This installment of The Time Warp revisits a late-1970s Skeptical Inquirer debate over the "Mars effect," exploring how skeptics critically tested—and ultimately undermined—astrological claims while briefly giving claimants a voice. Craig A. Foster uses this historical case to reflect on an enduring tension within skepticism: when, if ever, skeptics should invite credulous viewpoints, and how remaining skeptical of skepticism itself helps keep the movement intellectually honest.

Read this article and find accompanying references at:

https://skepticalinquirer.org/2025/12/the-red-planet-rumble-claimer-vs-claimer/

About the Author:

Craig A. Foster is a CSI fellow and the director of research and evaluation at Northshore School District in Bothell, Washington.

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Skeptical Inquirer Audio Edition is a production of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and the Center for Inquiry.