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Skeptoid

Author: Brian Dunning

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The true science behind our most popular urban legends. Historical mysteries, paranormal claims, popular science myths, aliens and UFO reports, conspiracy theories, and worthless alternative medicine schemes... Skeptoid has you covered. From the sublime to the startling, no topic is sacred. Weekly since 2006.


1027 Episodes
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Ancient footprints in New Mexico are forcing scientists to rewrite the story of when humans first set foot in the Americas, and the debate is shaking paleoanthropology to its core. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Fourteen of the most unexpected and counterintuitive science findings. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Once again we go through some of your feedback to past episodes — all the good stuff that enhances and improves the presentation. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Clowns have a habit of terrifying many of us. So why shouldn't we be surprised to see mass clown panics? Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Today marks the 1000th Skeptoid episode. And it's time to raise the question: What are you going to do for it? Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Medieval tales of walking corpses reflect common misunderstandings of death and the era's blurred line between myth and reality. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
What began as 19th-century mind-cure mysticism has morphed into a billion-dollar culture that may be hurting more minds than it helps. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Using real science to investigate the question of whether some people can "hear" the aurora. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
The 1928 murder of a folk healer ignited a media frenzy and moral panic, revealing how superstition and magical thinking can fuel real-world tragedy. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
We’re sharing a preview of a new audiobook, Douglas Adams: The Ends of the Earth, which celebrates the wit and wisdom of the legendary science fiction author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency. Douglas Adams was someone who thought deeply about the biggest problems in the world, from the internet, to artificial intelligence, to space exploration, politics, and conservation—he was a sharp critic and a profoundly disruptive thinker of the way we do things. Written and narrated by Arvind Ethan David, Adams’ former protégé, this one-of-a-kind audiobook includes rare archival material from the Adams Estate, interviews with Adams’ personal friends like Griff Rhys Jones and David Baddiel, and reenactments of his work to form an immersive journey through the mind of one of the most visionary writers of our time. Get Douglas Adams: The Ends of the Earth now at Audible, Spotify, pushkin.fm/audiobooks, or wherever audiobooks are sold. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Is there good science backing up the idea that you should eat based upon which of three body types you have? Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Will our improvements to AI's voracious appetite for electricity keep pace with the exploding demand? Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Do you really need to pay quite so much attention to which foods you eat, and which you avoid? Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Since psychic abilities do not exist outside the delusions of true believers, involving psychics in searches for missing persons is worse than useless. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
A roundup of all the biggest and scariest real sea monsters — from today and from prehistoric times. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
How one special moment redefined how a science teacher does her job. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Their exciting nature, combined with the fact nobody's ever won one, make paranormal challenge prizes important educational tools. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Here are many popular myths about chocolate. How many can you tell are true or not? Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
She may have gotten her start as Houdini's sidekick, but Rose Mackenberg became a giant of unmasking fraudulent mediums. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
You're going to get to enjoy some new guest hosts for a month or two on Skeptoid. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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Comments (36)

Ron Freiberg

The causes of chronic fatigue syndrome are not well known and documented. Where did that statement come from?

Apr 1st
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Spencer Noneya

Til feudal china was capitalist. This show is general great, but i stg the american libertarian brain rot is hard to hear. Maoist China (Svoiet Russia for that matter) were never communist, anymore than North Korea is a democratic republic. Besides that, having a commodity market isn't capitalism, pre-maoist china was feudalist. Maoist China was State Capitalist (fascism using communist terms for spin) and remains so to this day.

Nov 9th
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Spencer Noneya

The next decade of Republican fascism makes this seem really optimistic in hindsight lol

Oct 26th
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World Cup Willie

I can't believe you're asserting that the "Toxic Lady" was definitely mass hysteria. There were many experienced nurses who were affected.

Aug 16th
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J G

I thought Pope Lick Bridge was in Vatican City

Feb 7th
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Jeroen Visser

... you read that wrong (so did I)

Oct 11th
Reply

Dale Taylor

Fabulous podcast. Short,sweet & to the point. With so much disinformation circulating these days we need people like this more than ever.

Aug 27th
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Toni Diane

Can't find it anywhere to watch it.

May 30th
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Sais Shishir

They believe in 'chi' but note in moon chi's. 😤

Mar 12th
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Sais Shishir

This episode was unexpectedly funny, lol.

Mar 11th
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Alice

The Kitty Genovese story has been wildly exaggerated as well. There's a very good episode de You're Wrong About that goes back on that event.

Mar 4th
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John Koeberlein

Reminds me of a friend. We were in the black rock desert in Nevada. At night every light in the sky was a UFO. I would point out that they were planes landing in Reno. Finally be pointed up directly overhead, okay what's that? A satellite. I guess we all believe what we want to believe.

Nov 25th
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John Koeberlein

I used this technique with jelly beans in a jar. I won and was only a few beans off!

Sep 3rd
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Louis Jovanovich

is there any other skeptoid episodes or website posts how about other alleged miracles? specifically famous Catholic ones like Lourdes and Fatima

Jun 24th
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John Koeberlein

what? That doesn't even make sense. I have a friend at work that firmly believes that this site was built by aliens.

Apr 25th
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Sais Shishir

I should add that in Hindu traditions, the 12th day after a birth of a baby is a day of celebration of the birth. While the 13th day after a death is certain important occasion regarding the death. So "12th day" and "13th day" have their own denoting.

Feb 23rd
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Sais Shishir

This one is now one of my favorite Skeptoid episodes.

Feb 23rd
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Alistair William Themann

I have a

Feb 12th
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Rolf Larsson

Great episode. Thx from Sweden

Feb 6th
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Casey Wollberg

just goes to show that a high IQ will not save you from believing nonsense. skepticism aint rocket surgery.

Feb 5th
Reply