Have you ever seen a ghost or a UFO? Chris French is a psychologist whose latest book The Science of Weird S**t explores the paranormal, and why people might claim to have experienced something science can’t currently explain. We spoke to Chris to find out how psychologists address the paranormal, and what makes people believe in UFOs.
 
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Why do people believe in UFOs?

The weekly astronomy podcast from the makers of BBC Sky at Night Magazine.

Science

Astronomy

Challenge yourself to find the 1% crescent Moon as it passes by Jupiter and the Pleiades. Find out how to catch these and more stargazing highlights in this week’s podcast guide, Star Diary, 6 to 12 May 2024.
 
Transcript: www.skyatnightmagazine.com/podcasts/star-diary-6-may-2024
 
Make you own craters: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/make-moon-impact-craters
 
Subscribe to BBC Sky at Night Magazine and submit your astrophotography images over on our website: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com
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Star Diary: See the crescent Moon pass the Pleiades (6 to 12 May 2024)

See the Moon sit inside the Teapot asterism this week, as well as a quartet of asteroids moving across the night sky. Find out how to catch these and more stargazing highlights in this week’s podcast guide, Star Diary, 29 April to 5 May 2024.
 
Transcript: www.skyatnightmagazine.com/podcasts/star-diary-29-apr-2024
 
Listen for meteors on your FM radio: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/how-hear-meteors-fm-radio
 
Subscribe to BBC Sky at Night Magazine and submit your astrophotography images over on our website: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com
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Star Diary: The Moon lies in The Teapot (29 April to 5 May 2024)

The full Moon will wash out some of the dimmer meteors, but fortunately there are plenty of other stargazing highlights in this week’s stargazing podcast guide, Star Diary, 22 to 28 April 2024.
 
Transcript: www.skyatnightmagazine.com/podcasts/star-diary-22-apr-2024
 
Record a meteor shower for science: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/observe-and-record-the-geminid-meteor-shower 
 
Subscribe to BBC Sky at Night Magazine and submit your astrophotography images over on our website: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com
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Star Diary: The Lyrid Meteor shower reaches its peak (22 to 28 April 2024)

Astronomer Stefano Facchini reveals how he and his colleagues found water vapour at a Sun-like star where planets could already be forming.
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Water found around a distant star

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks reaches perihelion, its closest approach to the Sun this week, and should be at its brightest. Find out how you can see them for yourself as well as our usual stargazing highlights in this week’s podcast guide, Star Diary, 15 to 21 April 2024.
 
Transcript: www.skyatnightmagazine.com/podcasts/star-diary-15-apr-2024
 
Comet Pons-Brooks: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/comet-12p-pons-brooks 
How to see the Lunar X and Lunar V: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/skills/lunar-x-v
 
Subscribe to BBC Sky at Night Magazine and submit your astrophotography images over on our website: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com
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Why do people believe in UFOs?

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