Skepticism
The Church of the Paranormal
Despite our reputation as a science-minded superpower, America has always had a predilection for the unseen.
The Mystery of John Titor: Hoax or Time Traveler?
A person named "John Titor" started posting on the Internet one day, claiming to be from the future and predicting the end of the world. Then he suddenly disappeared, never to be heard from again.
Linguistic Myths and Adventures in Etymology
The folk wisdom built up around common English expressions is often wrong, but it can be fun ferreting out the real origins.
Presidents’ Day: Just Another Presidential Fable
A number of folk stories and a few divisive rumors have surrounded the office of the U.S. presidency, and skeptical folks like us check a few of them out.
Numerology Doesn’t Know the Score
Various ways of assigning numbers to events, people, and actions is an ancient parlor game, but let’s not take it beyond that.
Full Moon Myths Leave Skeptics Howling
Full moons appeal to our imaginations and contribute to our mythologies, but ascribing too much power to them appears to be a continuing form of lunacy.
Why Isn't Climate Change on More Lips?
Did you follow the news from the global climate conference in Durban and discuss it with your peers? If you said no, welcome to the club.
Dr. Placebo — Half Quack and Half Savant
The placebo effect’s ability to influence human healing and human behavior is well documented, but we must be careful to make sure this fakery does no harm.
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.
Conversion Therapy Fails to 'Pray Away the Gay'
Reparative or conversion therapy's efforts to "pray away the gay" come a cropper when examined with a skeptical eye.
Psychic Detectives Have a Perfect Record
The idea that legions of psychics are helping police solve crimes around the world is based on, well, nothing.
Applying Healthy Skepticism to Healthy Foods
When superfoods like blueberries, pomegranates, açai, green tea sound a little too amazing, it might be time to take a closer look.
It's the (Alleged) End of the World as We Know It
A couple of prominent end-of-the-world predictions may or may not come to pass, but lots of people promoting them are betting your bottom dollar they won't.
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.
Understanding Popular Uses of Percentages
While "figures lie and liars figure," that's no reason not to pay attention to some basic facts about common numerical comparisons.
The Homeopathic Challenge
Professional skeptic James Randi's offer to pay a million dollars to the maker of any homeopathic remedy that actually works points out the logical fallacies in this branch of 'medicine.'
The Second Coming of Science Bashing
Being vocally anti-science has become a defining mark of a current style of politics, an intentional ignorance that recalls the Scopes Monkey Trial, argues law professor Robert Benson.
Republican Global Warming Skeptics Believe in Climate Change?
New research finds Republicans scoff at "global warming," but are much more receptive to the notion of "climate change."
For Climate Change Skeptics, Feeling is Believing
What’s one way to convert climate change skeptics? By making them sweat.
Dear Santa, All I Want for Christmas Is the Truth
Our resident skeptic takes a look at some of the mythologizing that has arisen around the West's winter holidays, from poison plants to phantom Der Bingles.
Studies Find No Reproducible Accuracy in Horoscopes
Miller-McCune.com's resident skeptic, just as you might expect of a Scorpio, will have no truck with horoscopes or astrology.
Critical Thinking Pacified ‘War of the Worlds’
Mythology aside, not everyone who listened to that famous ‘War of the Worlds’ radio broadcast went bonkers.
The Right Notes
Letters to the Editor: From Beethoven to Zappa, new technology hasn't been out of tune with beautiful music.