Skeptic: Promoting Science and Critical Thinking

On the Cover

“UFOs in art.” For more examples of UFOs in art not covered in this issue go to the author’s website.

Cover Story

The Art of Imagining UFOs

The Search for Images of Spaceships in European Paintings Provides an Important Lesson for All Paranormal Enthusiasts
— Do Your Homework
by Diego Cuoghi

Features

‘Twas Brillig…

Replicating the Real Thing: UFOs, Photographs & the Burden of Proof
by James Randi

Demon Haunted Times

Researcher Claims to Have
Found Star Wars Galaxy
by Brandon Muller

World Report

The Physician-Shaman

Early Origins of
Traditional Chinese Medicine
by Donald Mainfort

Legends of the Dogon

Belief in a Long-Solved
Mystery Resurfaces
by Liam McDaid

The Mass Suicide
of the Xhosa

A Study in Collective Self-Deception
by Steve Kowit

Enchanted Flim Flam

A Skeptical View of Puerto Rico,
the Enchanted Island
by Lucas Montes-Valentín

Salt, Toothpaste & the CIA

Conspiracy Theory in
Contemporary Indian Society
by Allan D. Polak

A Skeptical Look at African Witchcraft and Religion

by Leo Igwe

Junior Skeptic

The Loch Ness Monster
written by Daniel Loxton.
Illustrated by Daniel Loxton
and Jim W. Smith

The 70-year Hunt; The Monster and the Saint; The Modern Nessie Story; Mackay & Spicer Sightings; Shaggy Dogs & Hippo Tracks; The Surgeon’s Photo; The 1930s; Nessie’s 1950 comeback; Full Scale Investigations; Underwater Photography; Sonar; Plesiosaurs; The Bottom Line.

News

Strange Fish:
Charles F. Berlitz.

by L. Kirk Hagen

The Texas Textbook Wars

by L. Kirk Hagen & Lisa Morano

Can Quantum Physics
Explain Consciousness?

by Wade Novin

Cryonics Redux:
Is Vitrification Viable?

by Kevin Miller

Think Skeptically,
Act Locally

50 Things You Can Do
to Encourage Critical Thinking
by Andrew Mayne

Reviews

Design, Agency, Baloney

A review of Unintelligent Design
by Mark Perakh. reviewed by Paul R. Gross

Dawkins, Darwin & the Devil

A review of A Devil’s Chaplain: Reflections on Hope, Lies, Science, and Love by Richard Dawkins. reviewed by William Harwood

May Minerva Awake You
Satire, Post 9/11

A review of The Holy Land
by Robert Zubrin. reviewed by Wayne Lutz

Big Foot Con

A review of The Making of Bigfoot: The Inside Story by Greg Long. reviewed by Daniel Loxton

Blood & Passion

A review of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, and an analysis of Who Really Killed Jesus
reviewed by Tim Callahan

The Imperial Faith

A review of God Against the Gods by Jonathan Kirsch.
reviewed by Tim Callahan

Cracking the Da Vinci Code?

A review of The Da Vinci Code
by Dan Brown.
reviewed by Tim Callahan

Forum

Letters

Einstein’s Learning Disability; What Great Timing!; Newton Out of Time in Orrery Story; Thanks from a Christian; Creation, Evolution & God; Constantine; What About the Palestinians?; Skeptical of Teaching Skepticism Data; Still Room for Quantum Doubt

Creationism Forum

More Attention To Deism; Creationist Continuum as a Tactic; Linguistic Creationists.

Evolution Issues Forum

Group Selection & Religion; Breaking the Naturalistic Mold; Creationist Morris (Simon Conway, not Henry)

Low Carb Diet Forum

Johnson Ignores Experimental Results; The Skinny on Cholesterol; What About Hunger?

Free Will Forum

Free Will & Determinism Compatible?; Emergent Phenomena