Reading Room Archives

Visits to and From Extraterrestrials: Why They Never Occurred, and Probably Never Will

Despite much ballyhoo in the media, all efforts thus far have failed to provide substantive evidence that might link the appearance of UFOs, now called UAPs (unidentified aerial phenomena), with aliens from other planets. This failure results from limitations imposed by both biology and distance. As Morton Tavel explains, when these factors are combined, they render any such contacts virtually impossible.

Published June 30, 2023 by Morton Tavel

Topics: aliens, civilizations beyond earth, evidence, exoplanets, extraterrestrial intelligence, extraterrestrials, faster-than-light travel, interstellar travel, physics, SETI, space exploration, space travel, UFOs, unidentified aerial phenomena, universe

Alternative Civilization and Its Discontents: An Analysis of the Alternative Archaeologist Graham Hancock’s Claim That an Ancient Apocalypse Erased the Lost Civilization of Atlantis

Alternative archaeologist Graham Hancock has for 40 years been writing bestselling books about the possibility of a lost ancient civilization that existed long before the Egyptians, Hittites, and Babylonians, and now he hosts a wildly popular Netflix documentary series called Ancient Apocalypse in which he presents his theories about what destroyed this lost civilization, which he suggests is described in the legend and myth of Atlantis, in stunning cinematographic beauty. But is it true? In this analysis of the documentary series and Hancock’s theories Michael Shermer considers the evidence and finds it wanting.

Published June 16, 2023 by Michael Shermer

Topics: advanced civilizations, alternative archaeology, astronomy, Atlantis, evidence, flood geology, Göbekli Tepe, Graham Hancock, patternicity, pseudoarchaeology, science

Alternative Histories That Really Aren’t: A review of Graham Hancock’s Netflix series Ancient Apocalypse

Who are the “magicians of the gods,” in Graham Hancock’s alternative history series Ancient Apocalype on Netflix, and where did they come from? Professor of geology, Marc Defant, applies critical thinking to Hancock’s historical and literary research to identify the erroneous conclusions in both his series and in his many books, which have been highly influential in presenting Hancock’s alternative theory of history to those less prepared to evaluate the evidence (or lack thereof).

Published June 9, 2023 by Marc J. Defant

Topics: advanced civilizations, alternative archaeology, anthropology, apocalypse, Atlantis, burden of proof, civilization, evidence, flood geology, Göbekli Tepe, Graham Hancock, history of civilization, prediction, pseudoarchaeology

Skeptic Interviews Alan S. Blinder

In this interview with Alan S. Blinder, one of the world’s most influential economists and one of the best writers in the field, the former Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve Board draws on his deep firsthand experience to share insights on “economic matters” with readers of Skeptic.

Published June 2, 2023

Topics: capitalism, conspiracy theories, economics, Federal Reserve, fiscal policy, GDP, inflation, interest rates, interview, monetary policy, money supply, pandemic, politics, recession, Russia, stock market, taxes, Ukraine

Second Sight

How can people appear telepathic, and what is the history of duos demonstrating this type of mindreading as entertainment? Two-person theatrical mindreading acts have been popular in the U.S. and Europe since the mid-1800s, with even earlier roots. Regular Skeptic magazine contributor, Michelle Ainsworth, reviews A First Look at Second Sight by Bob Loomis, and Cues: Variations on the Second Sight Act by Leo Behnke.

Published May 26, 2023

Topics: clairvoyance, ESP, magic, mind reading, psychics, telepathy

The Rise of Lies and the Demise of Shame

We are fascinated and enraged by pathological liars like George Santos, who lie with every breath. But everybody lies, out of courtesy, self-protection, or self-advancement. Toddlers start lying as soon as they start speaking, suggesting that deception evolved right along with language as an adaptive strategy. The social danger is not that people lie, but the obliteration of the line between a lie and its consequences. Once, anyone lying as blatantly as Santos would have been shamed or laughed out of office. Today, anyone’s lie, no matter how outrageous, delusionally conspiratorial, or lunatic, will find countless supporters and rewards. In this way, step by step, telling a lie faces no course correction and telling the truth becomes a strategy for suckers.

