Skeptical Inquirer Audio Edition

Kenny Biddle investigates the alleged haunting of the McInteer Villa and finds that its ghost stories—from shadow figures to eerie laughter—are best explained by historical inaccuracies, psychological suggestion, and ordinary causes rather than paranormal activity. Using archival research and forensic analysis of photographs and audio, he argues that the villa is a compelling example of how folklo...

In the third of a multipart series, Massimo Polidoro recounts the behind-the-scenes struggle to create what would eventually become the  Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal , showing how years of false starts, disagreements, and organizational uncertainty nearly derailed the modern skeptical movement. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https:/...

Robyn E. Blumner explains how the homeopathy industry is facing growing legal and regulatory challenges as the FDA tightens enforcement against unapproved products and courts increasingly reject industry efforts to preserve special treatment. She argues that despite aggressive lobbying and proposed legislation to shield homeopathy from oversight, science-based regulation and consumer protection ar...

Julia Lavarnway, William Matthew London, Stephen Hupp, and Benjamin Radford round up notable developments in skepticism and science, from a multimillion-dollar defamation verdict against a self-proclaimed psychic and Tinder's embrace of astrology to political claims about UFOs, Bigfoot pop culture, and the latest space exploration milestones. The collection highlights how pseudoscientific beliefs...

Matthew J. Sharps and Jana L. Price-Sharps examine the legend of the so-called "Lying Monk," Fray Marcos de Niza, arguing that psychology—not deception—best explains the myths surrounding his expedition to Cibola. Using examples of source confusion, language ambiguity, misinterpretation, and faulty perception, they show how ordinary cognitive processes can transform modest observations into enduri...

Malorie Mackey recounts her experiences conducting penguin conservation research on South Africa's Robben Island, exploring how its haunting history, eerie landscape, and lack of environmental control can make even skeptical scientists feel as though they are encountering ghosts. Drawing on psychology research, she argues that stress, uncertainty, and our fear of the unknown help explain why suppo...

Stefan T. Siegel examines six common misconceptions about mythbusting, arguing that effectively countering misinformation requires more than simply correcting facts—it demands evidence-based strategies that address emotions, identities, and social influences. He advocates a balanced approach that combines mythbusting and fact-boosting, focuses on persuadable audiences, and uses tools such as prebu...

Massimo Pigliucci revisits Carl Sagan's classic "Baloney Detection Kit" thirty years after its publication, arguing that its core principles remain valuable but require updating to address modern challenges such as social media, misinformation, cognitive biases, and the misuse of logical fallacies. He proposes a more nuanced approach to critical thinking that emphasizes statistical literacy, exper...

Stephen Hupp previews the next issue of  Skeptical Inquirer, Volume 50, no. 4, titled "Optimizing the Tools of Our Trade". Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/06/optimizing-the-tools-of-our-trade/ About the Author: Stephen Hupp, PhD, is the executive director of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and the editor of Skeptical Inquirer . Subscrib...

Terence Hines reviews Neil DeGrasse Tyson's new book, Take Me to Your Leader. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/a-skeptical-approach-to-flying-saucers-and-aliens/ About the Author: Terence Hines is professor of psychology at Pace University and adjunct professor of neurology at New York Medical College. He is author of The Psychology and...

Robert Williams explores the enduring myth that Harry Houdini performed a daring escape at Niagara Falls and shows that, despite its plausibility, no historical evidence supports the story. The article examines how films, museums, publicity, and public expectations can combine to create legends that feel true even when they aren't. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://ske...

Benjamin Radford uses a humorous Freshpet commercial about zodiac signs and pet compatibility to explore the persistence of astrology in popular culture.  Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/freshpet-chews-on-astrology/ About the Author: Benjamin Radford, M.Ed., is a scientific paranormal investigator, a research fellow at the Committee fo...

Nick Tiller examines the marketing and scientific claims behind AG1 . Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/right-lets-talk-about-ag1/ About the Author: Nick Tiller is an exercise scientist and writer covering health, performance, and wellness misinformation. He's the author of The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science (Taylor & Francis, 2020) a...

