Conspiracy Theoryology

Episode 16 - The Fluoride Conspiracy   Water fluoridation is a hot button topic, that has proven controversial since the practice began in the 1940’s. The suspicion that rather than the stated purpose of preventing tooth decay, water fluoridation is a practice of involuntary medication and experimentation, and a conspiracy of social engineering that is at best, driven by industrial lobbying to mak...

Episode 15 - The Polygraph Test   The polygraph has a long and tenuous history rooted in efforts to advance interrogation techniques. Currently it is dismissed by scientists, and is inadmissible in court, yet, the polygraph examination is still used by federal agencies, businesses, investigators and police forces. The lie detector is often used within the realm of conspiracy theory and alternative...

Episode 14 - Psychic Detectives The use of psychic abilities to find answers, uncover clues, find victims and even uncover identities of criminal perpetrators goes way back. In ancient times, those who sought missing persons could consult an oracle or divine with activities such as astrology. By the sixteenth century, dowsing became a practiced means of tracking culprits with the use of divining r...

Episode 13 - Exorcism Exorcism, as a practice in some form or another has been around about as long as human beings have been asking themselves why things happen, and it’s never been completely abandoned. Yet, by the mid 20th century, the practices has waned considerably as had public interest. That all changed in 1973 with the cinematic release of “The Exorcist”. This horrific, and terrifying tal...

Episode 12 - Alien Abductions The phenomenon, as documented by researchers, journalists, and skeptics alike, over the years, has become pretty well defined in terms of key aspects, and has led to an array of collected testimonies, assertions to either the validity or the incredulity of the phenomenon, and even the occasional conspiracy theory or two. The terms alien abduction or abduction phenomen...

Episode 11 - Workers Buried in Hoover Dam A worker falls into a pool of wet concrete that’s being poured as part of a major construction project. Before he can be saved, his body slips beneath the surface and he drowns in the thick soup of the concrete. Pouring concrete is a slow and tedious job, and once “the pour” is started, it can’t be stopped without ruining the whole block, and that section...

Episode 10 - Q Clearance The term "Q Clearance" has been in the news because of the QAnon claims that originated out of 4chan and have since gone mainstream. The claim of a Q level clearance, gave "Q" the nickname and is the basis for supposed insider above-top-secret access within the current US Administration. In this episode, we delve into the claim of Q Clearance, and explore the history of se...

Episode 9 - Crop Circles The name conjures the image in the mind. A crop circle means a golden geometric pattern has been shaped into a field somewhere, and eventually turned into a poster on someone's cubicle wall. Some believe that they are made by extra-terrestrial visitors, or perhaps by magnetic fields flowing from deep within the earth along leylines. Others simply chalk them up to the resul...

Episode 8 - Ghost Photography You've seen them on the internet. You may even have some within your own collection. Ghost photos. Also known as paranormal or spirit photography, the practice of capturing ghostly apparitions on camera is as old as the field of photography itself. Thought to be caused by the environmental affect by the apparition, either through radiation, ionization, or some impact...

Episode 7 - The Question of Shakespeare Authorship We've all studied Shakespeare. You read him in school. You performed a soliloquy in drama class. You've watched all the bad coming of age teen remakes. Did you know, though, that Shakespeare didn't actually write any of his works? At least, that's the theory, and we discuss the historical thought of the day that inspired this hotly debated and con...

Episode 6 - The New Coke Conspiracy Are you old enough to remember the introduction of New Coke? Afterward, when Coca-Cola Classic was re-introduced, did you hear all the stories about how the whole thing was a big marketing conspiracy, and New Coke was always meant to fail? Well, join me as we discuss the story behind the well intentioned but ill conceived business decision that lead to one of th...

Episode 5 - Area 51 - Part 2 The conclusion of our discussion about of one of the most secure, highly restricted military installations in the United States, Area 51. This time we dive into an understanding of narrative psychology and how the concept of narrative identity can be used to explain the public appeal of Area 51. Doesn't the whole thing sometimes feel like a great story? Almost a movie...

Episode 4 - Area 51 - Part 1 The first part in the discussion of one of the most secure, highly restricted military installations in the United States, Area 51. Ask yourself, what is the first thought that comes to mind when you hear "Area 51?" Did you say flying saucers, alien bodies and Roswell? Well, if you did, you share that opinion with a majority of the population. It may surprise you to kn...

Episode 3 - Paul McCartney is dead, and the world hears about it after some astute college journalists follow the trail of clues left within song lyrics and album art. The world of Beatlemania is turned upside down and a new conspiracy is born that has endured for over half a century as a text book example of "confirmation bias."  On this episode we discuss the possible motivations that lead to th...

Episode 2 - Bigfoot steps on the scene and into our hearts. This is a fun episode as we figure out how a 1950's television western, a fish, and a trip to the zoo all helped to make Bigfoot the top tier celebrity that he is today.  Below is a list of links for source information covered in this episode: http://www.bigfootencounters.com/articles/true1959.htm https://www.outsideonline.com/2095096/man...

Episode 001 - A quick welcome episode in which I explain the origin and structure of the show, and hopefully set the stage for a lot of great episodes and topics in the future. As we begin this show series, please connect with me at Facebook.com/TheoryologyPodcast  There's not a lot of content this week, but continue to check show notes in future episodes for links to research documents and inform...