by Benjamin Radford | Dec 10, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Critical Thinking, Gender Issues, Health and Medicine, Investigation, Media Literacy, News, Skepticism
In the wake of the leaked Supreme Court draft decision suggesting that Roe v. Wade is imperiled, many took to social media encouraging women to delete apps that help them track their menstrual cycles. Countless messages and memes circulated on social media...
by Benjamin Radford | Nov 20, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Books, Ghosts, Investigation, Media Literacy, Skepticism
The owner of a ghost hunting equipment manufacturing company emailed asking me to update an article I wrote debunking his product. First, the article is from 16 years ago; second, I don’t write for LiveScience anymore, and third, even if I did: No. ...
by Benjamin Radford | Nov 10, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Critical Thinking, Investigation, Media Literacy, News, Psychology, Research, Skepticism
About two years ago, around the start of the COVID pandemic, I was looking at a friend’s Facebook page answering her question about how best to protect herself. At the time, masking was just coming to the fore but social distancing was advised and hand sanitizers were...
by Benjamin Radford | Oct 30, 2022 | Archives, Benjamin Radford, Critical Thinking, Ghosts, Hoaxes, Investigation, Media Literacy, Research, Skepticism, Squaring the Strange, Squaring the Strange
Just in time for Halloween: A look back at a classic Squaring the Strange show! We begin with a look at the continuing danger of online rumors igniting mob violence and the Google engineer who is in the news for his belief that the AI in development there has...
by Benjamin Radford | Oct 18, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Books, Investigation, Media Appearances, Media Literacy, Psychology, Research, Science, Skepticism
I recently gave a Zoom talk titled ‘America the Fearful: Navigating the Media’s Phantom Fears,’ based on my new book: “News and social media provide a steady diet of things to fear: COVID. Vaccinations. Immigrants. Kidnapping rings. Satanists....
by Benjamin Radford | Sep 30, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Folklore, Ghosts, Investigation, Media Appearances, Media Literacy, Skepticism
During a recent visit to Las Vegas, Nevada, a few friends and I got the chance to visit the Zak Bagans Haunted Museum, said to house some of the most powerful and dangerous objects in the world, curated by the ghost-hunting star of several popular series...
by Benjamin Radford | Sep 20, 2022 | Books, Chupacabra, Cryptozoology, Folklore, Hoaxes, Media Appearances, Media Literacy, Skepticism, Squaring the Strange
Squaring the Strange features the JACKALOPE EPISODE! Yes, a favorite kitchy cryptid / hoax / souvenir / tall tale from the American West. Professor Michael Branch discusses his new book and brings us so many jackalope facts you may have to listen twice. Check it out!...
by Benjamin Radford | Sep 10, 2022 | Books, Conspiracy theories, Folklore, Investigation, Media Literacy, News
Interesting article in Psychology Today by my colleague and co-author Bob Bartholomew, about the strange case of a phantom cat killer in New Zealand… One feature of human psychology is that people tend to see what they expect to see. As meaning-oriented...
by Benjamin Radford | Aug 25, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Books, Critical Thinking, Folklore, Media Literacy, News, Skepticism
In the wake of the July verdict in the dueling defamation lawsuits between actors Amber Heard and Johnny Depp, there was of course much punditry, commentary, and crystal gazing. It was seen not merely as an outcome of one trial between two often-toxic celebrities but...
by Benjamin Radford | Aug 20, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Critical Thinking, Folklore, Health and Medicine, Media Appearances, Media Literacy, Skepticism, Squaring the Strange, Squaring the Strange
Word around the campfire is that there’s a new episode of Squaring the Strange! This week we dug up some strange ways people have sent off their deceased loved ones. As a medieval person, how would you keep Aunt Edna from coming back as a vampire or a bitey...
by Benjamin Radford | Aug 15, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Books, Cryptozoology, Folklore
A book I contributed a chapter (and cover) to won a book award! Congratulation to the other authors and editor David Puglia for winning the Brian McConnell Book Award in folklore for ‘North American Monsters’!...
by Benjamin Radford | Aug 8, 2022 | Critical Thinking, Hoaxes, Media Literacy, News, Skepticism
False abuse claims are, sadly, being used to settle grudges: “The partner of Vanessa Wilson, the former Aurora, Colorado police chief, was charged with filing a fabricated child sex abuse report. Robin Niceta anonymously called Arapahoe County social services on...
