Extra Ordinary, a gloriously amusing Irish romantic comedy about the supernatural, begins with the obligatory, winking tagline “Based on a true story.” The ghost hunting genre is both ripe for satire and difficult to satirize effectively because it’s so self-evidently...
Media Appearances
The Skeptic Zone Podcast #604!
I'm a guest on The Skeptic Zone podcast #604. This week we hear from me, Mandy-Lee Noble with a Pete Evans update, Michelle Bijkersma with logical fallacies, and News from Australian Skeptics; check it out here: www.skepticzone.tv
Squaring the Strange # 120 – Emery Emery on ‘Science Friction’
In the recent episode, we discuss a few pandemic-related things that set off some skeptical alarms over social media this past week. Then we are joined by Southern California-based comedian and film editor Emery Emery to talk about his soon-to-be-released...
‘If You Disagree with Me, Are You Stupid or Dishonest?’
With all the recent news, here's a timely passage from a recent article I wrote: "One element of conspiracy thinking is that those who disagree are either stupid (gullible 'sheeple' who believe and parrot everything they see in the 'mainstream media') or simply lying...
Establishing the Strange: Why Can’t Ghost Hunters Get Results?
I recently wrote a column Russ Dobler at Adventures in Poor Taste... When I encounter people raising questions or researching topics such as ghosts or Bigfoot, I’m often disappointed (and a bit baffled) by their seeming lack of genuine interest in establishing...
Squaring the Strange #116: Testing Psychic Detectives Part 1
In our recent episode special guest Kenny Biddle joins Ben and Celestia (remotely!) to look at some current missing person cases as they unfold in real time, and how psychics have "helped" (or interfered) in the progress of each case. This turned into a rather...
Squaring the Strange #118: Third Anniversary Special
For anyone who has been craving an episode with far less research, facts, or formality, this is the episode for you! Ben, Pascual, and Celestia, reflect on their various circumstances during the coronavirus national emergency, and then we talk about this, our third...
Reopening the Chase Vault Mystery
The current issue of Skeptical Inquirer magazine features an investigation I did into a famous mystery, the Chase Vault in Barbados. Coffins were said to have mysteriously moved while sealed in the vault, attributed to curses, ghosts, flooding, and more. ...
Fear Itself: COVID-19, Media Literacy, And Social Media Distancing
There’s a natural—almost Pavlovian—tendency to follow the news closely, especially during times of emergency such as wars, terrorism, and natural disasters. People are understandably desperate for information to keep their friends and family safe, and part of that is...
COVID-19 Fears: Overreaction, Underreaction, And Unity
There have been many pandemics throughout history, but none have taken place during such a connected time—both geographically and via social media. There’s a tendency to follow the news closely during times of emergency; especially when separated during isolation and...