an example of a pseudoscience. Parapsychology has been criticized for continuing investigation despite being unable to provide convincing evidence for the existence of any psychic phenomena after more than a century of research. By the 2000s, the status of paranormal research in the United States had greatly declined from its height in the 1970s, with the majority of work being privately funded and only a small amount of research being carried out in university laboratories. In 2007, Britain had a number of privately funded laboratories in university psychology departments.[30]Publication remained limited to a small number of niche journals.

The commercialisation of wellness and wellbeing has led us to the point where everyone has basically gone fucking nuts. With so much crap on the internet, how can ordinary folk spot the snake oil? How can we be more skeptical about the information we're presented with, and how can we be better scientists? In this episode, Dr Pete Olusoga and Dr Leah Washington talk to Dr Nick Tiller, exercise scientist at Harbor-UCLA, about Bad Science! Dr Tiller is the author of The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science, a columnist at Skeptical Inquirer magazine, and a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Follow Nick on Twitter: @NBTiller Check out Nick's website: nbtiller.com, where you can buy his genuinely excellent book. And no, we're not on commission!

In January 2014, a strange article appeared in the Indianapolis Star about Latoya Ammons, an Indiana single mother of three who claimed that for more than a year, she and her children were besieged by demons in their rented home. Ammons claimed, among other things, that the house was constantly infested with black flies, the children were levitated from their beds, and her nine-year-son became possessed and walked up a wall backwards. And that was only the beginning; by the end of just one year in the house, the Ammons family claim they were terrorized by all manner of supernatural assaults, from ghostly apparitions to demonic entities. Latoya Ammons' story might well have gone unnoticed, had it not been for the surprising number of witnesses to the paranormal events, from family and friends to police officers and social workers. Still, Latoya was not without her critics or skeptics—some accused her of fabricating the story to get out of her lease, while others assumed she was simply delusional. Regardless of the explanation for the cause of the events, there's no denying that Latoya Ammons story is one of the most terrifying paranormal experiences heard in decades.Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!ReferencesBiddle, Kenny. 2018. Demon House Deconstructed. May 21. Accessed September 30, 2024. https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/demon-house-deconstructed/.Dawn, Randee. 2024. Is 'The Deliverance' based on a true story? August 30. Accessed September 30, 2024. https://www.today.com/popculture/movies/the-deliverance-true-story-latoya-ammons-rcna167984.Kwiatkowski, Marisa. 2014. "The exorcisms of Latoya Ammons." Indianapolis Star, January 26: A1.Maginot, Mike. 2012. "Report seeking permission of bishop for exorcism." Indianapolis Star. May 21. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1005721-report-to-bishop.html.Nickell, Joe. 2014. "The '200 demons' house: a skeptical demonologist's report." Skeptical Inquirer 20-24.Washington, Valerie. 2012. Intake officer's report of preliminary inquiry and investigation. Intake report, Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Department of Children's Services.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, I'll explore the peculiar true story that inspired William Peter Blatty to write the  book and screenplay for the 1973 hit film "The Exorcist."  This is the story of a boy around 14 years old who experienced something truly bizarre back in 1949. And unlike Regan in the exorcist, whose story is completely fabricated, this one is well documented, with lots of credible witnesses. And while we've known his story for quite some time, we only just learned his identity a few years ago. And he's not at all what you'd expect. Let's fix that. Support the show! Join the PatreonBuy Me a CoffeeVenmo @Shea-LaFountaineSources: Father Raymond Bishop's Case Files The Washington Post "Priest Frees Mount Rainier Boy Reported Held in Devil's Grip"Skeptical Inquirer "Who is Roland Doe, the Boy Who Inspired the Exorcist?"Saint Louis University "SLU Legends and Lore: the 1949 St. Louis Exorcism"The Guardian "Boy whose case inspired The Exorcist is named by US magazine"Wikipedia "The Exorcist"Collider "What is the Highest Grossing Horror Movie of All Time?"The American Society of Cinematographers "Owen Roizman on Filming The Exorcist"The New York Post "Deaths, injuries, and a fire: How the original "Exorcist" set was its own horror movie"The New York Post "What really happened to Ronald Hunkeler, who inspired 'The Exorcist?'"Shoot me a message! Blue Grit Podcast: The Voice of Texas Law EnforcementHost: Clint McNear and Tyler Owen discussing topics, issues, and stories within the...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

On December 18, 1975, George and Kathy Lutz moved their family into their new house on Ocean Avenue in Amityville, NY, where, just one year earlier, Ronald DeFeo Jr. had murdered all six members of his family. Twenty-eight days later, the Lutz family fled the home, leaving behind all their belongings and vowing never to return again. According to the Lutzes, their time in the house on Ocean Avenue was a nightmare of psychic attacks and demonic activity that put them in fear for their lives.The supposed experience of the Lutz family served as the basis for the iconic haunted house story, The Amityville Horror, and the countless films adapted from or inspired by the original novel. However, unlike most other stories of paranormal experiences, The Amityville Horror became a phenomenon that influenced everything from Ronald DeFeo's criminal defense to the American public's belief in the supernatural. Yet for all their talk of it being a genuine story of demonic activity, in the years since the publication of The Amityville Horror, a large body of evidence from skeptical evaluations to court records and interview transcripts suggest that America's most notorious haunted house might not have been quite so haunted after all.Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!!ReferencesAnsen, Jay. 1978. The Amityville Horror. New York, NY: Bantam Books.Bartholomew, Robert, and Joe Nickell. 2016. "The Amityville Hoax at 40." Skeptic Magazine 8-12.Carter, A.J. 1976. "DeFeo house: legal twist." Newsday, February 17: 3.Drehsler, Alex, and Jim Scovel. 1977. "Fact or fiction." Newsday, November 17: 188.Gelder, Lawrence Van. 1977. "A real-life horror story." New York Times, October 9: L12.Lutz v. Hoffman et al. 1979. 77-032D-T (Southern District of California ).Nickell, Joe. 2003. "Amityville: The Horror of it All." Skeptical Inquirer 13-14.Nickell, Joe. 2009. "The questionable research of Hans Holzer, dean of ghost hunters (1920-2009)." Skeptical Inquirer 5-6.Schemo, Diane Jean. 1992. "'Amityville' prisoner says movie money tained defense." New York Times, June 25: B6.Snider, Jane. 1977. "New owners call house beautiful, not haunted ." Newsday, May 13: 23.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sharon A. Hill is an independent researcher of anomalous natural phenomenon and paranormal popular culture. She's the author of Scientifical Americans: The Culture of Amateur Paranormal Researchers, where she examined how ghost hunters, cryptozoologists and ufo chasers attempt to use science in there investigations. She has published in Fortean Times and Skeptical Inquirer. She has a degree in Geosciences from Penn State University and a masters degree in education focusing on science and the public from the State University of New York at Buffalo.www.sharonahill.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-x-zone-radio-tv-show--1078348/support.

