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.

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.

This week we start with a quick look at a dog-buys-cookies story that took Celestia down a path of searching out pet videos and, finally, reading about whether or not monkeys can be taught to understand currency. Then Ben revisits an investigation he did on the Pokemon Panic, a wave of illness that struck Tokyo children in the 1990s during an episode of the incredibly popular show--a phenomenon that was referenced again this summer as journalists warned of the strobe effects in Incredibles 2. But what are the numbers, and how exactly does photosensitive epilepsy work? And what was to blame for the thousands of children falling ill that week in Tokyo?

This week we start with an announcement and then a look at a Bridezilla tale and a psychic mountain lion encounter. Then Ben, Celestia, and Pascual discuss skeptical burnout, a phenomenon that hits almost every skeptic at some point. What makes us susceptible to this kind of exhaustion, and how can we best fight against it? We all share some stories and outlooks.

This week we start with a discussion of Spike Lee's Black Klansman movie and the notion of holding narrative movies "based on" real events to some imagined standard of full accuracy. Then all aboard for the ghost train express! Ben and Celestia discuss the lure of the locomotive (and train wrecks) in the American imagination, the flickering lights said to be distant spiritual echoes of trains, and the dangers of ghost-trainspotting on elevated trestles. Ben looks into fabled "virtual underground" trains in Russia that have sprung up as folkloric pranks. We go over the legend of Abraham Lincoln's phantom funeral train, and Ben recounts a faked ghost train video he was tasked with examining.

We start with a look at some so-called logos unveiled as a fundraiser and compare them to NASA's logo to see how a real Space Force manages branding. Then Pascual, our resident spider-apologist, schools us on the brown recluse, possibly the most feared spider in America. We'll look into the many things regularly mistaken for recluse bites, as well as why people seem more willing to assume (and advertise) they've been bitten. And we'll also dip into some spidery folklore and urban legends!

This week is a potpourri of space and sci-fi strangeness, starting with a look back (and forward) at Project Blue Book, the Air Force study of UFO sightings 1952-1969 soon to be a new drama series on the so-called History Channel. Joining Ben and Celestia is F. Andrew Taylor, journalist and cartoonist, who spent the San Diego Comic Con drawing attendees' descriptions of UFO encounters to help promote the series for the History Channel. Then we head to the Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, where Celestia was able to chat with physicist Dr. Erin Macdonald (formerly of LIGO, who specializes in general relativity) and emergency physician and skeptic Dr. Angela Mattke, both avid Trekkies and science communicators.

This week is a potpourri of space and sci-fi strangeness, starting with a look back (and forward) at Project Blue Book, the Air Force study of UFO sightings 1952-1969 soon to be a new drama series on the so-called History Channel. Joining Ben and Celestia is F. Andrew Taylor, journalist and cartoonist, who spent the San Diego Comic Con drawing attendees' descriptions of UFO encounters to help promote the series for the History Channel. Then we head to the Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, where Celestia was able to chat with physicist Dr. Erin Macdonald (formerly of LIGO, who specializes in general relativity) and emergency physician and skeptic Dr. Angela Mattke, both avid Trekkies and science communicators.

This week Celestia is skeptical of Rule 34, as even creatures that don't really exist are making news this week for being in porn. Ben takes us on a quasi-serious tour of Bigfoot "erotica," some of it presented by authors as true tales. Then we discuss a compelling urban legend from Costa Rica: the mystery of the Toucan Man, a figure said to abduct children by luring them into the forest with his flute music. Ben puts the pieces together after talking with an eye-witness (or at least an ear-witness).

Celestia opens with a mea culpa and introduction, then is joined by Ben and Pascual to talk about some mysterious abilities animals are said to have. We look into a few things you might not know about that famous horse Clever Hans, as well as a lesser-known "psychic horse" named Lady Wonder. And then we look into evidence and rumors about how some animals might sense earthquakes, as well as a viral panic about Yellowstone's volcano triggered by a photo of jogging bison.

Ben and Celestia discuss a few topics in the world of pregnancy that are best viewed through a skeptical lens. Ben touches on some folkloric warnings for expectant mothers. Celestia takes us on a tour of "baby brain," the idea that women lose cognitive ability while pregnant, and looks at self-reported studies versus objective tests and imaging. Then we move on to CAM in popular pregnancy books, and (just to make Ben squirm) we look at the recent trend of women eating their placentas.

This week Ben and Celestia start by looking at a recent active shooter scare created by a psychic premoniton. Then we dive into a challenge that led Ben into a 9-month investigation into a decades-old murder case and the psychic detective who claimed she knew a list of details about the killer. But did she?

This week we all look at some timey-wimey stuff that paranormal researcher Joshua P. Warren claims to have discovered near Vegas. Then it's all about founding father Ben Franklin! He was a legendary science enthusiast, polymath, inventor, philosopher, satirist, hoaxer, extreme kite-flyer, printer, ladies' man, and skeptic. He was also an early proponent of inoculation and inadvertently provided a backstory for a well-known cryptid! Oh, and he helped found our country or something too.

