I'll be the guest science speaker tonight at Albuquerque's Bubonicon science fiction/fantasy conference, speaking about solving the chupacabra mystery and its connection to sci-fi movies. Check it out HERE!
Media Literacy
Upcoming Article: Pseudohistories of the Chupacabra
I'm finishing an interesting article on the pseudohistories of the chupacabra: The Hispanic vampire turns 20 this month and was created in large part by the 1995 film "Species." However those who believe the monster exists have offered a wide variety of completely...
Is the Ye Olde Farmer’s Almanac Reliable? My Commentary on NPR
In this NPR piece from a few years ago I was interviewed about the accuracy of the Farmer's Almanac (spoiler: I'm skeptical). An interesting look at "folk" predictions can be found HERE: Ben Radford, deputy editor of the science magazineSkeptical Inquirer, says...
British Viral ‘Ghost Photo’ Explained
Recently a supposed British ghost photo went viral on news and social media (including "Good Morning America"). I investigated the case and believe I solved this mystery... you can read about it HERE.
Review of ‘Myths and Mysteries of New Mexico’
My new CFI blog is a review of a book on New Mexico mysteries. I tried to be kind... You can find it HERE.
Chinese Zoo Animals Monitored to Predict Earthquakes
A Chinese zoo is monitoring some of their animals to see if they can predict earthquakes; the premise has some possible merit, but they need a refresher on research methodology... My analysis is HERE.
A History of Anti-Vaccination Fears
My recent Discovery News article examines the history of anti-vaccination campaigns and explains some reasons why they're still with us, and probably always will be; you can find it HERE.
Spontaneous Human Combustion: An Overview
I was recently interviewed on the subject of spontaneous human combustion; I wrote a good and fairly concise analysis on the topic for LiveScience.com, you can find it HERE.
The Myth of the Joker-Inspired Theater Shooter
When James Holmes shot and killed dozens at a Colorado movie theater in 2012, many people claimed he was inspired by a Batman villain. I was skeptical at the time, and as far as I know I'm the only journalist who closely examined the news media's claims about it. His...
Issues in Self-Identifying as a Vampire
A new study finds that self-described vampires are, not surprisingly, reluctant to disclose their sanguine ways to mental health professionals. My closer look at people who claim to be (and sometimes believe themselves to be) real-life vampires can be found HERE.