When Al and Carmen Snedeker found out that their son Phillip was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, the treatment plan required the family to relocate into a three floor home in Southington, Connecticut. The second floor apartment quickly became a nightmare for the inhabitants, with attacks escalating to demonic assault. Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and writing support!ReferencesCarpenter, B. (1988, September 15). Exorcism performed in 'spirited' home. Record-Journal (Meriden, CT), p. 37.Carpenter, B. (1988, August 18). Researcher says home haunted by evil presence. Record-Journal (Meriden, CT), p. 33.Carpenter, B. (1988, August 13). Southington haunting is daunting . Record-Journal (Meriden, CT), p. 1.Cohen, J. (1992, October 27). Their Southington haunt was hellish, couple tell Sally Jessy. Record-Journal (Meriden, CT), p. 1.Garton, R., & Warren, E. (1992). In a Dark Place: The True Story of a Haunting. New York, NY: Villard Books.I was raped by a ghost (1992). [Motion Picture].Nickel, J. (2009). Demons in Connecticut. Skeptical Inquirer, 25-27.Schmidt, K. (1992, October 30). Couple sees ghost; skeptics see through it. Hartford Courant, p. 126.Smith, G. (1991, May 15). Family still haunted by ghastly experience. Record-Journal (Meriden, CT), p. 1.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!In this interview from Kurly's first attempt at podcasting, we are joined by author and researcher Ben Radford of Skeptical Inquirer science magazine as we take a look at the Nazca Lines of Peru, the European Occultist origins of some allegedly "traditional" Maya knowledge, and the Chupacabra! Your host:  Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.@kurlytlapoyawa  7 Minute Stories w/ Aaron CalafatoAward-winning storyteller Aaron Calafato uses 7-minute story vignettes to share his...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showFind us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/ Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)

On the edition of Parallax Views, sociologist Robert E. Bartholomew, co-author of Havana Syndrome: Mass Psychogenic Illness and the Real Story Behind the Embassy Mystery and Hysteria, returns to discuss the story that won't die: Havana Syndrome. Bartholomew dives deep into his recent Skeptical Inquirer piece, "Smoke and Mirrors: The 60 Minutes ‘Breakthrough' on Havana Syndrome Exposed," critically analyzing the recent media coverage surrounding Havana Syndrome, particularly the claims made on CBS's 60 Minutes. During the discussion, Bartholomew breaks down the historical context of mass psychogenic illness and applies it to the mysterious symptoms experienced by U.S. diplomats and intelligence officers. He challenges the popular narrative attributing the syndrome to foreign attacks and explores how misinformation, hysteria, and media sensationalism may have played a significant role in shaping public perceptions. The episode sheds light on the evidence, or lack thereof, surrounding the Havana Syndrome phenomenon and emphasizes the importance of scientific skepticism when dealing with high-profile public health scares. Listeners interested in media criticism, psychological phenomena, and the intersection of science and public discourse will find this episode to be a compelling dive into the real story behind the embassy mystery. Tune in for an enlightening conversation that questions mainstream narratives and urges listeners to think critically about sensationalist headlines.

In this episode of Run with Fitpage, we have Dr Nick Tiller with us. Dr Nick discusses all about nasal and mouth breathing, and the pseudoscience around the topic, with our host Vikas Singh. Dr. Nick Tiller is a Research Associate at the Lundquist Institute, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, and the acclaimed author of "The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science," recognized as one of Book Authority's "Best Sports Science Books of All Time." With a strong background in exercise physiology and respiratory medicine, Dr. Tiller has made significant contributions to sports science, particularly in the fields of exercise physiology and respiratory research.Dr. Tiller began his career working with elite athletes and coaches at the Olympic Center in the UK. He earned his PhD in Applied Physiology (Respiratory) from Brunel University London, followed by academic positions as an Assistant and Associate Professor in the North of England. In 2019, he relocated to Los Angeles to continue his groundbreaking research at the renowned Lundquist Institute. In addition to his research, Dr. Tiller is a columnist for Skeptical Inquirer and Ultra-Running Magazine, and an Associate Editor at the International Journal of Sports Nutrition. His dedication to science communication and critical thinking has earned him the title of Fellow at the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.Review article mentioned in the podcast: Distinguishing science from pseudoscience in commercial respiratory interventions: an evidence-based guide for health and exercise professionalFollow Dr Nick Tiller's work on,Website: www.nbtiller.comInstagram: @nb.tillerTwitter: @NBTillerAbout Vikas Singh:Vikas Singh, an MBA from Chicago Booth, worked at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, APGlobale, and Reliance before coming up with the idea of democratizing fitness knowledge and helping beginners get on a fitness journey. Vikas is an avid long-distance runner, building fitpage to help people learn, train, and move better.For more information on Vikas, or to leave any feedback and requests, you can reach out to him via the channels below:Instagram: @vikas_singhhLinkedIn: Vikas SinghTwitter: @vikashsingh101Subscribe To Our Newsletter For Weekly Nuggets of Knowledge!

For generations the stories of ghost lights in the Appalachian forests of North Carolina have captured the attention of locals and piqued the curiosity of travelers. These orbs of light have been witnessed by hundreds over the years, and no one is questioning their existence, they are questioning their origins. Are they spirits? UFOs? Bioluminescent bugs? Automobile headlights? ETs? Today we discuss the Brown Mountain lights. We love our National Parks and we know you do too but when you're out there, remember to enjoy the view but watch your back. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you're listening to NPAD! Become part of our Outsider family on Patreon  or Apple Subscriptions to gain access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more. Follow our socials Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. To share a Trail Tale, suggest a story, access merch, and browse our book recommendations - head over to our website. Thank you so much to our partners, check them out! Marley Spoon: For up to 25 free meals, head to MarleySpoon.com/OFFER/NPAD and use code NPAD. Horoscope Weekly with Aliza Kelly: Listen to new episodes every Monday. Prose: Use our link for a free in-depth hair consultation and 50% off your first subscription order. Sources US Forest Service, Explore Asheville, NPS, ABC13 News, Carolina Country, Blue Ridge Outdoors, Geological Survey Circular, The Skeptical Inquirer, Dan Canton Physics Book - The Brown Mountain Lights: History, Science and Human Nature Explain an Appalachian Mystery by Wade Edward Speer

Welcome to episode one! Get to know hosts Kylee Van Horn and Zoë Rom and why they're endlesslessly fascinated with food. In this episode, we ask why athletes seem so prone to diet bullsh*t and pseudoscience. We discuss how social media has hastened the spread of pseudoscience and why “experts” tend to overstate their experience. We conclude with a discussion of Bullsh*t Red Flags to help you identify diet nonsense in the wild.  References: Melin A., Tornberg Å.B., Skouby S., Møller S.S., Sundgot-Borgen J., Faber J., Sidelmann J.J., Aziz M., Sjödin A. Energy availability and the female athlete triad in elite endurance athletes. Scand. J. Med. Sci. Sports. 2015;25:610–622. doi: 10.1111/sms.12261 Ashwanden, C. (2018, January 3). Tom Brady is drowning in his own pseudoscience. FiveThirtyEight. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/tom-brady-is-drowning-in-his-own-junk-science-advice/  Fitzgerald, M. (2015). Diet cults: The surprising fallacy at the core of nutrition fads and a guide to healthy eating for the rest of Us. Pegasus Books.  Lacke, S. (2023, April 10). The fight against pseudoscience, bad training advice, and bullsh*t. Triathlete. https://www.triathlete.com/culture/the-fight-against-pseudoscience-and-bad-training-advice-in-endurance-sports/  Bailey RP, Madigan DJ, Cope E, Nicholls AR. The Prevalence of Pseudoscientific Ideas and Neuromyths Among Sports Coaches. Front Psychol. 2018 May 2;9:641. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00641. PMID: 29770115; PMCID: PMC5941987. Powell, M. (2022, November 10). Is sport a breeding ground for pseudoscience?. Skeptical Inquirer. https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/is-sport-a-breeding-ground-for-pseudoscience/  Tiller NB, Sullivan JP, Ekkekakis P. Baseless Claims and Pseudoscience in Health and Wellness: A Call to Action for the Sports, Exercise, and Nutrition-Science Community. Sports Med. 2023 Jan;53(1):1-5. doi: 10.1007/s40279-022-01702-2. Epub 2022 Jun 10. PMID: 35687251.Chrzan, J., & Cargill, K. (2022). Anxious eaters: Why we fall for fad diets. Columbia University Press.