by Benjamin Radford | Aug 2, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Books, Critical Thinking, Media Appearances, Media Literacy, News
For those who didn’t see it: I was a recent guest on ‘New Mexico Living’, talking about my new book ‘America the Fearful: Media and the Marketing of National Panics.’ You can watch the short interview HERE! ...
by Benjamin Radford | Jul 25, 2022 | Chupacabra, Cryptozoology, Folklore, Investigation, Media Appearances, Media Literacy, Skepticism
For the recent episode of Squaring the Strange we are joined by Professor Michael Branch, who has just released his new book On the Trail of the Jackalope. What began as an idea for a taxidermy correspondence course 90 years ago has blossomed into a cultural...
by Benjamin Radford | Jul 23, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Books, Critical Thinking, Investigation, Media Appearances, Media Literacy, News, Skepticism
In the wake of the recent verdict in the dueling defamation lawsuits between actors Amber Heard and Johnny Depp, there was of course much punditry, commentary, and crystal gazing. It was seen not merely as an outcome of one trial between two often-toxic celebrities...
by Benjamin Radford | Jul 20, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Books, Media Appearances, Media Literacy, News
I’m a guest on ‘New Mexico Living’, talking about my new book America the Fearful: Media and the Marketing of National Panics. You can watch the short interview HERE! ...
by Benjamin Radford | Jul 17, 2022 | Archives, Benjamin Radford, Folklore, Ghosts, Health and Medicine, Magic and witchcraft, Skepticism, Squaring the Strange, Squaring the Strange, Vampires
New episode of Squaring the Strange is out! This week we dug up some strange ways people have sent off their deceased loved ones. As a medieval person, how would you keep Aunt Edna from coming back as a vampire or a bitey undead plague-spreader? Or in the Victorian...
by Benjamin Radford | May 25, 2022 | Archives, Benjamin Radford, Health and Medicine, Media Literacy, Research, Skepticism, Squaring the Strange, Squaring the Strange, UFOs and Aliens
For those who missed it, on the episode of Squaring the Strange we discuss implants–of the alien kind! Advanced tracking technology? Splinters? Or something more sinister? Check it out!...
by Benjamin Radford | May 20, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Media Appearances, News, Squaring the Strange
A lovely 5th anniversary podcast gift from Celestia Ward of the Squaring the Strange crew by the ridiculously talented Lar de Souza! ...
by Benjamin Radford | May 18, 2022 | Books, Critical Thinking, Films, Gender Issues, Media Literacy, Research, Skepticism
In my previous blog I discussed the (real and performative) outrage over Will Smith attacking Chris Rock at the Oscars, and the curious lack of outrage over co-host Amy Schumer’s long history of (alleged) racism. From racist jokes to behavior,...
by Benjamin Radford | May 15, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Critical Thinking, Investigation, Media Appearances, Media Literacy, Research, Skepticism
The new issue of Skeptical Inquirer magazine features my investigation into the amazing crop circle that appeared near Stonehenge in 1996. It’s unique in its complexity and that it’s said to have been created in under an hour during daytime. I offer a...
by Benjamin Radford | May 12, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Films, Investigation, Media Appearances, Media Literacy, News, Skepticism
I can’t reveal any details but I was recently in a secret Los Angeles location filming a popular TV show. More later! I feel like I’m being watched…...
by Benjamin Radford | May 8, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Films, Media Appearances, Media Literacy, News, Skepticism
The long-awaited documentary SCIENCE FRICTION, which is pretty good despite my involvement, is now available on Prime Video! It’s about how scientists are deceptively edited on TV, and available now on Amazon Prime and Tubi, find it at...
by Benjamin Radford | May 6, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Conspiracy theories, Folklore, Media Appearances, Media Literacy, Squaring the Strange, Squaring the Strange, Urban legends
New episode of Squaring the Strange is out! This time the devil’s not in the details, he’s in the music! From violinists centuries ago to hard rock and even country music, the devil shows up quite a lot. Pascual takes us on a diabolical tour of musical...
by Benjamin Radford | Apr 18, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Books, Chupacabra, Cryptozoology, Folklore, Media Appearances, News, Research, Skepticism
I’m delighted to have contributed a chapter in this new book on the folklore of monsters! I haven’t read it yet but many of the other authors are brilliant friends and colleagues, and I’m looking forward to it. Mining a mountain of folklore...
