I recently gave a Zoom talk titled 'America the Fearful: Navigating the Media's Phantom Fears,' based on my new book: "News and social media provide a steady diet of things to fear: COVID. Vaccinations. Immigrants. Kidnapping rings. Satanists. QAnon. Mass shootings....
Science
Ben and Lake Monsters and… ‘Bob’s Burgers’?
I'm delighted to be mentioned in Russ Dobler's series "The Subtle Skepticism of ‘Bob’s Burgers’! Check out his article HERE!
Evidence for ‘The Entity’ Case? Still Waiting…
Kenny Biddle and I wrote articles on the true story behind "The Entity" 1982 horror film. We were challenged in an episode of the Three Tortured Souls show by a guy who complained that we weren't being fair to the original paranormal researcher, Barry Taff, upon whose...
Presentation for ‘Contemporary Legends and Pandemic Lore’ Conference
I recently presented a talk, "Folklore and Public Health: Partners in Mitigating Medical Misinformation," for a webinar on Contemporary Legends and Pandemic Lore, put on by the International Society for Contemporary Legend Research in association with Mahatma Gandhi...
The Woman Who Loves Giraffes: The Story of Anne Innis Dagg
The documentary The Woman Who Loves Giraffes tells the remarkable story of a remarkable Canadian woman named Anne Innis Dagg, who first became fascinated by giraffes as a young girl upon seeing them at the Chicago Zoo. Though virtually unknown—and certainly...
Roots Of—And Responses To—COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy
My new blog examines some myths about, and ways to address, covid vaccine hesitancy. From concerns about efficacy to the "Dirty Dozen" social media anti-vaxxers, the first step is understanding the problem; the second step is knowing your audience. As the...
Squaring the Strange # 142: Cranks and Crankery!
A recent episode of Squaring the Strange is about CRANKS, and why they really grind our gears. Sit back for a little history of crankery, with emphasis on notable cranks from decades past--and even a few from right now! Check it out!
Lessons From The Space Shuttle Challenger
In 1986, the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after takeoff from Florida’s coast, an accident that laid bare not only institutional flaws in the application of high technology but also flaws in the public’s understanding of science. Many myths have emerged...
Covert Anti-Vaccination In ‘Children’s Health Defense’
News and social media are awash with information about the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately much of what’s shared on social media about COVID-19 is false, misleading, or speculative. From the White House to the CDC, conspiracy cranks to Goop contributors, it’s a...
George Cherrie And The Venezuelan Dancing Devil
One of the most celebrated American naturalist/explorers was George K. Cherrie (1865–1948), who in his 1930 book Dark Trails: Adventures of a Naturalist (G.P. Putnam’s Sons) wrote about his adventures, primarily in Central and South America. G.K. Cherrie...