Skeptical Inquirer

08/07/2026

In a new, Spanish-language “¡Paparruchas!” column for Skeptical Inquirer, Luis Alfonso Gámez ponders “what if the Martians arrive tomorrow?”

Un comunicante anónimo me escribió hace poco, a través del formulario de contacto de mi web, para preguntar por el impacto que tendría en el movimiento escé ...

08/04/2026

Benjamin Radford writes: "The recent grilling of Dr. Anthony Fauci in a Senate hearing was notable for several things, among them the promotion of dangerous conspiracy theories against public health officials. "

The recent grilling of Dr. Anthony Fauci in a Senate hearing was notable for several things, among them the promotion of dangerous conspiracy theories again ...

07/31/2026

A recent poll found an interesting blend of belief and skepticism among the general public when it comes to the ABCs: Aliens, Bigfoot, and Chupacabra. In a YouGov poll of 1,114 American adults, when asked “How likely do you think it is that each of the following beings exist?” about aliens, Bigfoot, and the chupacabra, more than half of those polled, 56%, said that aliens definitely or probably exist, while 31% expressed doubt, saying they definitely or probably do not; only 14% said they weren’t sure.

A recent poll found an interesting blend of belief and skepticism among the general public when it comes to the ABCs: Aliens, Bigfoot, and Chupacabra. In a ...

07/23/2026

"[O]nce the paper is published and those findings hit the public marketplace, the science becomes a commodity. Data are simplified, stats are overlooked, headlines are spun, and hot takes proliferate. Nuance gives way to simple, sensational, marketable conclusions that can be packaged and sold, and years of systematic inquiry become just another means of generating clicks, likes, and shares."

In 2005, a neglected painting cataloged as a Leonardo da Vinci copy appeared at a New Orleans estate sale. The piece had been modified and over-varnished, i ...

07/23/2026

SI's Benjamin Radford highlights a few favorite exchanges from Mary Roach's opening night CSICon conversation with Richard Wiseman.

When magician and author Richard Wiseman took the stage to interview Mary Roach recently at CSICon, author of multiple science-based, skeptical, quirky, bes ...

07/17/2026

The Sallie House in Atchison, Kansas, became famous in the 1990s after residents reported unexplained phenomena, including strange noises, moving objects, and alleged physical scratches, which they attributed to a ghost they called “Sallie.” In a new video, CSI Chief Investigator Kenny Biddle examines the history behind the legends, investigates the paranormal claims, and applies critical thinking and evidence-based investigation to separate fact from folklore.

https://youtu.be/2fDyOLMXklM The Sallie House in Atchison, Kansas, became famous in the 1990s after residents reported unexplained phenomena, including stra ...

07/15/2026

Stuart Vyse writes, "Lily Dale Assembly describes itself as the “world’s largest center for the religion of spiritualism,” so for this writer, it seemed like an unmissable side trip."

While in Buffalo, New York, for the fiftieth anniversary of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI) celebrated at the CSICon 2026 convention, I made a poi ...

07/13/2026

Nick Tiller writes: "You’d think the one place outside a hospital where physicians would still get the first and last word would be at a professional cage fight, the purpose of which needs little explanation: it’s a fight in a cage. But even with one fighter black and blue and losing his vision, medical advice can still be tepidly received, even ignored."

Someone disregarding medical advice in 2026 is about as remarkable as someone waiting in line at the DMV. Much of the blame lies with social media. It eleva ...

07/13/2026

Skeptic Edzard Ernst on the the phenomenon of "willful ignorance":

"This protective mechanism allowed millions of Germans to actively avoid distressing information to protect themselves from shame, guilt, and the questioning of their own actions. This is not simply ignorance; rather, it is an active refusal to know."

Edzard Ernst on His Mother, an SS General in the Family, and the Current Threat of Fascism Today Editor’s note: This interview first appeared in the German ...

07/06/2026

Fifty years ago, organized skepticism almost stalled before it ever got off the ground. The personalities and ideas were there, but the momentum wasn't.

Massimo Polidoro tells the story of the movement before there was a movement:
https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/06/the-missing-catalyst/