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 00:06:52 Ben Radford talks UFOs Once again we welcome the world renowned skeptical investigator, author, podcaster, and deputy editor of Skeptical Inquirer magazine, the one and only Ben Radford. In a wide ranging interview Ben talks about the Roswell UFO incident, cryptozoology, and his upcoming visit to Sydney Australia to take part in Skepticon 2024 - the Australian Skeptics National Convention in November. 0:29:36 Australian Skeptics Newsletter #200 What skeptical news has caught the eye of Tim Mendham this week? Read by Adrienne Hill. http://www.skeptics.com.au 0:44:36 A Dive into a Trove A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers on a search for references to the Roswell New Mexico UFO case of 1947. 1947.07.09 - The Glen Innes Examiner 1947.07.09 - The Newcastle Sun 1947.07.10 - The Advocate, Bernie Tasmania 1947.07.10 - The Sun, Sydney https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roswell_incident http://www.trove.nla.gov.au Also Global Skeptics in tne Pub https://www.skepticalcon.com/global-skeptics-in-the-pub Videos from the New Mexico Science and Reason https://m.youtube.com/@TheNMSR  

Everybody who has looked into parapsychology knows that it is a long-standing scientific discipline and that new fascinating findings are published in scientific journals regularly. Yet there are tenacious materialists out there who still believe that this whole field is woo-woo and pseudoscience. And they are influential. Craig Weiler is a journalist specializing in parapsychology and psi phenomena. He discovered the stubborn and angry skeptics when he was blogging about psi sixteen years ago. And he was taken aback by their arrogant stance. “They were stubborn and irrational. They weren't looking into science. They weren't even close. Which was weird, because they said they were defending science”, Craig says. He started studying the skeptics and their behavior and discovered that they always approach things in the same manner. He concluded that they basically represent one personality type. “Key elements are stubbornness, a lack of ambiguity, and great difficulty saying ‘I don't know'. They have this materialistic background, and everything has to be shoved into that”, Craig says. “It becomes obvious that we are dealing with people with an authoritarian personality type. Lack of ambiguity, hostile tone, arrogance. If you look at what authoritarian personality types are, these people tick an awful lot of those boxes.” How have you been able to assess this? “I ve been arguing with them on social media since 2008. Over time I have had hundreds of conversations with skeptics. I was getting kinda hooked into it. I've freed myself of that now, but it allowed me to eventually see them more clearly, not just lock horns with them. It was a bit of a personal journey.” It wouldn't be so much of a problem if these materialist skeptics weren't so active and didn't have so much influence in the public debate. They are organized in outfits like Center for Inquiry and its program Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, and they run the Skeptical Inquirer magazine. They control the narrative on psi and other topics at the intersection of science and spirituality in various ways. One of the most salient ways is their iron grip over Wikipedia. An activist group advocating for materialist atheism called Guerilla Skepticism on Wikipedia has virtually gained full control of a couple of thousand articles about psi phenomena and persons studying them The group, run by former photographer Susan Gerbic, is intent on ridding Wikipedia of anything that in their worldview resembles pseudoscience. They kick out others from the platform. “They make sure there's nobody there to disagree with them.” Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales himself encouraged GSoW from the beginning to “protect science”. Wikipedia has become the go-to source of information for millions, if not billions of people. Craig Weiler and I agree that idea as such is wonderful. It is only sad that it in some areas has been turned into a propaganda tool. “I want to educate the public: you have to be very careful when you look at these topics on Wikipedia, because you're literally getting somebody's quasi religion.” So, what can be done? Craig is part of a group that aims to expose the physicalist “police” on Wikipedia. They are now documenting GSoW's biased editing, their omissions and their blocking of other editors. There are many other contentious topics that certain skeptics are “policing“ on Wikipedia, such as alternative medicine, the UAP phenomenon and alternative archaeology (lost civilizations), but Craig focuses on his area of expertise. Paranormal Daily News (featuring Craig's work) Craig on XCraig on Linkedin

https://www.alsip.net

In this episode, I talk to Massimo Pigliucci and we dive into the ancient philosophy of Stoicism, uncovering its timeless wisdom and exploring its practical applications in today's world. Massimo shares his expert insights, personal experiences, and thoughtful guidance on how Stoicism can help us navigate modern complexities with grace and virtue. Whether you're a long-time Stoic enthusiast or new to the philosophy, this episode is a treasure trove of wisdom for anyone seeking to enhance their personal growth and well-being. Massimo Pigliucci is an author, blogger, podcaster, as well as the K.D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York. His academic work is in evolutionary biology, philosophy of science, the nature of pseudoscience, and practical philosophy. Massimo publishes regular columns in Skeptical Inquirer and in Philosophy Now. His books include How to Be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life and Nonsense on Stilts: How to Tell Science from Bunk. Massimo's latest book is The Quest for Character: What the Story of Socrates and Alcibiades Teaches Us about Our Search for Good Leaders.   SHOWNOTES - 00:00:00 - Episode Introduction 00:02:25 - Importance of personal philosophy 00:08:40 - The essence of Stoicism 00:13:30 - Creating a better society through stoicism 00:18:50 - Thought conflicts & identity politics | Beginning of wisdom 00:26:00 - Exercising convictions with humility | Cato vs Ceaser 00:33:20 - Anger management, the stoic way | Seneca's advise 00:42:15 -  Advise for men + healthy expression of masculinity 00:49:05 - Journal like Marcus Aurelius 00:51:50 - Choosing friends & role models 01:00:00 - Ambition, morality, and Stoicism 01:06:25 - Marcus Aurelius using social media 01:15:30 - Emotional sensitivity, resilience, and safe spaces 01:20:30 - Epictetus' response to insults  01:24:15 - Losing in love   CONNECT WITH MASSIMO PIGLIUCCI - Website - https://figsinwinter.substack.com/ Substack - https://newstoicism.org   CONNECT WITH ME - Take the EmoPersona Quiz - https://www.kratimehra.com/emopersonaquiz/ Subscribe to the Newsletter - https://www.kratimehra.com/newsletter/ For more, visit - https://www.kratimehra.com/experible/

IN THIS EPISODE: Once you learn his name, he preys on you. What is the reality behind the Bye Bye Man? Is the movie last year really a true story, or is it only loosely based on real events? Or is it entirely fiction despite being promoted as a true story? (The Truth Behind The Bye Bye Man) *** Recently released Pentagon papers indicate that in 2004, an unknown, 45-foot long object played cat and mouse with the U.S. Navy off the coast of California. And did so for several days. But can we believe the Pentagon papers are the real deal? (UFO's Stalk Navy Ships) *** The Denver Airport; it has been plagued by incredibly strange theories since it opened. (The Denver Airport Conspiracy) *** For some it can be fun staying with grandma. For others it can be a terrifying experience. (Strange Incidents at Grandma's House) *** In Japan there are reports of a sinister spirit – one that is eternally hungry… and to satisfy its hunger, it makes you ravenous with insatiable hunger as well. (Hungry Ghosts of Japan) *** Even seasoned police officers working on a military base can have the wits frightened out of them when they come across the paranormal. (Night School) *** Having a fine pedigree means nothing if you murder someone in cold blood – just ask the 7th Earl of Lucan, if you can find him. (Lord Lucan: Wanted For Murder) *** One of our Weirdo family members shares what he once saw in a cemetery in South Africa. (British Solider In The Mist) *** On July 8, 1878, one of the strangest murder plots in Pennsylvania history began with the purchase of four insurance policies – and ended with a lingering spirit that still haunts a local churchyard to this day. (The Blue-Eyed Six Murder) *** She was a housewife, who turned killer – then vanished without a trace. Now, over 40 years later, Sharon Kinne's whereabouts remain unknown. (Sharon Kinne: The Murdering Housewife) *** Leo Frank was imprisoned and lynched for the murder of Mary Phagan – but was he truly guilty of the crime? (The Lynching of Leo Frank) ***A phantom-like creature torments a young boy at his aunt's house. (Glaring Red Eyes)SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE…“The Denver Airport Conspiracy” by Orrin Grey for The Line Up: http://bit.ly/2YHVRol“British Soldier In The Myst” by Ken Fyfe, submitted directly to Weird Darkness“Those Glaring Red Eyes” by SB at PhantomsAndMonsters.com: http://bit.ly/2E8wkvd“UFOs Stalk Navy Ships” by Paul Seaburn for Mysterious Universe: http://bit.ly/2RScZWW“The Truth Behind The Bye Bye Man” by Benjamin Radford for the Skeptical Inquirer: http://bit.ly/2PhacFl“Night School” posted at Ghosts N Ghouls: (website no longer exists)“Lord Lucan: Wanted For Murder” by Doug MacGowan for Historic Mysteries: http://bit.ly/2PffmBx“Hungry Ghosts of Japan” by Brent Swancer for Mysterious Universe: http://bit.ly/38vsDgY“Strange Incidents at Grandma's House” by Toni Dorland for My Haunted Life Too: http://bit.ly/2LPcUzI“The Lynching of Leo Frank” posted at The Unredacted: http://bit.ly/2YGvHCs“The Blue-Eyed Six Murder” by Troy Taylor: http://bit.ly/2LOktGRWeird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =Check out all of my podcasts - “Auditory Anthology”, “Retro Radio: Old Time Radio In The Dark”, “Church of the Undead”, “Micro Terrors”, “Weird Darkness”, and more by clicking on “EPISODES” at https://WeirdDarkness.com!= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =Originally aired: August 28, 2018PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT: https://weirddarkness.com/truth-behind-the-bye-bye-man/