Published May 19, 2023 by Carol Tavris

Topics: bias, deception, fraud, lying, morality, psychology, truth

The Economics of Life Made Simple

What is money, what is it based on without a gold standard, and can cryptocurrency ever replace it? Why are young people so attracted to democratic socialism, and is there a better alternative? Should valuable goods and services such as college education, medical services, and transportation be made available to the public for free? What is the secret to the success of capitalist nations? Do economists offer any solution to the global warming threat? “America’s Economist,” Mark Skousen, helps make sense of inflation, the banking crisis, inequality, possible recession, and how to deal with global warming.

Published May 9, 2023 by Mark Skousen

Topics: capitalism, cryptocurrency, Economic Freedom Index, economics, education, environmentalism, GDP, global warming, gold standard, gross output, inflation, medicine, prosperity, recession, shrinkflation, socialism

A Critical Analysis of America’s Homeless Crisis

The reason why America has so much homelessness is simple: our big cities have extraordinary high housing costs, and a growing number of city dwellers can’t afford even the most basic accommodations. But if a lack of cheap housing is the cause of mass homelessness, then its solution is equally simple. Overwhelming evidence shows that building more homes will drive housing costs down to manageable levels, and getting unhoused people into housing — along with supportive services, as needed — will solve their homelessness.

Published May 5, 2023 by Ned Resnikoff

Topics: causality, homelessness, housing, policy, social equality

The Final Take-Down of Doyle’s Defense of Libertarian Free Will

In their debate on free will, Doyle and Whittenberger present, explain, and defend contrasting, inconsistent, and in some ways contradictory models of human decision making. Whittenberger believes that the free will model is far inferior to the hard determinism model in so many ways, including conceptual clarity, the reasonableness of premises, and evidential support. Read Whittenberger’s response to Doyle.

Published April 28, 2023 by Gary J. Whittenberger

Topics: agency, causality, causation, choice, correlation, determinism, epiphenomenalism, free will, influence, intention, neuroscience, philosophy, predictability

How Science Really Works

If you search the web or look in introductory science textbooks, you will find the hypothetico-deductive (H-D) method often depicted as the scientific method. However, the H-D method is inadequate as a description of the scientific method, especially when it comes to assessing pseudoscientific or other dubious claims. An alternative to the H-D method more […]

Published by Charles S. Reichardt

Topics: pseudoscience, reason, science, scientific method

Apocalypse! Why Graham Hancock’s Use of the Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis in His Netflix Series Ancient Apocalypse Is All Wet

A major theme running throughout Ancient Apocalypse is Graham Hancock‘s persecution complex. Archaeologists are picking on him, he says, because “I am trying to overthrow the paradigm of history.” Hancock fails to understand that “just asking questions” is unlikely to create a scientific revolution. Especially when he appeals to a hypothetical comet catastrophe that violates the laws of physics, contradicts astronomical data, ignores the geological record, and defies logic. When scientists ask to see data, it’s not persecution. It’s science.

Published April 21, 2023 by Mark Boslough

Topics: advanced civilizations, alternative archaeology, apocalypse, archaeology, asteroids, catastrophe, evidence, flood geology, geology, Graham Hancock, history, ice age, mythology, pseudoscience, sea level rise, Younger Dryas

Behind the Rhetoric: The Untold Story of “Gender-Affirming” Clinics

What is gender identity? Why do some people feel an inconsistency between their natal sex and the gender they consider themselves to be, and when and why does that “dysphoria” begin? A few very young children, mostly boys, prefer the clothes, names, and activities of girls before they even have a concept of “boy” and “girl.” But do the reasons for their gender incongruence apply to the adolescents, mostly girls, who show no interest in transitioning until puberty or later? How shall we determine which procedures are safest and most effective for treating children and young teenagers with gender dysphoria, without assuming they all are the same as the countless others who are nonbinary, “questioning,” and experimenting?

Published April 17, 2023 by Carol Tavris

Topics: affirmative transgender medicine, censorship, detransitioning, gender dysphoria, hormone therapy, nonbinary, political polarization, psychology, puberty blockers, sexuality, transgender, watchful waiting

Psychotherapy Reconsidered

Is psychotherapy effective? Which of the many types is best? Are certain therapies better suited to treat certain problems? How can you rationally choose a therapist? Is it better to pick a psychiatrist, a psychologist, or some other type of counselor? There is a veritable cornucopia of individuals offering advice about mental health issues, from celebrities to life coaches to pastors to concerned friends, some with formal training and some with no credentials at all. Does psychotherapy ever make patients worse? What is the risk-benefit ratio?

