No. 3 | Skeptical Inquirer (original) (raw)

Creators of the Paranormal Joe Nickell

A handful of twentieth-century figures “created” the modern concept of the paranormal and its leading topics, transporting fantasy, myth, or speculation into a kind of believable “reality.” Most proved to be a chimera.

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Dissociation and Paranormal Beliefs, Toward a Taxonomy of Belief in the Unreal Matthew J. Sharps, Megan R. Herrera, Schuyler W. Liao

In a normal population, dissociative tendencies contribute to many types of paranormal thinking. Psychological dissociation, even at a subclinical level, is an important factor in the cognitive processing that leads to belief in the unreal.

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Scientific Reasoning at the USAF Academy: An Examination into Titanium-Treated Necklaces Craig A. Foster, Christopher K. McClernon, Richard F. Reich

We used a classroom experiment at the United States Air Force Academy to examine whether necklaces infused with microscopic-particle titanium, such as those sold by Phiten Corporation, improve emotional well-being.

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Stick It In Your Ear! How Not To Do Science Harriet Hall

Ear acupuncture claims to relieve sore throats. A new study seeming to support that idea is so poorly done that it provides a textbook example of how to distinguish between good and bad science.

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Investigative Files
Gallows Ghosts? Mystery at Brisbane’s Tower Mill Joe Nickell

Residents in the neighborhood in the mid-twentieth century reported that “sometimes when they looked up at the small window facing the street they could see a faint glow and a figure inside the tower, swinging gently from side to side.”

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The Science of Science Communication
Don’t Fear a Franken Public Matt Nisbet

Certainly if the food industry were to support mandatory GM labeling, the precise impact on consumers remains unkown. But to continue to battle against labeling rules is also risky business.

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Creators of the Paranormal Joe Nickell