The Michael Shermer Show Archives

Shermer and Buhs discuss his research and writing on weird phenomena like Bigfoot, Charles Fort, Fortean followers, anomaly hunting, science fiction, UFOs, skeptics, and the cultural impact of Fortean ideas that blurred the boundaries between truth and falsehood, undermining expert authority and fueling conspiracies.

Michael Shermer discusses escalating tensions in the Middle East, highlighting the U.S. deployment of the USS Georgia submarine as a deterrent to Iran. He also addresses Ukraine’s incursion into Russia and the potential nuclear response from Putin. Shermer explores nuclear annihilation, deterrence theory, and evolutionary origins of moral emotions, emphasizing the need to reduce nuclear stockpiles...

Shermer and Reeves discuss the gender gap in higher education, which has reversed since 1972, with men now earning only 42 percent of degrees. They explore boys lagging in English, higher male suicide rates, and premature deaths. They note lower employment rates for Black men and societal preferences for daughters. The conversation covers conflicting messages about masculinity and critiques of “bo...

Shermer and Weiss discuss the politicization of archaeology, covering Weiss’s experiences in the field, including controversies like the Kennewick Man, the binary nature of sex in bone studies, and the impact of “wokeness” on anthropology. They also explore issues like the connection between modern tribes and ancient remains, the peopling of the Americas, and Weiss’s discrimination experiences, in...