Skeptoid is a weekly science podcast dedicated to furthering knowledge by blasting away the widespread pseudosciences that infect popular culture, and replacing them with way cooler reality.

Each weekly episode focuses on a single phenomenon — an urban legend, a paranormal claim, alternative therapy, or something just plain stupid — that you've heard of, and that you probably believe in. Skeptoid attempts to expose the folly of belief in non-evidence based phenomena, and more importantly, explains the factual scientific reality.

From the sublime to the startling, no topic is sacred, politically incorrect though that may be. 184,000 weekly downloads. Read what people are saying.

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Latest Skeptoid Episodes...

May 15, 2012 - Left Handed Myths and Facts - There are many popular anecdotes about how and why some people are left-handed. The true facts are even more interesting: differences in aptitudes, health, and even longevity.

May 8, 2012 - The Science and Politics of Global Warming - Global warming is the poster boy for failed science communication. What went wrong? It was presented to the public as a political issue, and not as a science.

May 1, 2012 - Picnic at Hanging Rock - The classic book and movie is believed by some to be fact, others to be fiction, and still others a combination. What's the truth behind the tale?

Apr 24, 2012 - The Siberian Hell Sounds - In 1989, Russian scientists are said to have drilled a borehole in Siberia that broke into hell and released the screams of the damned. But did it ever actually happen?

Apr 17, 2012 - Listener Feedback XX - Once again, Skeptoid dips into the feedback mailbag to respond to comments from listeners.

Apr 10, 2012 - I Can't Believe They Did That: Human Guinea Pigs - Sometimes, ethical considerations or a lack of knowledge have prevented certain experiments from being tested on other people, and scientists have had to put their own bodies on the line.

Apr 3, 2012 - Catching Jack the Ripper - Many theories surround the identity of Jack the Ripper, history's most infamous serial killer. Is there truly any evidence that supports any of these theories?

Mar 27, 2012 - Are Vinyl Recordings Better than Digital? - Many audio aficionados split into two camps, those supporting modern digital audio, and those supporting vinyl records. Is either truly or superior format, and can humans really even tell?

Mar 20, 2012 - De Loys' Ape - In the early 20th century, oil company geologist Francois de Loys took a famous photograph of what he says was a new species of ape. Does the photograph have a different history than he claimed?

Mar 13, 2012 - The Beale Ciphers - Treasure hunters comb Virginia search for a legendary hoard of gold and silver, known only from a few encoded documents, the most important of which remain undeciphered.

Mar 6, 2012 - The Secret of the Gypsy Queen - In which a little girl saves her kingdom when she is the only one who does not fall for the pop pseudoscience of the day.

Feb 28, 2012 - Star Jelly - For centuries, jellylike blobs have been reported to fall from the sky during meteor showers. Are they really from outer space, or is there a more Earthly explanation?

Feb 21, 2012 - Student Questions: Free Energy and Faster-than-Light Neutrinos - Skeptoid answers student questions about the efficacy of drinking coffee, whether you should go swimming 30 minutes after eating, amber teething rings for babies, neutrinos that travel faster than light, the E-Cat cold fusion device, and whether the consumption of certain foods causes inflammation.

Feb 14, 2012 - A Magical Journey through the Land of Reasoning Errors - Four common types of analytical errors in reasoning are made every day, by people trying to deceive us, by people unintentionally deceiving us, and by ourselves.

Feb 7, 2012 - The Versailles Time Slip - Two women, college teachers from Oxford visited Versailles in 1901. While there, they suddenly time-traveled back to 1789 and saw Marie Antoinette. Is their story true?

Jan 31, 2012 - Finding Amelia Earhart - Popular modern reports claim Amelia Earhart made it to an island and survived for a time, and though these stories are often widely reported, they are not at all consistent with the known facts.

Jan 24, 2012 - Frequent Listener Feedback - There are a number of common flaws in logical thinking that pop up fairly regularly. Today Skeptoid answers some emails that illustrate a few of the most popular.

Jan 17, 2012 - Wunderwaffen: Nazi Wonder Weapons - We love to attach mysticism and occultism to the Nazis. Their military might and cruelty almost demand some such explanation. But how much of this gilding is actually true?

Jan 10, 2012 - The Grey Man of Ben MacDhui - A thin, dark phantom three times the height of a man is said to stalk this peak in the Cairngorms. What do we actually know about it, and what part of it might be real?

Jan 3, 2012 - The Toxic Lady - In 1994, a woman was brought into an emergency room in Riverside, California. When staff drew blood, fumes knocked out most of the staff and hospitalized some. What happened?

Dec 27, 2011 - Approaching a Subject Skeptically - Examining a new topic to learn whether it's fact or fiction is not a trivial matter. In this episode I detail my own process, and some of the pitfalls.

Dec 20, 2011 - The Mystery of the Mary Celeste - The Mary Celeste was famous discovering drifting at sea with nobody on board. Many have offered explanations for what happened, but nobody knows for sure. Here's what we do know.

Dec 13, 2011 - Pit Bull Attack! - Pit bulls have a reputation for being the most dangerous dog breed, so much so that they are actually banned in many places. Is this reputation deserved?

Dec 6, 2011 - Korean Fan Death - Many Koreans believe that sleeping with an electric fan running can actually kill you, but many western scientists scoff at the notion. Is there a more subtle truth in between?

Nov 29, 2011 - Listener Feedback: Dorothy and Her Straw Man - The straw man is one of the most common of the logical fallacies. Today Skeptoid responds to a number of feedback emails that were particular dependent on this ruse.

#1 -	Kangen Water: Change Your Water, Change Your Life Read \| Listen

#2 -	The Grey Man of Ben MacDhui Read \| Listen

#3 -	The Mystery of the Mary Celeste Read \| Listen

#4 -	Approaching a Subject Skeptically Read \| Listen

#5 -	How to Debate a Young Earth Creationist Read \| Listen

#6 -	The Jersey Devil Read \| Listen

#7 -	MonaVie and Other "Superfruit" Juices Read \| Listen

#8 -	The Bosnian Pyramids Read \| Listen


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