Skeptic: Extraordinary Claims, Revolutionary Ideas, and the Promotion of Science

2004 July–December

July 5th

To commemorate Ernst Mayr’s 100th birthday, we reprint an interview from Skeptic magazine, The Grand Old Man of Evolution: An Interview with Evolutionary Biologist Ernst Mayr.

July 16th

Articles reprinted from Time and the Associated Press detail further strange events surrounding the prayer study scandal. (See also eSkeptic from June 1st and June 11th, 2004.)

July 24th

Aerospace engineer James C. Smith investigates the Mexican Air Force UFO Affair.

July 30th

Michael Shermer remembers the life of Francis Crick (1916–2004).

August 26th

Information about the PBS documentary series Closer to Truth: Science, Meaning and the Future, organized and hosted by Robert Kuhn.

September 12th

Stephen T. Asma reviews the PBS documentary, A Question of God, in which Michael Shermer is a round-table participant.

September 17th

Seth Shostak responds to an article published in New Scientist magazine by Eugenie Samuel Reichthe, which suggests the SETI@home project has found strong evidence for extraterrestrial intelligence.

September 24th

Laura Woodmansee starts of this season of Caltech Lectures with Women in Science.

October 1st

John Olmsted reviews the fantasy docudrama and cult hit What the #$*! Do We Know?.

October 8th

Dylan Otto Krider writes on “The Politicization of Science in the Bush Administration: Science-As-Public-Relations.”

October 15th

Readers respond to eSkeptic of October 8th, in which Dylan Otto Krider discussed the politicization of science in the Bush administration.

October 22nd

Michael Shermer recounts his experience appearing on the Art Bell Show.

October 29th

Paul R. Gross reviews Why Intelligent Design Fails: A Scientific Critique of the New creationism, edited by Mark Young and Taner Edis.

November 7th

Michael Shermer examines Holocaust denier tactics.

November 12th

David Voron reviews Eric Baum’s book, What is Thought?

November 19th

Michael Shermer presents two articles by Alan Harris on the Russian expedition that claims to have found a UFO crash site.

November 30th

David Voron reviews Facing Death: Epicurus and His Critics by James Warren.

December 8th

Introducing Bill Nye’s new series, 100 Greatest Discoveries, on the Science Channel.

December 20th

Announcing Christopher Hitchens to appear at The Amazing Meeting 3.

December 24th

A summary of reviews for Julia Sweeney’s one-woman show, Letting Go of God.

December 30th

George Case writes about conspiracy theories.