My new CFI media literacy article examines the demographics of American mass shooters. Many people believe that most mass shooters are white males, but in fact it varies by type of shooting; there is no single representative or predictive demographic, other than being...
Benjamin Radford
Squaring the Strange: Episode 87: Momo & Part 2 of Enter the Warren-verse!
This week we take a quick look at the Momo challenge's resurgence and surprisingly mainstream fall; then for our main segment we dive back into the strange, sketchy world of Ed & Lorraine Warren. These opportunistic and not-exactly-truthful storytellers are a big...
Art Project Unknowingly Promotes Urban Legend
I saw this meme recently, it’s a Cuban art project about exploited children. However one of the photos, bottom left, is based on an urban legend. The artist is trying to raise awareness of child organ trafficking, but it doesn’t actually happen. I’ve researched,...
Squaring the Strange Archives: The Terrifying Kuchisake-onna!
In the latest in a series highlighting past episodes and archives of Squaring the Strange, here's a look back at a show you might have missed... This week, Ben and Pascual dig into the legend of Kuchisake-Onna, aka the Slit-mouthed Woman. From the origins of her...
Squaring the Strange Archives: The Miracle Staircase
In the latest in a series highlighting past episodes and archives of Squaring the Strange, here's a look back at a show you might have missed... While Pascual recovers, Ben and Celestia discuss outrage over the hypothetical new product “Lady Doritos.” Then we go over...
Squaring the Strange Ep. 88: Bad Cryptozoology Arguments
On Squaring the Strange: Bad Cryptozoological Arguments! There's a lot of fertile ground here that can be tilled in the name of learning how to spot bad arguments in other walks of life. Let's look at how squatchers and lake-monster enthusiasts back up their claims...
Do 60% Of People Misgender Trans People To Insult Them?
Recent news reports claimed that most people intentionally disrespect transgendered individuals by calling them by something other than their preferred gender pronoun. For example one piece began: “Three in five people internationally report that they would...
Eleanor Sidgwick, the Original Badass Female Ghostbuster
Long before TV ghost-hunting dudebros terrified of their own shadows, there was Eleanor Sidgwick, the original badass female ghostbuster. My article for Discovery News (now Seeker) on her is here! You can find more on me and my work with a search for "Benjamin...
‘Why Aren’t ‘They’ Calling it ‘Terrorism’?
I'm seeing a lot of confusion on social media about definitions of "terrorism" and why certain people/groups are/are not labeled "terrorists." Simplistic memes aside, the topic is a bit nuanced but worth understanding. I wrote about it last year, for those who'd like...
The ‘Catnip Cocktail’ Panic
There’s a new drug panic in town, and it’s not crack or opioids. It’s catnip. Well, it’s called “Catnip Cocktail,” and it actually contains no catnip. It contains a non-FDA-approved blend of a variety of chemicals including caffeine and something called 1,4-BD,...