Marcus Aurelius is generally regarded as one of the "Five Good Emperors" and is often praised for his Stoic philosophy, particularly as expressed in his "Meditations." However, like any historical figure, he is not without criticisms both in his own time and in ours...But are these insignificant issues? Or do they undermine his position as a philosopher and disciple of Stoicism?  His reign was marked by military conflicts, political intrigues, and compromises that may not align perfectly with Stoic ideals. Was he truly a Stoic? About the Panelists:Angie Hobbs gained a degree in Classics and a PhD in Ancient Philosophy at the University of Cambridge and in 2012 she was appointed Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy at the University of Sheffield. She is author of many books, including' Plato and the Hero' (C.U.P) and ‘Plato's Republic: a Ladybird Expert Book'. She contributes regularly to radio and TV programmes and other media, including 26 appearances on In Our Time on Radio 4.  She has spoken at the World Economic Forum at Davos, the Houses of Parliament, the Scottish Parliament and Westminster Abbey and been the guest on Desert Island Discs, Private Passions and Test Match Special and has most recently been filmed with Mary Beard discussing Marcus Aurelius. You can follow Angie at @drangiehobbs and learn more about her at angiehobbs.com.Massimo Pigliucci is an author, blogger, podcaster, as well as the K.D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York. His academic work is in evolutionary biology, philosophy of science, the nature of pseudoscience, and practical philosophy. Massimo publishes regular columns in Skeptical Inquirer and in Philosophy Now. His books include ‘How to Be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life' (Basic Books) and ‘Nonsense on Stilts: How to Tell Science from Bunk' (University of Chicago Press). Massimo's latest book is ‘The Quest for Character: What the Story of Socrates and Alcibiades Teaches Us about Our Search for Good Leaders' (Basic Books). More by Massimo at https://newstoicism.org.Donald Robertson is an author and psychotherapist, specializing in the relationship between modern cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and ancient Greek philosophy. He is one of the founding members of the Modern Stoicism organization and the author of three books on Marcus Aurelius.  ‘How to Think Like a Roman Emperor', a self-help book; 'Verissimus: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius', a graphic novel; and, most recently, a biography titled 'Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor' due to be released by Yale University Press as part of their Ancient Lives series on February 6th.  He has also edited the Capstone Classics edition of the ‘Meditations' and contributed a chapter on Marcus Aurelius and psychotherapy to the forthcoming 'Cambridge Companion to Marcus Aurelius' Meditations.'  Donald is also the president and founder of the Plato's Academy Centre nonprofit, based in Greece.Moderated by Anya Leonard, the founder and Director of Classical Wisdom, a site dedicated to bringing ancient wisdom to modern minds. Author of the children's book, "Sappho: The Lost Poetess", dedicated to the life, works and remarkable recent discovery of a poem written by the 7th century Poetess, Sappho, Anya has also recently launched Classical Wisdom Kids, a program bringing ancient wisdom to future minds. You can see Classical Wisdom's Books here: https://classicalwisdombooks.com/

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This week on RfRx, Rob Palmer returns to discuss mass psychogenic illness. Have U.S. government employees in Havana and all around the world – even behind the White House gates – been attacked and injured over the past seven years by secret energy-weapons wielded by undiscovered assailants for political reasons? Have thousands of girls in their schools across Iran been poisoned this past year by their Islamic government as retribution for the mass anti-hijab protests? Did a 4-ft tall roller-skating Monkey Man with metal claws and glowing red eyes attack people throughout New Delhi causing injuries and deaths? Believe it or not, there is a connection between these seemingly unrelated headline-grabbing events. This presentation will examine a little recognized and less understood phenomenon that is likely the actual culprit in these and a myriad of similar events that have occurred throughout the world and throughout human history: Mass Psychogenic Illness.Rob Palmer is a retired aerospace engineer. He has been a spacecraft designer, spacecraft tester, computer programmer, and software systems engineer. Rob became a skeptical activist in 2016 upon joining the Guerrilla Skeptics on Wikipedia team, and in 2018 became a columnist for Skeptical Inquirer. To date he has had over 70 articles published by Skeptical Inquirer as well as in other publications, and the Wikipedia articles he's written have garnered over 13 million pageviews.Rob writes about contemporary skeptical issues, and has interviewed individuals as diverse as Neil deGrasse Tyson, Richard Dawkins, Penn Jillette, Ann Druyan (producer and writer for the modern Cosmos series), Dave Warnock (Of Dying Out Loud), Seth Andrews (host of The Thinking Atheist podcast), John de Lancie (Star Trek's Q), and even God - eh, Mr. Deity - himself. Rob is registered with the Center for Inquiry's Speakers Bureau, and has given presentations for various skeptic and humanist groups and conventions, including: We Can Reason, Dragon Con, and three times at CSICon (the annual science and skepticism conference in Las Vegas). He has been interviewed about these subjects on various podcasts and YouTube shows, including The Skeptic Zone, Big Picture Science, Be Rationable, The Phil Ferguson Show, Banachek's Brain, 502 Conversations, Point of Inquiry, The Thinking Atheist, and here for RfRx.All of Rob's skeptical work can be found at: https://linktr.ee/thewellknownskeptic. For RfRx comments, inquiries & topical questions, email us at RfRx@recoveringfromreligion.org. Any time you are struggling with religious doubts or fears you can connect with a trained RfR Helpline agent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To chat online go to http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org. To talk over the phone, dial: (844) 368-2848 in the US & Canada If you are in need of professional help, we can offer the Secular Therapy Project to provide options to connect with a professional therapist. All therapists have been thoroughly vetted by our organization and offer only evidence-based and non-religious treatment. Connect with them at http://www.seculartherapy.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tiktok. Volunteer: http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/volunteer Donate: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/donate --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

