Conspiracy Theories
Is a Conspiracy Theory Protected Speech?
The FBI labeled conspiracy mongering a domestic terror threat. What does that mean for Donald Trump and others who propagate misinformation?
The Lede, Issue #28: Indigenous Land Rights Around the World, Fact-Checking Trump's Tweets, the Stubborn Gender Gap, and More
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How to Tackle Conspiracy Theories in Politics
Americans' beliefs about politics are as inaccurate and bizarre as ever. Is there a way to fix that?
QAnon Reveals How Poorly Equipped We Are for the Era of Political Trolling
We spoke with a communications professor about the relationship between trolls and the media.
How to Immunize Yourself Against Fake News
A new website lets people play the role of propagandist, giving them a more sophisticated idea of how and why fictitious news is created.
Why the Far Right's Rallying Cry of a Leftist 'Civil War' Is No Laughing Matter
The allegations of a leftist civil war are just the latest in a string of far-right conspiracy theories. And as we saw with Edgar Maddison Welch and Lane Davis, those conspiracy theories can lead to a violent aftermath.
The Newly Released JFK Files Lend Credence to a Few Major Conspiracy Theories
Last week, over 3,800 CIA and FBI documents related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy were released to the public. To put the release in context, we spoke with John Newman, a leading historian of the conspiracy.
How Likely Is a Government Conspiracy?
The truth is out there. In fact, it's pretty hard to keep it hidden, according to a new study.
Shelf Help: 'Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories'
Conspiracy thinking represents a heightening of cognitive tendencies shared by almost everyone.
A Psychological Profile of Conspiracy Theorists
New research finds a combination of two factors make people more vulnerable to accepting such beliefs.
Conspiracy Theorists Aren't So Different From the Rest of Us
Researchers discover that conspiracy theorists are no more or less likely to find patterns in random noise, suggesting there's more to the phenomenon than just a need for order and control.
Conspiracy Theories Hamper the Fight Against Climate Change
New research finds even a brief exposure to a film that portrays climate change as a hoax impacts people's attitudes and intentions.
Has 'Conspiracy Theory' Lost Its Negative Connotations?
Research finds the label no longer implies an idea worthy of immediate dismissal.
Tracking Down the Owner of Seattle’s Latest Foot Discovery
Fifteen feet have washed up on the shores of the Pacific Northwest in the past decade. Why have they been so vexingly hard to identify?
The Truth About Truthers
While it's turned into a disparaging term, being a "truther" once meant you were the opposite of a liar.
Critical Thinker Explains Skepticism vs. Cynicism
Professional skeptic D.J. Grothe explores the difference between skepticism and cynicism and describes how fooling some of the people some of the time is a bad idea all of the time.
Why bin Laden Death Photos Won't Change Minds
Whether it’s Osama’s death throes or Obama’s birthplace, a wealth of academic research shows that people believe today what they believed yesterday — even increasingly outlandish conspiracy theories.
What Do Osama bin Laden and Paul McCartney Have in Common?
Conspiracy theorists have already emerged from the woodwork asking if bin Laden is really dead, or if he was dead already. Don't be fooled.
Belief In Conspiracies Linked to Machiavellian Mindset
New research suggests people are more likely to endorse conspiracy theories if they would be willing to personally participate in such a conspiracy.
Born in the Good Ol' U.S. of ... Hey!
"If this document is forged, then they all are," concluded one probe into a fertile ground of conspiracy fans, about whether Barack Obama was born in the U.S.
See It — and Believe It or Not
The aphorism seeing is believing' has it backward, as evidenced by skeptics who don't believe man went to the moon and contend photos taken by the astronauts prove their point.