A huge solar flare belched a cloud of charged particles into Earth’s path. But other than frying telegraph lines, the electromagnetic collision caused little stir in the world. But how real is the danger of another massive sunburst? I add my two cents in this story,...
News
New Anthology Includes Me with William Safire, Jessica Valenti, and Al Gore
My chapter in a new book: "In a vibrant four-color format, 'The Sundance Reader' features more than 70 essays drawn from a range of academic disciplines and professions. This rich collection of engaging essays and articles emphasizes critical thinking, careful...
Great Pyramid at Giza Vandalized to ‘Prove’ Conspiracy Theory
My new article on two conspiracy theorists who vandalized an Egyptian pyramid, with a closer look at their nonsensical claims: "Suggesting that people from Plato's Atlantis built the pyramids is like saying people from Tolkien's Middle Earth built the pyramids, or...
My Loch Ness Monster Research Quoted in ‘USA Today’
My Loch Ness monster piece last week caused quite a stir, and I was even quoted in USA Today; you can read it HERE.
Synchronicity and “Meaningful Coincidences”
For those who didn't see it, my new column on synchronicity and finding hidden meanings in coincidence, is now up! And it's my first published use of the phrase "avian banshee"! You can read it HERE.
Elves (Yes, Elves) Part of Road-Building Protest in Iceland
Over the past few months, dozens of environmentalists in Iceland have staged a high-profile protest against a road scheduled to cut through an area of volcanic rock on the Álftanes peninsula, not far from the capital of Reykjavik. It is only one of countless...
Crying wolf: Lies and made-up police sketches of attackers
Interesting, short piece on Doubtful News about false reports of crimes, including abductions and assaults. It's amazing what people will lie about... You can read it HERE.
Why We Do This: Revisiting the Higher Values of Skeptical Inquiry
An interesting and insightful overview of the values of skepticism, from the editor of Skeptical Inquirer magazine, you can read it HERE.
Self-Immolation: The Macabre Mystery
Why would someone purposely set himself on fire? It happened earlier this week in Colorado. My new article on the reasons for self-immolation is now out, you can read it HERE.
Stories and Myths Busted in 2013
For those who didn't see this earlier, I wrote a piece about 7 stories and myths busted in 2013... you can read it HERE.