Nick Tiller, PhD is an exercise scientist at Harbor-UCLA. He is also the author of The Skeptics Guide to Sports Science, a columnist for Ultrarunning Magazine and the Skeptical Inquirer. You can find all of Nick's work here, https://www.nbtiller.com/ Our combined Twitter list- Louise Burke- @LouiseMBurke Asker Jukendrup- @JeukendrupBrad Schoenfeld-@BradSchoenfeldGuillaume Millet- @kinesiologuiStuart Phillips- @mackinprofMichael Joyner @DrMJoyner Kristy Sale- @ElliottSaleTrent Stellingwerff- @TStellingwerffInigo San Milan-@doctorinigoMarco Altini- @altini_marcoSian Allen- @DrSianAllenStephen Seiler- @StephenSeilerSUBSCRIBE to Research Essentials for UltrarunningBuy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon or Audible.Information on coaching-https://www.trainright.comKoop's Social Media: Twitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop

Episode 4 of the online course How To Transform the Sciences: Six Potential Breakthroughshttps://www.sheldrake.org/online-coursesAround 2015, scientists were shocked to find that most papers in high-prestige peer-reviewed scientific journals are not reproducible. In one study of papers in prestigious biomedical journals, 90% could not be replicated, and in experimental psychology more than 60%. This crisis partly arises from systematic biases that Rupert discusses in his chapter on ‘Illusions of Objectivity' in The Science Delusion (2012, new edition 2020; in the US this book is called Science Set Free), including the selective observation and reporting of results, and perverse incentives for scientists and journals to publish striking positive findings. The crisis continues to roll on, as shown, for example, by an editorial in Nature, December 2021, about un-reproducible results in cancer biology.All this is relatively straightforward, but Rupert suggests that some experiments may also involve direct mind-over-matter effects. It has long been known that experimenters can influence their experimental results through their expectations, in so-called ‘experimenter expectancy effects', which is why many clinical trials, psychological and parapsychological experiments are carried out under blind or double-blind conditions.In most other fields of science, experimenter effects are ignored and blind methodologies are rarely employed. Rupert suggests that in addition to the usual sources of bias, experimenters may also influence experiments psychokinetically, through direct mind-over-matter effects. Scientists may be particularly prone to this source of error because most scientists believe psychokinesis is impossible, and hence take no precautions against it. They practise unprotected science. Rupert proposes experiments on experiments to test for the effects of experimenters' hopes and expectations.ReferencesReferences____A Dream, or the Astronomy of the MoonJohann Kepler, published posthumously in 1634 by his sonhttps://sheldrake.org/somnium____Rupert's essay The Replicability Crisis in Sciencehttps://sheldrake.org/replicability____Bad PharmaBen GoldacreFourth Estate, 2012https://sheldrake.org/badpharma____Artifacts in Behavioral ResearchRobert Rosenthal and Ralph L. Rosnow, Oxford University Press, 2009https://sheldrake.org/rosenthal____Over half of psychology studies fail reproducibility testhttps://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2015.18248____Differential indoctrination of examiners and Rorschach responseshttps://psycnet.apa.org/record/1965-12396-001____A longitudinal study of the effects of experimenter bias on the operant learning of laboratory ratshttps://psycnet.apa.org/record/1965-01547-001____Could Experimenter Effects Occur in the Physical and Biological Sciences?Skeptical Inquirer 22(3), 57-58 May / June 1998https://sheldrake.org/skepticalinquirer98____Quantum‐Mechanical Random‐Number Generator https://aip.scitation.org/doi/abs/10.1063/1.1658698------Dr Rupert Sheldrake, PhD, is a biologist and author best known for his hypothesis of morphic resonance. At Cambridge University, as a Fellow of Clare College, he was Director of Studies in biochemistry and cell biology. As the Rosenheim Research Fellow of the Royal Society, he carried out research on the development of plants and the ageing of cells, and together with Philip Rubery discovered the mechanism of polar auxin transport. In India, he was Principal Plant Physiologist at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, where he helped develop new cropping systems now widely used by farmers. He is the author of more than 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals and his research contributions have been widely recognized by the

Despite the numerology, this episode CAN be found wherever you get your podcasts. We will give you tips about The Conspiracy Test, the Humanist UK 2024 Convention, the latest Skeptical Inquirer interview and Skepticon 2023 in Australia – all good things to check out! In TWISH we hear about one of Darwin's buddies, the groundbreaking (pun intended) geologist Charles Lyell, born this week in 1797. Pope Frankie has been given a free pass for too long and therefore gets poked before we get to the news:GERMANY: Nutrition companies are preying on people and ignore health adviceUK: Humanists UK welcomes Private Member's Bill to ban conversion therapyHUNGARY: Team of debunkers and educators develops online educational material to help young people detect false informationUK: The British public largely supports strong climate policiesThe Antivaxx movement gets a Really Wrong award for trying to exploit the tragic death of Matthew Perry and in Who's Quacking? we hear about Norbert Schobert, Hungarian spreader of disinformation.Enjoy!Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; Pontus Pokes The Pope; News; Really Wrong; Who's Quacking?; Quote And Farewell; Outro; Out-TakesShow notes here: https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-404.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Social-Engineer Podcast: The Doctor Is In Series – where we will discuss understandings and developments in the field of psychology.   In today's episode, Dr. Abbie is being joined by Erin Gray. Erin is an internationally known actress, 70's super model and now founder of 'Heroes for Hire', a company representing celebrities for personal appearances worldwide. Erin went from being one of the original Sports Illustrated models, Breck Girls, Maxi Girl and the Bloomingdales spokesperson for ten years to being the lead actress in the feature film and TV series ‘Buck Rogers in the 25th Century', quickly followed by NBC's ‘Silver Spoons' for 5 years. In addition, Erin has over 50 TV credits beginning at 17 with ‘Malibu U', a musical variety show starring Ricky Nelson, to ‘Magnum PI', ‘Law and Order', ‘Hunter', ‘Baywatch', ‘Profiler', etc. plus two dozen feature films such as ‘Six Pack' with Kenny Rogers, ‘Friday the 13th: Jason Goes to Hell' and ‘Dreams Awake'.   Erin is the recipient of eleven community service awards, including The Leadership Award by the County of LA, the 2002 Woman of the Year Award presented by the Los Angeles Commission for Women, and most recently two Lifetime Achievement Awards and best actress in a feature film at the Monaco Film Festival for her performance in ‘Dreams Awake' and best actress in The 2020 Golden State Film Festival in ‘The Piano Teacher”. Erin is currently on the Board of Directors for the Innocent Lives Foundation, protecting women and children from human traffickers and pedophiles and bringing them to justice. [Nov 6, 2023]   00:00 - Intro 00:40 - Intro Links -          Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ -          Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ -          Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ -          Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ -          Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb -          CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ -          innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/ 03:26 - Erin Gray Intro 05:32 - The Topic of the Day: Mind-Body-Connect 08:42 - Smile Within 12:19 - It's All in the Mind 14:36 - Out of the Woods 18:37 - Standing Like a Model 20:01 - Emotional Contagion 21:43 - Finding Balance 25:41 - Maintaining Flexibility 29:34 - Seeing is Believing 31:17 - Self Trust 34:32 - The Gift of Integrity 37:46 - Integrity is Hard! 44:23 - More Than a Memory 46:24 - Where It Comes From 49:17 - Wrap Up & Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org   Find us online: -          Twitter: https://twitter.com/abbiejmarono -          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-abbie-maroño-phd-35ab2611a -          Twitter: https://twitter.com/humanhacker -          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christopherhadnagy   References: Neal, D. T., & Chartrand, T. L. (2011). Embodied emotion perception: Amplifying and dampening facial feedback modulates emotion perception accuracy. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 2(6), 673-678.   Strack, F., Martin, L. L., & Stepper, S. (1988). Inhibiting and facilitating conditions of the human smile: a nonobtrusive test of the facial feedback hypothesis. Journal of personality and social psychology, 54(5), 768.   Davis, J. I., Senghas, A., & Ochsner, K. N. (2009). How does facial feedback modulate emotional experience?. Journal of research in personality, 43(5), 822-829.   Buck, R. (1980). Nonverbal behavior and the theory of emotion: the facial feedback hypothesis. Journal of Personality and social Psychology, 38(5), 811.   McIntosh, D. N. (1996). Facial feedback hypotheses: Evidence, implications, and directions. Motivation and emotion, 20, 121-147.   Coles, N. A., Larsen, J. T., & Lench, H. C. (2019). A meta-analysis of the facial feedback literature: Effects of facial feedback on emotional experience are small and variable. Psychological bulletin, 145(6), 610.   Kee, Y. H., Chatzisarantis, N. N., Kong, P. W., Chow, J. Y., & Chen, L. H. (2012). Mindfulness, movement control, and attentional focus strategies: effects of mindfulness on a postural balance task. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 34(5), 561-579.   Samuel, G. (2015). The contemporary mindfulness movement and the question of nonself. Transcultural psychiatry, 52(4), 485-500.   Nisbet, M. (2017). The mindfulness movement: How a Buddhist practice evolved into a scientific approach to life. Skeptical Inquirer, 41(3), 24-26.   Kinser, P., Braun, S., Deeb, G., Carrico, C., & Dow, A. (2016). “Awareness is the first step”: an interprofessional course on mindfulness & mindful-movement for healthcare professionals and students. Complementary therapies in clinical practice, 25, 18-25.   Hicks, G. (2010). Confidence building with body language. In 101 Coaching Strategies and Techniques (pp. 103-105). Routledge.   Gonçalves, M. (2020, April). Review of Body Language Posture, and an Exercise Called “Power Posing Challenge” to Improve One's Confidence. In 5th International Conference on Social Sciences and Economic Development (ICSSED 2020) (pp. 147-149). Atlantis Press.