This week, Ben and Celestia chat with Erik Kristopher Myers, writer, director, and actor in the new found-footage horror movie "Butterfly Kisses," featuring Ben and Pascual on the Blu-Ray audio commentary!

A grab-bag of mini topics for your skeptical digestion.

First, Celestia is skeptical of a certain effect we've all been privy to in the internet age. Then, our team dives into the world of film legends and myths. Everything from time traveling silent film extras to Elvis sightings, our crew takes a lighthearted and skeptical look at some fun stories.

First we look back at an alien theory of the 90s, then we revisit our old pal Alex Jones's legal troubles. Then we carefully peel back some layers on the tragedy that occurred two years ago at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. At the time, it was the worst mass shooting in modern American history, and it seemed self-evidently driven by hate, targeting the LGBTQ community. Yet, the FBI and terrorism experts have reached different conclusions than the public and the media, and Ben brings his research expertise to illuminate the situation.

After a quick revisit to the History Channel's sidestepping, the gang dives into pseudo-experiments. We see them almost every day, often aimed at making a social point or sometimes carefully contrived in order to sell us something. From the Pepsi Challenge to the Dove ad to reality TV, we pull up some examples to help familiarize you with the lure of these demonstrations. The results always seem to speak for themselves--but it's never quite so simple.

This week, our crew is joined by Pascual's good friend Kyle Konkiel of the band Bad Wolves, the heavy metal band currently topping the charts with their cover of the Cranberries classic "Zombie". Kyle steps in to help us break down famous (and infamous) music myths that you may or may not have heard of. We also discuss Kyle's band and their new record as well as touch in on their releasing of the song "Zombie" in the wake of the untimely death of Cranberries' vocalist Dolores O'Riordan, who was slated to perform on the Bad Wolves version.

This week, our crew talks about the ins and outs of how our senses fail us. First, they delve into a highly appropriate internet phenomenon regarding how we hear the word "Laurel" in a recording. With technical breakdowns and inquiry as to how our hearing may have failed us, the Strangers reach a strong conclusion about this mystery. Then, they expand the topic by talking about how senses and memory are not all they seem. Nobody can be too sure of what they see, hear, feel, taste, or smell and our intrepid crew digs deep into why that is.

This week, our crew dives into a curious case of a teenager being hypnotized and not remembering the night. Then, we dig up zombies. Not just the Hollywood zombie we've grown to love, but the real root of our horror staple, the Hatian zombie. Ben brings folklore and research into real-life details that have helped form our idea of these movie monsters.

First, Ben looks at some opinions passing for news about the Cosby verdict, then Pascual schools us on the real history behind Cinco de Mayo. For our main topic, the whole gang pitches in for a talk about research: what IS research, what ISN'T research, and helpful hints that will benefit everyone from the laziest Googler to the most intrepid of investigators. Wikipedia, Snopes, and your local library all have a role to play, as do real live experts.

First we say a mixed farewell to Art Bell, radio host and conspiracy monger. Then we discuss the Near-Death Experience phenomenon, or NDEs. We go from Hollywood fan theories to real medical history and fear of premature burial. We touch on how children's NDEs are shaped and exploited by adults. Then our special guest, Margaret Downey, discusses her non-religious journey of understanding her NDE. To wrap up, Celestia examines a UK nurse's "experiment" to find evidence that patients really do sometimes float above their own bodies.

This week, Ben unpacks a particularly curious moment in a Herzog documentary, and then we get to our main topic. Our trio dives deep into the world of school shooting conspiracies, especially around Sandy Hook. Ben uses real information to battle the wild rumors that many people seem to believe about the nature of these events and the roles of the people involved. Just as the episode was finished, BREAKING NEWS about Sandy Hook came to light and Pascual was able to punch a quick update in before air.

QUICK NOTE: The online recording software we used for Matt's interview did something wonky to our audio for a moment. Pascual spent the last few hours making it sound better (believe us, it sounded worse) and we think it's good enough for the few short questions that it affects. Thank you for bearing with us on this. This week, the boys bring Susan Gerbic in to chat about all things skeptical, but most importantly, her organization "Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia", a great group of people whose mission is to improve skeptical content on Wikipedia. But first, we have a fun conversation about "The Condom Challenge" with friend of the show Matt "The Tube" Crowley. You may know him from the Jim Rose Circus and might have caught him on Lollapalooza in the early 90s (as one of our hosts may or may not have). Matt Crowley with Jim Rose: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6Pt3eaRusA Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia: https://www.facebook.com/GSoWproject/

This week, Pascual brings in some information on California's Prop 65 and what it really means to say that coffee causes cancer. Does a proliferation of warning signs do the opposite of what lawmakers intended, and is there a better way? We read some listener emails and answer questions, reflecting on the evolution of the show after one year. We chat about topics that made us proud, made us nervous, or made us giggle like little schoolgirls—as well as some potential future topics, like the royal family being coelacanths (or is it lizard people?).

We start with Mad Mike Hughes and his flat-earth-funded rocket. Then we talk treasures: hiding them, hunting them, and passing along rumors of them! Treasure hunting is rife with folklore and sometimes danger. People seeking riches have trespassed, committed crimes, and even died. Celestia talks about murdered casino magnate Ted Binion's buried vault and rumors of more treasure. Then Pascual and Ben discuss Santa Fe eccentric Forrest Fenn, who claims he hid a treasure you can find with clues in a poem. Finally, we dig into Arizona's legendary Lost Dutchman Mine.