by Benjamin Radford | Apr 15, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Critical Thinking, Investigation, Media Appearances, Psychics, Skepticism, Squaring the Strange, Squaring the Strange
In case you missed our recent Squaring the Strange, we talk about people who think they can talk to animals. Or people who think their animal can talk to them — psychically, of course. Yes, it’s Pet Psychics and Psychic Pets time… Listen HERE! ...
by Benjamin Radford | Apr 12, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Conspiracy theories, Critical Thinking, Investigation, Media Literacy, News, Research, Skepticism
A few years ago I investigated and solved a mystery that stumped both conspiracy theorists (not hard to do) and a noted science educator (more difficult). Why did eyewitness video of a nightclub shooting contradict eyewitness accounts? On November 7, 2018, a...
by Benjamin Radford | Apr 8, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Critical Thinking, Media Literacy, Skepticism
One of the favorite techniques of mystery mongers when confronted by skeptics or good evidence—or just plain common sense—is to reply “But isn’t it possible?” This is a standard ploy on countless paranormal-themed television shows, including (and especially)...
by Benjamin Radford | Apr 6, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Hoaxes, Investigation, Media Literacy, Psychology, Skepticism, Squaring the Strange, Urban legends
The new episode of our podcast Squaring the Strange is out! This time we discuss a short list of purported deathbed confessions. The last words of a consequential figure can be hijacked or twisted to fit agenda — or, sometimes, it’s not just the words that...
by Benjamin Radford | Apr 4, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Cryptozoology, Investigation, Media Appearances, Media Literacy, Skepticism
The UK Skeptics have a fun piece I wrote about investigating Cressie, a lake monster in Newfoundland. Check it out, and for more on this see my book “Lake Monster Mysteries,” co-written with Joe Nickell! An excerpt is below, and you can read the rest HERE!...
by Benjamin Radford | Mar 28, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Books, Cryptozoology, Media Literacy, News, Reviews
Review of Of Books and Beasts: A Cryptozoologist’s Library By Matt Bille The subject of cryptozoology, like many Fortean fields, is plagued by poor scholarship. This is not a dig at the topic, but merely an undeniable and unfortunate fact. Whether the subject is...
by Benjamin Radford | Mar 25, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Books, Chupacabra, Media Appearances, Media Literacy, Podcasts, Skepticism
I was recently a guest on the Paranormal Now show, talking about my 5 years of research into the chupacabra. It’s available on YouTube, so check it out if you’re interested! ...
by Benjamin Radford | Mar 22, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Cryptozoology, Investigation, Media Appearances, Media Literacy, News, Research, Science, Skepticism
I’m delighted to be mentioned in Russ Dobler’s series “The Subtle Skepticism of ‘Bob’s Burgers’! Check out his article HERE! ...
by Benjamin Radford | Mar 18, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Books, Chupacabra, Cryptozoology, Folklore, Media Appearances, Media Literacy, News, Psychology, Skepticism
I’m delighted to have contributed a chapter in this new book on the folklore of monsters! I haven’t read it yet but many of the other authors are brilliant friends and colleagues, and I’m looking forward to it. I also did the cover art! Check it out...
by Benjamin Radford | Mar 16, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Folklore, Ghosts, Investigation, Media Literacy, News, Psychics, Psychology, Skepticism, Squaring the Strange, Squaring the Strange
New episode of Squaring the Strange is now out! After a brief discussion on the recent jailbreak (rock break?) of a Japanese nine-tailed fox demon and some thoughts on war rumors we talk about people who think they can talk to animals. Or people who think their animal...
by Benjamin Radford | Mar 14, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Ghosts, Investigation, Media Literacy, News, Podcasts, Science, Skepticism
Kenny Biddle and I wrote articles on the true story behind “The Entity” 1982 horror film. We were challenged in an episode of the Three Tortured Souls show by a guy who complained that we weren’t being fair to the original paranormal researcher,...
by Benjamin Radford | Mar 10, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Folklore, Gender Issues, Investigation, Media Literacy, Skepticism, Squaring the Strange, Squaring the Strange
Did you miss out recent show on Sex Urban Legends? First, all the way from New York City Skeptics, Russ Dobler drops in to tell us about AIPT Comic’s skepticism month — and we also chat about Joe Rogan and Ivermectin. Then our main topic is sex urban...
by Benjamin Radford | Mar 6, 2022 | Benjamin Radford, Folklore, Investigation, Magic and witchcraft, Media Appearances, Media Literacy, News, Podcasts, Psychology, Skepticism
I’m a recent guest on the Paranormal Activity podcast, talking about curses, voodoo, and voodoo dolls… Check it out HERE! ...