Paul Brewer is a professor in the Department of Communication. His research interests include political communication, public opinion and science communication. He is particularly interested in how messages in news media, entertainment media and social media shape public opinion about policy issues and public perceptions of science. His research has appeared in journals such as Public Opinion Quarterly, Public Understanding of Science and Science Communication, and he has published articles in magazines such as National Geographic and Skeptical Inquirer. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/out-of-the-blank/support

In the summer of 1974, paranormal investigators and UCLA students Barry Taff and Kerry Gaynor were approached in a bookstore by a woman who'd overheard their conversation about the supernatural and said she had a friend who needed help from someone with their expertise. The friend in question was Doris Bither, a middle-aged single mother of four who claimed she and her family were under attack from unseen entities in their Culver City, California home. According to Doris, the attacks began several months earlier and included, among other things, objects moving on their own, the presence of inexplicable foul odors in the house, unusual noises with no point of origin, and most distressingly, multiple physical and sexual assaults that were increasing in frequency and intensity. Thank you to the lovely David White for research assistance :)ReferencesBiddle, Kenny. 2021. "A Closer Look at the Entity Photographs." Skeptical Inquirer 45 (6).O'Keeffe, Ciaran, James Houran, Damian Houran, Neil Dagnall, Kenneth Drinkwater, Lorraine Sheridan, and Brian Laythe. 2019. "The Dr. John Hall story: a case study in putative “Haunted People Syndrome"." Mental Health, Religion & Culture 22 (9): 910-929.Ortega, Xavier. 2011. The Real Entity Case, Part II. August 6. Accessed August 23, 2023. https://www.ghosttheory.com/2011/08/06/the-real-entity-case.Radford, Benjamin. 2021. "The ‘True' Story behind The Entity: Untangling Hollywood Horror." Skeptical Inquirer 45 (6). https://skepticalinquirer.org/2021/10/the-true-story-behind-the-entity-untangling-hollywood-horror/.2005. The Entity Files. Directed by Perry Martin. Produced by Anchor Bay Entertainment. Performed by Barry Taff.—. 2011. The Real Entity Case. August. Accessed August 24, 2023. http://barrytaff.net/2011/08/the-real-entity-case-2/.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Massimo Pigliucci, author of The Quest for Character: What the Story of Socrates and Alcibiades Teaches Us About Our Search for Good Leaders, joins the show to answer a three thousand year old question: Are we born with good character or can we develop it? Professor Pigliucci and Joe discuss how the ancient Greeks and Romans approached character development and how and their ancient teachings can help us live better lives today.   Prof. Pigliucci has a PhD in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Connecticut and a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Tennessee. He currently is the K.D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York. His research interests include the philosophy of science, the nature of pseudoscience, and practical philosophies like Stoicism and New Skepticism.Prof. Pigliucci has been elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science “for fundamental studies of genotype by environmental interactions and for public defense of evolutionary biology from pseudo-scientific attack.” In the area of public outreach, Prof. Pigliucci has published in national and international outlets such as the New York Times, Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal, among others. He is a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and a Contributing Editor to Skeptical Inquirer. He writes on practical and general philosophy at Medium. At last count, Prof. Pigliucci has published 176 technical papers in science and philosophy. He is also the author or editor of 16 books, including the best selling How to Be A Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life (Basic Books). Other titles include Nonsense on Stilts: How to Tell Science from Bunk (University of Chicago Press), and The Quest for Character: What the Story of Socrates and Alcibiades Teaches Us about Our Search for Good Leaders (Basic Books).

Special thanks to Birch Gold Group for sponsoring today's episode. Text "PETER" to 989898 for your FREE info kit on gold.Luana S. Maroja is a renowned evolutionary biologist, Professor of Biology, and Chair of the Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Program at Williams College. She was taken aback when the Society for the Study of Evolution released a statement promoting sex as a spectrum and declaring the validity of “lived experience” in sexual identity. What would inspire such a misguided, conspicuously anti-scientific declaration? In this conversation with Peter, she answers that question. In plain language, Luana explains chromosomal differences in mammals and how the sex binary is expressed in animals. She addresses popular arguments about exceptions to the binary, such as variations in sex chromosomes, hormone receptor failure, and developmental sex disorders.  They also discuss: Moralistic and naturalist fallacies, bimodality, being “born in the wrong body,” social constructs, clown fish, non-biologists teaching bad biology, and trans racialism.  Luana S. Maroja earned her undergraduate and master's degree from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and her PhD from Cornell University. Her research interests include population ecology, speciation, population genetics, phylogeny, and phylogeography. Luana studies a variety of organisms, including small mammals, insects, and plants, and has published more than 35 scientific papers.  Luana co-authored The Ideological Subversion of Biology, the cover article in the July/August 2023 issue of Skeptical Inquirer magazine."The Ideological Subversion of Biology," Skeptical Inquirer https://skepticalinquirer.org/2023/06/the-ideological-subversion-of-biology/Watch the episode on YouTube.