David Weinberg reviews The Certainty Illusion: What You Don't Know and Why It Matters (2025). By Timothy Caulfield. Allen Lane, 2025. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/04/surviving-the-information-chaos-storm/ About the Author: David Weinberg, MD, is a recently retired physician who has contributed to Science Based Medicine and The Skeptic ma...

Terence Hines reviews The Ghost Lab: How Bigfoot Hunters, Mediums and Alien Enthusiasts Are Wrecking Science (2025). By Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling. PublicAffairs. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/04/a-jane-goodall-among-the-spiritualists/ About the Author: Terence Hines is professor of psychology at Pace University and adjunct professor of neu...

Daniel Whiteson argues that while humans hope for communication and shared understanding with extraterrestrial intelligence, we have no solid evidence that aliens would use the same mathematics or physics to describe the universe. By examining the mixed history of scientific development on Earth and philosophical challenges to the universality of math and physics, he concludes that alien science m...

Melanie Trecek-King reflects on how the explosion of digital information in just the "last fifteen seconds" of human history has overwhelmed brains evolved for a much simpler world, making us highly vulnerable to misinformation. She argues that surviving the modern information landscape requires recognizing our cognitive biases and actively developing critical thinking and media literacy skills to...

Andrea Love explains that apparent rises in cancer rates are often due to better detection, expanded screening, and longer life expectancy—not a true surge in disease. She argues that misleading media coverage fuels unnecessary fear, while in reality many cancer death rates are declining thanks to advances in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Read this article and find accompanying references...

Kenneth L. Feder reviews the legacy of Erich von Däniken , arguing that his popular "ancient astronaut" claims—such as aliens influencing human development, creating ancient art, or interbreeding with humans—are unfounded and rooted in misunderstandings of archaeology and human creativity. While acknowledging his cultural impact and popularity, Feder criticizes his ideas as pseudoscientific, often...

Gerald Rosen and Loren Pankratz argue that Francine Shapiro 's widely promoted origin story for EMDR—discovering its effects during a walk—is false, presenting photographic and historical evidence that her ideas were influenced earlier by neurolinguistic programming. By undermining this foundational narrative, they contend that the credibility and claimed effectiveness of EMDR deserve greater scie...

Stephen Hupp honors Lee Nisbet for his central role in founding and shaping the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (now Committee for Skeptical Inquiry ), including organizing its early conferences and guiding its development. Nisbet was as an essential figure whose leadership, scholarship, and institutional groundwork helped establish and sustain the modern ske...

Frederick Crews devoted his career to challenging the scientific and intellectual legitimacy of Sigmund Freud and psychoanalysis, ultimately arguing it lacked empirical evidence and functioned as a closed, pseudoscientific system. Through influential works like The Pooh Perplex and The Unknown Freud , he sparked major debates in academia, helping reframe Freud's legacy as culturally influential bu...

Banachek reflects on his experiences with James Randi , highlighting his brilliance as a publicity generator, investigator, and educator who exposed frauds such as faith healer Peter Popoff and consistently challenged paranormal claims through demonstrations and the Million Dollar Challenge. The tribute emphasizes Randi's enduring legacy as a champion of critical thinking and skepticism, whose inf...

Nick Tiller argues that the United States is not uniquely prone to pseudoscience overall but is instead unusually divided into polarized subgroups, each with its own beliefs, trust levels, and susceptibility to misinformation. These divisions—combined with capitalism and the rapid spread of ideas in the attention economy—create ideal conditions for pseudoscience to thrive and spread globally, even...

Massimo Pigliucci argues that skepticism is an ongoing, often difficult effort grounded in inquiry, ethical responsibility, and the recognition that pseudoscience will never fully disappear. Rather than aiming to "win," skeptics should focus on thoughtful dialogue, critical thinking, and incremental progress—lighting small "candles" of reason through persuasion, humility, and evidence-based engage...