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,...
Research
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...
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...
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,...
Quoted in ‘Rolling Stone’ on… ‘Catnip Cocktail’ Drug Panic!
There's a new drug craze going around, called Catnip Cocktail, allegedly the latest thing since jenkem and "bath salts." In fact I was recently interviewed by "Rolling Stone" magazine about it; you can read it HERE. You can find more on me and my work with a search...
‘Radio Wasteland’ Interview on Bad Clowns
I was recently interviewed on "Radio Wasteland" talking about evil and scary clowns, based on my award-winning book "Bad Clowns." Stop clowning around and give it a listen! You can find more on me and my work with a search for "Benjamin Radford" (not "Ben Radford")...
The Tragedy Of Jazmine Barnes: Phantom Serial Killers And Eyewitness Errors
My recent blog is about the tragic shooting of Jazmine Barnes days before New Years, and how mistaken eyewitnesses and mistaken assumptions led to the search for a non-existent racist serial killer in Houston.... On December 30, 2018, a seven-year-old Houston girl...
Holocaust Denial Headlines: Hatred, Ignorance, Or Innumeracy?
Last week during Holocaust Remembrance Day, many memes circulated claiming that a significant number of Americans, Canadians, and Britons are Holocaust deniers, or support white supremacy. In the wake of racial incidents such as the shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue...
Q&A About ‘Investigating Ghosts” and Writing
I recently was interviewed about my latest book, and my writing process. Here's part one of the interview: What is your elevator pitch for Investigating Ghosts: The Scientific Search for Spirits? Investigating Ghostsis an in-depth look at the scientific attempts to...
Stonehenge Assumptions
In my years of media and science literacy I’ve repeatedly encountered cases where people have failed to question their premises and simply forged ahead without bothering to make sure that the assumptions were grounded in fact. Premises often seem self-evident—and who...