0:00:00 George Hrab Luck Be A Lady 0:01:28 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:06:50 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill To celebrate the 777th episode of this podcast, Adrienne looks into the meaning behind the number 777. It's not just a type of airliner, but 777 appears in the most unlikely places. Just think, in another 777 episodes, it will be episode 1554! 0:13:54 Rob Palmer on Psychics The Well-Known Skeptic talks about how people all over the world are taken in by psychic scams. From contacting the dead, to removing curses and also removing lots of money. Rob recently interviewed Richard on the subject of UFOs for Skeptical Inquirer. Let's Talk UFOs: A Conversation with Richard Saunders (Youtube) https://youtu.be/zIKdcjRKYdI 0:34:12 Australian Skeptics Newsletter What skeptical news has caught the eye of Tim Mendham this week? Read by Adrienne Hill. http://www.skeptics.com.au 0:49:16 A Dive into a Trove A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers on a search for references to Egyptian curses. http://www.trove.nla.gov.au Also The Skeptical Box of Tricks - Bend, OR 29th Aug. https://www.facebook.com/groups/bendnerds/permalink/2381214925419396/ 10 Years Ago The Skeptic Zone #253 - 25.August.2013 We catch up with Julie Lada who tells us about her adventures and encounters with woo woo in becoming a vet - A Week in Science - Maynard interviews Marlowe Cassetti about the early days of NASA and his thoughts on the so-called "moon landing hoax" - Eugenie Scott inducted into the IIG Hall of Honor https://skepticzone.libsyn.com/webpage/the-skeptic-zone-253-25-aug-2013

This week on RfRx, Rob Palmer is returning to host Part II of the interactive logical fallacies trivia challenge. Bring your A-game and play trivia with us, or just come watch the show and hone your critical thinking skills. Why? Because recognizing these bad arguments can help you do two things: avoid being deceived by false claims made by others, and also stop using them yourself to justify questionable beliefs of your own. Rob will give a refresher on logical fallacies and then we'll play an interactive trivia game where those in attendance can play on teams trying to outdo their competition in describing and identifying Logical Fallacies! (Game-play participation is optional.) Rob Palmer has had a diverse aerospace engineering career, having worked as a spacecraft designer and tester, computer programmer, and software systems engineer. Rob began writing for Skeptical Inquirer in 2018 and has had over 60 articles published by Skeptical Inquirer and in other publications in 2 languages on 3 continents. Rob writes about contemporary skeptical issues and has interviewed individuals as diverse as scientists Neil deGrasse Tyson and Richard Dawkins, Ann Druyan (producer and writer for the modern Cosmos series), Seth Andrews (host of The Thinking Atheist podcast), and even John de Lancie (Star Trek‘s Q). Rob has also been a speaker for various skeptic and humanist groups, including here at Recovering from Religion. He has spoken at Dragon Con, and thrice at CSICon, (the annual science and skepticism conference in Las Vegas.) Topics have included critical thinking, psychics and mediums, and the international Wikipedia editing project he volunteers for. He has been interviewed about these subjects on various podcasts and YouTube shows, including The Skeptic Zone, Big Picture Science, Be Rationable, The Phil Ferguson Show, Banachek's Brain, 502 Conversations, and The Thinking Atheist. For RfRx comments, inquiries & topical questions, email us at RfRx@recoveringfromreligion.org. Any time you are struggling with religious doubts or fears you can connect with a trained RfR Helpline agent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To chat online go to http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org. To talk over the phone, dial: (844) 368-2848 in the US & Canada If you are in need of professional help, we can offer the Secular Therapy Project to provide options to connect with a professional therapist. All therapists have been thoroughly vetted by our organization and offer only evidence-based and non-religious treatment. Connect with them at http://www.seculartherapy.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tiktok. Volunteer: http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/volunteer Donate: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/donate --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

Skeptical Inquirer, March 2023, by Rob Palmer:Iranian Schoolgirl Gas Attacks and Havana Syndrome: A Conversation with Robert BartholomewThe Non-Prophets, Episode 22.33.2 featuring Helen Greene, The Well-Known Skeptic, Aaron Jensen and"Jimmy Jr"Today we are discussing Havana syndrome and Iranian school girls' Mass poisoning reports. An article in the Skeptical Inquirer which is called Iranian School girl cast attacks and Havana Syndrome a conversation with Robert Bartholomew.What do these two situations have in common? One began in late 2016 when the US government claimed there were ongoing attacks against its Embassy Personnel in Cuba by unknown forces using unknown weapons. In subsequent years the scope of these claimed attacks include intelligence agents other government officials and even family members stationed in a very long list of countries. Eventually, it was even claimed to have happened on the White House grounds.The symptoms of these attacks were eventually called Havana syndrome. They included everything from brain fatigue to brain damage. The mysterious unidentified Weaponry speculated for these attacks included ultrasound, infrasound, pulsed electromagnetic energy microwaves, and many other things.The second involves Iranian girls. This started in November 2022. Reports surfaced about a poison gas attack at a girl's school in Iran affecting 200 students. Reports of gas attacks then happened all across the country of Iran.As of early this year, the count of victims stood at nearly 7,000 young girls. The victims are mostly girls, there were some teachers and extraneous victims, but mostly school girls. It has been reported at over 100 schools in nearly that many cities.Speculation ranged on who caused this. The usual suspects range from either the Iranian government seeking revenge for the recent and ongoing hijab protests, to the government saying it was a false flag operation by people who wanted it to look like it was the government doing it.Functionally the diplomats have this close-knit tie to one another. They perform the same job, they're going through the same things, and they're separated from their natural environment.On the other hand, the girls in these schools have a close-knit relationship in proximity. Unfortunately, throughout recent history you can go back decades and in different countries, very often if not exclusively in Muslim majority rule countries you will find similar events. and it's always schoolgirls.There's something about being in an environment as part of a population that has no control. When you feel that you can't control things, and you're under other people's thumbs this can happen. The people in Cuba were in hostile territory always under surveillance by the Cuban government.This reeks of mass hysteria, when you have a group of diplomats that are feeling something it's likely to encourage other diplomats to say well maybe that's what I'm feeling too. Maybe we actually are under attack. When in reality it's something else completely.

On August 19, 1986, a curious news item appeared in the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader regarding the home of West Pittston, PA family Jack and Janet Smurl. The couple claimed, for more than eighteen months their home had been a battleground of spiritual warfare that included everything from ghosts wandering the halls and tormenting the family dog to demons attacking the children and even sexually assaulting the adults in the house.The article in the Times Leader began a weeks-long fascination with the family and their ordeal, drawing reporters from all over Pennsylvania and the surrounding states, and eventually attracting the attention of self-proclaimed demonologist and psychic medium Ed and Lorraine Warren. At first, the Smurls' claims of demonic infestation were taken seriously by the church, many members of the press, and countless of the Smurls neighbors. As time wore on, however, the inability of both the Smurls and the Warren's to produce any evidence of their supposed haunting led many to believe the claims were just a hoax perpetrated by the family for attention and fame. Thank you to David White for research assistance ReferencesCitizen's Voice. 2017. John James Smurl obituary. June 23. Accessed July 5, 2023. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/citizensvoice/name/john-smurl-obituary?id=15953106.—. 1986. "Ghosdt briefing turns into shouting match." The Citizen's Voice, August 26: 5.—. 1986. "Haunted family nregotiating movie deal." The Citizen's Voice, September 6: 2.Collins, Jim. 1986. "West Pittston Mystery: Is basis murder or mishmash." Scranton Times, August 22: 3.—. 1986. "If you like sideshows, there's one close to home." Times-Tribune, August 31: 23.—. 1986. "Screen exorcist Jason Miller visits site of demonic doings." Times-Tribune, August 22: 3.Corbett, Steve. 1986. "Family: Home is under siege by evil spirits." Times Leader, August 19: 1.Curran, Robert. 1988. The Haunted: One Family's Nightmare. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press.—. 1986. "Brain surgery revelation casts demon dwelling doubts." The Scrantonia, August 24: 15.—. 1986. "Smurls credit prayers of many with cleansing house of demons." The Tribune, October 27: 3.DeAndrea, Francis. 1986. "Different kind of scare job." Times-Tribune, August 30: 3.Kurtz, Paul. 1987. "A case study of the West Pittston 'haunted' house." The Skeptical Inquirer 11 (Winter): 137-146.Lancaster New Era. 1986. "Scientists, priest skeptical about 'demons' in house." Lancaster New Era, August 23: 1.Morning Call. 1986. "Demons: Exorcisms fail to end family's nightmare." The Morning Call, August 22: 3.Porter, Jill. 1986. "A demon by any other name." Philadelphia Daily News, August 29: 2.Rotstein, Gary. 1986. "Bedeviled: Town is divided over 'haunted' family." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 25: 1.Shurmaitis, Dawn. 1986. "Demonologist says family is 'under attack'." Times Leader, August 19: 12.Singleton, David. 1986. "Publicity has cost haunted family." Danville News, August 23: 1.Trosky, Pat. 1986. "Are ghosts haunting West Pittston family?" Citizen's Voice, August 20: 3.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What's Poppin' Con-gregation? This week, comedian London Hughes takes over the show to discuss the Fox Sisters, who during the 19th Century, made the spiritual movement popular and became the world's first ever celebrity mediums. Plus, one Minnesota man who claims he was the victim of political vandalism and harassment has been sentenced to prison after it was discovered it was he, not Antifa, who damaged his property. Stay Schemin'!  OFTV's Creative Fund: Comedy Edition - https://of.tv/creators/creative-fund/ Research By Kaelyn Brandt Sources: Nickell, J. (2018, July). A skeleton's tale: the origins of modern spiritualism. Skeptical Inquirer, 32(4), 17–20. https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2016/11/04/in-the-joints-of-their-toes/https://www.americanheritage.com/they-spoke-deadhttps://www.whitehousehistory.org/seances-in-the-red-roomhttps://www.history.com/news/ghost-hoax-spiritualism-fox-sistershttps://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/minnesota-man-claimed-camper-was-set-fire-due-trump-flag-staged-attack-rcna38009https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/denis-molla-prison-fraud-faking-politically-motivated-attack-trump-flag/