Published April 14, 2023 by Harriet Hall, M.D.

Topics: anxiety, cognitive behavior therapy, efficacy, false memories, hypnosis, mental health, past-life regression theory, psychology, psychotherapy, PTSD, Recovered Memory Movement, risk assessment, therapy, trauma

From Sex To Gender: The Modern Dismissal of Biology

The assertion that human sex differences are socially constructed is part of a broad anti-science movement that has enveloped academia and distorted our basic understanding of science. Sex is not a simple matter of socialization and male and female are fundamental distinctions deeply rooted in biology. This is an article about how we went from sex to gender and how the push for a sexless society is a dangerous and utopian vision that cuts us off from our evolutionary history.

Published April 7, 2023 by Robert Lynch

Topics: anthropology, biology, gametes, gender, mate selection, sex, sex differences, sexual reproduction

A Reply to Gary Whittenberger’s Critique of My Case for Free Will

My recent Skeptic article, “Free Will Is Real,” has prompted a response from Gary Whittenberger, who has previously written a standalone article for Skeptic in which he takes a stance against free will.1, 2, 3 Whittenberger’s response to me consists of several distinct points. A few of them are misunderstandings of my position. And a […]

Published April 5, 2023 by Stuart Doyle

Topics: causation, choice, correlation, determinism, epiphenomenalism, free will, intention, neuroscience, philosophy, predictability

Newly Declassified Report on ‘Havana Syndrome’ Used the Wrong Criteria!

The panel which claimed “pulsed microwave radiation” likely zapped U.S. diplomats botched their investigation. The findings of a newly declassified study that concluded ‘Havana Syndrome’ was likely caused by “pulsed electromagnetic energy” and that a foreign adversary was likely to blame — botched their investigation. Mark Zaid, the man fighting for compensation for victims of […]

Published March 31, 2023 by Robert E. Bartholomew

Topics: anxiety, Havana Syndrome, psychogenic illness, stress

Protopian Politics and the Future of Nationalism

In the early modern period, just before the rise of the modern nation-state, there were hundreds of political units in Europe. Now there are comparatively few. Some observers project that at some point in the future there will be just a handful of empires running the world, but others think the opposite might happen: that the nation-state as a concept will fall into disuse, and that city-states hold the future of politics. In this article Michael Shermer explores these themes.

Published by Michael Shermer

Topics: city-states, economics, globalism, nationalism, politics, protopia, utopia

A Skeptical Analysis of Doyle’s Defense of Free Will

The debate on free will vs. determinism has continued unabated for roughly 2500 years and seems to have become more prolific in the last ten years. Recently, Stuart T. Doyle presented his view in support of free will, the libertarian version. I strongly encourage the reader to study that article first. My intention here, however, […]

Published March 28, 2023 by Gary Whittenberger

Topics: causation, choice, correlation, determinism, free will, intention, neuroscience, predictability

Post-Truth: The Tragedy of the Trust Commons

In our “post-truth” world, objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief. In the U.S., citizens’ trust in their government is at historically low levels, and the trust gap is difficult to bridge because individuals who practice deceptive behaviors often gain. This type of situation is known as a “tragedy of the commons.” Behavioral scientist Gleb Tsipursky offers the Pro-Truth Pledge (PTP) as one solution to help rebuild trust in and decrease deception in the political sphere, encouraging all officials, policy experts, and academics to take the PTP. The The PTP uses all four components shown by behavioral science research as crucial to addressing tragedies of the commons.

Published March 27, 2023 by Gleb Tsipursky

Topics: belief, credibility, deception, disinformation, Donald Trump, fake news, media, objective journalism, politics, post-truth, trust, truth

The Case for Nationalism: 12 Arguments

By the end of World War Two, nationalism had been thoroughly discredited. Critics charged that national self-interest had prevented democratic governments from cooperating to end the Great Depression, and that nationalist passions had led not just to war, but also to some of the worst crimes groups of human beings had ever perpetrated on others. In this defense of nationalism the renowned scholar of politics William Galston presents twelve arguments in defense of the importance of national identity.

Published March 24, 2023 by William A. Galston

Topics: democracy, heritage, imperialism, independence, nationalism, patriotism, politics, sovereignty, welfare state

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