First, Pascual is skeptical of mutating astronaut DNA, and looks closely at the media misinterpretation of a recent NASA press release. Then the gang discusses various ways that folklore is used to control behavior—a trick used on children and sometimes on the general public, too. We look closely at the Hispanic ghost La Llorona, a frightening tale that keeps children away from flood-prone river banks in New Mexico, and then some of her even scarier cousins, the Japanese kappa, who seem to have a fixation on human butts and cucumbers. Then all the way up in Iceland we meet the Yule cat, who eats children that don't wear their new Christmas sweaters—but also teaches a host of other lessons.

This week, our crew digs into health panics and what's in our food. Focusing on the notorious "pink slime", the Strangers break down the history of the hysteria and talk about how bad it really is (or isn't). Also in this episode, Ben is skeptical of the tragic tale of a Tasmanian Devil named Jasper.

This week, our strangers start the episode with some listener mail about Ben's SWAYSO on Peter Rabbit. Our three amigos break down an article about it as well as debate the reality of how impressionable kids can really be. Then, our intrepid crew sets sail to the Indian Ocean to discover our once-extinct friend, the Coelacanth. They recall the story of the discovery of our fishy friend and also discuss the use of its story in certain cryptozoological arguments. Celestia delights us with a fun fortune cookie about a very creative individual.

This week, the Strange crew chats a bit about "crisis actors" and how far people will go to link tragic events to push conspiratorial ideas. Then, the boys are joined by Sharon A. Hill, geologist and skeptic author of the new book "Scientifical Americans" a look into the culture of amateur paranormal researchers. They talk a bit about the utility of the title "skeptic" and go into a discussion about her fascinating new book. Find Sharon and her book at: http://sharonahill.com

This week, Ben and Celestia dig into what makes bad documentaries bad.

This week, Ben and Pascual dig into the legend of Kuchisake-Onna, aka the Slit-mouthed Woman. From the origins of her terrifying story to the modern day pop culture references, the guys explore every creepy detail. Also in this episode, Ben is skeptical of what makes something fictional "problematic" and just how serious the implications are. Link: Pascual references a webcomic, which actually turned out to be a Korean one that has similarities but is not the slit-mouthed woman. Warning: Jump scares. http://comic.naver.com/webtoon/detail.nhn?titleId=350217&no=31

While Pascual recovers, Ben and Celestia discuss outrage over the hypothetical new product "Lady Doritos." Then we go over Ben's investigation of a staircase in Santa Fe said to have been built by Saint Joseph in answer to the prayers of the Sisters of Loretto. Lacking a central support, the stairs are the focus of several legends and are said to have no scientific explanation. Upon systematic examination, and with the help of dogged historian Mary Straw Cook, Ben unravels the mystery and gives credit to a long-dead carpenter.

This week we start with Celestia's tale of having a "tongue analysis" while on a cruise, which amounted to an alt-med version of cold reading. Then we examine a critical but controversial topic: are accusers routinely disbelieved in sexual misconduct cases? Ben brings some statistics on the public's view of high-profile accusations, and Celestia tackles data on police handling of rape reports. How true is this notion, and, more importantly, what harm does inflating such a notion cause?

This week, our hosts chat about Ben's new book, Investigating Ghosts.

First, Ben looks at current failures of intuition and psychics. Then we take a skeptical look at tour guides! Tours straddle a line between entertainment and education, and tour guides happily embellish local legends and lore as time goes on. We welcome special guest Cindy Boyer from the Landmark Society of Western New York and chat about ghost tours. Pascual confesses to teenaged transgressions, and Ben recounts an egg-balancing lesson with a tour guide in Ecuador.

This week, our boys look into the nature of curses and what it takes to break a curse. From the cultural aspects to the practical applications, Ben's expertise in curses takes the listener through a journey into the weird and scary world of superstition.

First we hear from photographic mystery investigator Kenny Biddle, who reveals how he solved the souvenir photo mystery Ben shared back in episode 37. Then, for the second part of our New Year's resolution series, we dive into diet myths. Ben brings some surprising statistics that go against common assumptions about how diet-obsessed Americans are. Rather than being hyper-aware of every pound, it turns out we often don't notice weight gain (on ourselves or our children), and we rarely put much effort into losing it. Celestia reflects on how fat people, like cancer patients, are hit with a ton of "miracle" fat cures from well-meaning friends and acquaintances; and she does a deep-dive into her diet Coke and whether it actually makes people gain weight.

This week, Ben and Pascual kick off the first half of the "New Years Resolution" series where they look at woo in the gym. Just in time for your resolution, The Credible Hulk joins our hosts to walk us through some of the myths and misconceptions that run rampant in the bodybuilding/gym world.

This week, Celestia joins the guys to discuss the idea of logical fallacies and how to identify them, as well as discuss their favorite ones. Ben talks about a curious mystery postcard to start the show.