Do you know what color your aura is? In this episode we discover the unseen horrors of the spirit realm by strapping on a pair of century-old "aura goggles" and gazing at Greg's crusty energy field. Plus, we break down the science behind auras and reveal how to see them yourself, Connor investigates a mysterious chemical compound called dicyanin that inspired John Carpenter's "They Live!", Dana poisons herself, and Gordon the cat receives a psychic reading. Join the Museum: https://patreon.com/paramuseumVisit Our Website: https://hauntedobjectspodcast.comSubscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/25xf92nxFollow Greg NewkirkTwitter: https://twitter.com/nuekerkInstagram: https://instagram.com/nuekerkWebsite: https://gregorynewkirk.comFollow Dana NewkirkTwitter: https://twitter.com/weird_danaInstagram: https://instagram.com/weird_danaFollow Connor J. RandallTwitter: https://twitter.com/connorjrandallInstagram: https://instagram.com/connorjrandallFollow Keelin MathewsTwitter: https://twitter.com/arowitch SHOW NOTES:- Newkirk Museum Article on the Aura Goggles: https://tinyurl.com/bdzzpktf- Super Color Vision - Tetrachromacy: https://tinyurl.com/bdavc6vs- Read Walter Kilner's “The Human Atmosphere”: https://tinyurl.com/yp6bfemj- Cyanine Dyes for Chemists: https://tinyurl.com/4xdkc8pz- Buy Sketchy Aura Goggles: https://amzn.to/40jQR7r- History of Aura Photography: https://tinyurl.com/yc67hhxn- Skeptical Inquirer on Aura Photography: https://tinyurl.com/nhjchd3u- Edgar Cayce on Aura Colors: https://tinyurl.com/muudm4wr- Dr. Skat's Aura Readings: https://youtu.be/Z24gJnodhkA- More on Color from Radiolab: https://tinyurl.com/bdh2b4bcCopyright 2023 Planet WeirdHosted by Greg and Dana NewkirkProduced by Connor J RandallPhotography by Karl PfeifferArt by Dustin WilliamsTheme by Adam Hayman"The Disembodied Voice" by Chuck FreshAdditional Aura Investigation by Michelle Randall

“THE TRUTH BEHIND THE BYE BYE MAN” and 9 More Gruesome, Horrifying True Stories! #WeirdDarknessFind Weird Darkness in your favorite podcast app at https://weirddarkness.com/listen. PLEASE SHARE Weird Darkness with someone who loves paranormal stories, true crime, monsters, or unsolved mysteries like you do! RecommendingWeird Darkness to others helps make it possible for me to keep doing the show!IN THIS EPISODE: Once you learn his name, he preys on you. What is the reality behind the Bye Bye Man? Is the movie last year really a true story, or is it only loosely based on real events? Or is it entirely fiction despite being promoted as a true story? (The Truth Behind The Bye Bye Man) *** Recently released Pentagon papers indicate that in 2004, an unknown, 45-foot long object played cat and mouse with the U.S. Navy off the coast of California. And did so for several days. But can we believe the Pentagon papers are the real deal? (UFO's Stalk Navy Ships) *** The Denver Airport; it has been plagued by incredibly strange theories since it opened. (The Denver Airport Conspiracy) *** For some it can be fun staying with grandma. For others it can be a terrifying experience. (Strange Incidents at Grandma's House) *** In Japan there are reports of a sinister spirit – one that is eternally hungry… and to satisfy its hunger, it makes you ravenous with insatiable hunger as well. (Hungry Ghosts of Japan) *** Even seasoned police officers working on a military base can have the wits frightened out of them when they come across the paranormal. (Night School) *** Having a fine pedigree means nothing if you murder someone in cold blood – just ask the 7th Earl of Lucan, if you can find him. (Lord Lucan: Wanted For Murder) *** One of our Weirdo family members shares what he once saw in a cemetery in South Africa. (British Solider In The Mist) *** On July 8, 1878, one of the strangest murder plots in Pennsylvania history began with the purchase of four insurance policies – and ended with a lingering spirit that still haunts a local churchyard to this day. (The Blue-Eyed Six Murder) *** She was a housewife, who turned killer – then vanished without a trace. Now, over 40 years later, Sharon Kinne's whereabouts remain unknown. (Sharon Kinne: The Murdering Housewife) *** Leo Frank was imprisoned and lynched for the murder of Mary Phagan – but was he truly guilty of the crime? (The Lynching of Leo Frank) ***A phantom-like creature torments a young boy at his aunt's house. (Glaring Red Eyes)SOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…“The Denver Airport Conspiracy” by Orrin Grey for The Line Up: http://bit.ly/2YHVRol “British Soldier In The Myst” by Ken Fyfe, submitted directly to Weird Darkness“Those Glaring Red Eyes” by SB at PhantomsAndMonsters.com: http://bit.ly/2E8wkvd “UFOs Stalk Navy Ships” by Paul Seaburn for Mysterious Universe: http://bit.ly/2RScZWW “The Truth Behind The Bye Bye Man” by Benjamin Radford for the Skeptical Inquirer: http://bit.ly/2PhacFl “Night School” posted at Ghosts N Ghouls: (website no longer exists)“Lord Lucan: Wanted For Murder” by Doug MacGowan for Historic Mysteries: http://bit.ly/2PffmBx “Hungry Ghosts of Japan” by Brent Swancer for Mysterious Universe: http://bit.ly/38vsDgY “Strange Incidents at Grandma's House” by Toni Dorland for My Haunted Life Too: http://bit.ly/2LPcUzI “The Lynching of Leo Frank” posted at The Unredacted: http://bit.ly/2YGvHCs “The Blue-Eyed Six Murder” by Troy Taylor: http://bit.ly/2LOktGR = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. Background music provided by Alibi Music Library, EpidemicSound and/or StoryBlocks with paid license. Music from Shadows Symphony (https://tinyurl.com/yyrv987t), Midnight Syndicate (http://amzn.to/2BYCoXZ), Kevin MacLeod (https://tinyurl.com/y2v7fgbu), Tony Longworth (https://tinyurl.com/y2nhnbt7), and Nicolas Gasparini (https://tinyurl.com/lnqpfs8) is used with permission of the artists.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46WeirdDarkness™ - is a production and trademark of Marlar House Productions. © 2023, Weird Darkness.