As the world enters its third full month dealing with the deadly coronavirus, misinformation is running rampant. For many, the medical and epidemiological aspects of the outbreak are the most important and salient elements, but there are other prisms through...
Benjamin Radford
Squaring the Strange # 113: Covid-19 Myths & Misinformation
Did you catch our recent bonus episode of Squaring the Strange? I gather some myths and misinformation going round about Wuhan Coronovirus, aka Novel Coronavirus, aka "we're all gonna die," aka COVID-19. Then special guest Doc Dan breaks down some virus-busting...
Real Estate Omens and Superstitions
I'm quoted in a new article about real estate omens and superstitions at Realtor.com! "An outdated kitchen and a lack of curb appeal aren't the only things that can keep buyers from biting. When it seems like there's just no explanation for a perfectly good home...
Neil Peart, Skeptic
Last month Neil Peart, the drummer and main lyricist for the rock band Rush, died. He’d been living in California and privately battled brain cancer for several years. The Canadian trio (Alex Lifeson on guitar, Geddy Lee on vocals, bass, and keyboards, and Neil...
‘1917,’ War, And The Frailty Of Knowledge
As advertised, the Oscar-nominated World War I film 1917 takes place in April 1917, when two British soldiers, William Schofield (George MacKay) and Tom Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman), are rousted from a weary daytime slumber. They’re ordered to cross enemy...
Squaring the Strange #111: Mothman Myths and Mysteries
In case you missed it, our recent show was on the Mothman, a creature first spotted in the 1960s in rural West Virginia. Ben takes us on a tour of the area and discusses his trip there to help research the creature for a German television show. Like many...
A Quick Example Of Quick Debunking
I’ve investigated hundreds—probably thousands—of things in my career as a skeptic and researcher, from misleading polls to chupacabra vampire legends. Some investigations take hours or days; others take weeks or months, and a rare few take years. It all depends on the...
‘Ghost Hunting For Dummies By Zak Bagans—And Many Others’
My buddy Kenny Biddle recently did a great investigation into a new book by TV ghost hunter Zak Bagans. You can read it HERE. Below is an excerpt: I really did not want to read the book this article is about. I know that will likely give away the...
New Shriekback Album: ‘Some Kinds of Light’
One of my favorite (er, favourite) bands is Shriekback, who composed the theme song for my podcast Squaring the Strange (which you have subscribed to, right?). I'm delighted to announce that their new album is out titled Some Kinds of Light. It's now available on...
Squaring the Strange #122: Literary Hoaxes
The new episode of Squaring the Strange is about literary hoaxes! I discuss some "misery memoirs," stories of victims triumphing over incredible hardships (Spoiler: "Go Ask Alice" was fiction). Celestia discusses newspaper reports of horny bat-people on the moon, and...