Squaring the Strange

Ben, Celestia, and Pascual take a romp through a bunch of 2018's more memorable skeptical moments. From a new iteration of the Mechanical Turk to deadly rumors in India to a resurgence of Geocentrism, there's plenty to go around. We go over some of the more notable passings, and Ben lists some of his favorite episodes from the past year.

This episode deals with various aspects of kids and woo . . . First, a look at that jolly old "identified flying object" often seen on Christmas eve, Santa himself. What skeptical benefits might be lurking in the whole Santa charade? Then we examine some harm done by serious, life-threatening woo that well-meaning parents inflict upon their children as part of a family belief system, as well as the lesser forms of uncritical thinking that can seep into a child's mental environment.

Pascual is back, and we discuss a free-roaming placenta found in the Canadian woods last week. Then we bring in award-winning filmmaker Erik Kristopher Myers to discuss one of his favorite doom-sayers, Harold Camping. What convinced so many followers that End Times were upon us back in 2011? Erik discusses Camping's similarities to a cult leader as well as his business model, both of which contributed to his surprising reach. Ben entertains us with a few other apocalyptic prophesies from earlier days, and we examine the psychology of what happens to believers and prophets alike after these predictions fail.

Pascual is back, and we discuss a free-roaming placenta found in the Canadian woods last week. Then we bring in award-winning filmmaker Erik Kristopher Myers to discuss one of his favorite doom-sayers, Harold Camping. What convinced so many followers that End Times were upon us back in 2011? Erik discusses Camping's similarities to a cult leader as well as his business model, both of which contributed to his surprising reach. Ben entertains us with a few other apocalyptic prophesies from earlier days, and we examine the psychology of what happens to believers and prophets alike after these predictions fail.

First, Ben and Celestia discuss an interesting bit of fan base fakery with a surprise guest. Then we are joined by the Skeptic Zone's Richard Saunders for a conversation on Randi's Million Dollar Challenge. A longstanding offer to purported psychics and other claimants to supernatural powers, the JREF prize set the bar as the ultimate dare for purveyors of the paranormal. Now there are dozens of other offers around the world that, like the JREF money, still remain unclaimed. Richard has been on the front lines of the MDC, as well as other challenges, and he chats with us about the history of the prize as well as the goals and dangers of offering such tests to the many dowsers, aura-readers, psychic healers, and others who apply.

Award-winning filmmaker Erik Kristopher Myers joins Ben and Celestia to discuss Bigfoot on film. Starting with a quick analysis of the famous and most influential Bigfoot film, the Patterson-Gimlin footage, we tour the offerings since then, looking both at pop culture and the more serious efforts of a particularly litigious present-day Canadian Squatcher. Various Bigfoot and Yeti have flourished in all genres, popping up in horror films as well as children's entertainment. From the pendulous, hairy Bigfoot breasts seen in the grainy 1967 footage to the pendulous, hairy Bigfoot breasts drawn by R. Crumb a decade later, the creature has captured imaginations and resulted in some twisted depictions over the years.

Celestia reports back from her hurried day at CSI con, and Ben recounts a news story about a graveyard dowser. Then we look at Halloween subjects: what are the real roots of this holiday, and what exactly is satanic about it? Ben traces the development of "trick or treating" and we find out it's a bit of religious extortion that used to involve turnip torture. Celestia probes the more recent phenomenon of "Hell Houses" put on by conservative evangelicals as a much, much worse alternative to a haunted house. And then Ben debunks a few typical Halloween societal panics.

Celestia reports back from her hurried day at CSI con, and Ben recounts a news story about a graveyard dowser. Then we look at Halloween subjects: what are the real roots of this holiday, and what exactly is satanic about it? Ben traces the development of "trick or treating" and we find out it's a bit of religious extortion that used to involve turnip torture. Celestia probes the more recent phenomenon of "Hell Houses" put on by conservative evangelicals as a much, much worse alternative to a haunted house. And then Ben debunks a few typical Halloween societal panics.

First, Ben examines some disturbing consequences to child abduction rumors on a popular app in India and Mexico. Then we look at modern plastic surgery oddities and, specifically, the media myth of the Human Barbie, also known as Russian model Valeria Lukyanova. What outrageous things were said about her, and how much of the narrative can be taken as fact? We also compare her to her counterparts, namely the three men who promote themselves as "human Ken dolls."

This week Ben and Celestia recount some woo encounters "in the field" that, for a few reasons, they chose not to battle. Then for our main topic we sit down with Mick West, author of the newly released book Escaping the Rabbit Hole: How to Debunk Conspiracy Theories Using Facts, Logic, and Respect. Mick outlines his history in debunking, from chemtrails and Metabunk to the creation of this book, and we go over the different approaches he outlines to help loved ones not fall prey to the lure of conspiracy thinking. We discuss the harm that conspiracy thinking can inflict, and also the creeping culture of conspiracies and its effect on politics and the general population.