Skeptic: Promoting Science and Critical Thinking

Sceptics protest at homeopathy meeting -The Wokingham Times. A small but good-humoured protest outside Wokingham Town Hall greeted audience members at the first meeting of the Thames Valley Homeopaths. Six members of the Berkshire Skeptics Society handed out leaflets to those arriving to hear Dr Jayne Donegan’s presentation on a alternative approach to treating childhood… more

Here is a letter to the editor about an upcoming appearance by Sylvia Browne: Kelowna Capital News – Incensed over psychic’s appearance in Kelowna. Kelowna’s Community Theatre is about to welcome such a business person—Sylvia Browne. She calls herself a psychic and claims to be able to communicate with the dead and with angels. There… more

Controversial Psychic Ability Claim Doesn’t Hold up in New Experiments | LiveScience. A new study has failed to find evidence that psychic ability is real. Skeptics may scoff at the finding as obvious, but the research is important because it refutes a study published in a psychological journal last year that claimed to find evidence… more

Skeptics take on renowned psychic in OKC – KFOR. More than a dozen skeptics from the University of Central Oklahoma stood outside in protest of John Edwards’ appearance in Oklahoma City. One skeptic said, “The truth of what’s going on isn’t necessarily there to back up these statements that are made.” Edwards is one of the country’s… more

Lee Speigel: UFO Congress Had Good Amount Of Skepticism, But More Is Needed. There was a time when UFO conventions or seminars only drew the lunatic fringe audience — those who believe benevolent extraterrestrial beings are watching over us, to make sure Mankind doesn’t destroy itself through warfare and bad decisions affecting planetary climate. At… more

Military Pokes Holes In Acupuncture Skeptics’ Theory Army doctors have been told by the top brass to rethink their “pill for every ill” approach to treating pain. For the 47,000 troops who’ve been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, some of the new options include less tried and true methods, like massage and chiropractic treatments. The… more

Military Pokes Holes In Acupuncture Skeptics’ Theory Army doctors have been told by the top brass to rethink their “pill for every ill” approach to treating pain. For the 47,000 troops who’ve been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, some of the new options include less tried and true methods, like massage and chiropractic treatments. The… more

Dick Smith offers $1 million for proof of cold fusion technology | Australian Skeptics Australian Skeptics patron, Dick Smith, will give $1,000,000, with no strings attached, to an Italian inventor if he can prove his cold fusion invention works. “I do not want to know how the unit operates, nor to have a share in… more

Rupert Sheldrake: the ‘heretic’ at odds with scientific dogma Ruport Sheldrake, a common name bantered about and regarded in paranormal research circles because he is an academic, has a new book out. It’s selling well but not sitting well with contemporary scientists and critical thinkers. Here are some reasons why: I would take the evolutionary… more

Hoaxes orchestrated to be revealed as a deliberate ruse are enlightening. Yet, those that were taken in by the stunt are none too pleased afterwards. Skeptical hoaxes are an effective means of drawing attention to an issue but may not turn out as intended.

By Sharon Hill

Doubtful News ran the story about student in Edmonton who … more