Skeptical Inquirer Audio Edition

Exploring Robben Island: How the Ghosts of the Past Haunt the Researchers of Today

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 skept

Boosting Facts and Busting Myths about Mythbusting

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 emoti

The Fine Art of Baloney Detection—Sagan's Essay Three Decades Later

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 socia

Optimizing the Tools of Our Trade

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/optim

A Skeptical Approach to Flying Saucers and Aliens

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-alie

Houdini and Niagara Falls: How Legends Attach Themselves to Great Men

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Freshpet Chews on Astrology

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://ske

Right, Let's Talk about AG1

Surviving the Information Chaos Storm

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/2

A Jane Goodall among the Spiritualists

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: http

Do We Have Physics in Common with Aliens?

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

From Savanna to Smartphones: Reflections on the Past Fifteen Seconds

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 misinfo

Are Cancer Rates Skyrocketing—or Are We Better at Detection?

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 unne

Erich von Däniken: A Legacy of Pseudoscience

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

A Photograph Exposes EMDR's True Origins

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 infl

In Memory of Lee Nisbet, CSICOP's First Executive Director

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

Freud's Greatest Critic: The Legacy of Frederick Crews

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, pseudoscientif

My Memories of The Amazing Randi: Part Two

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 par

The United States of Pseudoscience

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 misinform

The Nature of Pseudoscience, How to Fight It, and Why It Matters

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,"