http://www.skeptic.com/ News from the Skeptics Society and Skeptic magazine. The Skeptics Society is a scientific and educational organization of scholars, scientists, historians, magicians, professors and teachers, and anyone curious about controversial ideas, extraordinary claims, revolutionary ideas, and the promotion of science. en-us Copyright 2008 The Skeptics Society Wed, 2 Jul 2008 07:00:00 PST skepticssociety@skeptic.com (Michael Shermer) webmaster@skeptic.com (Emrys Miller) http://www.skeptic.com/images/rss_headergraphic.jpg http://www.skeptic.com/ Extraordinary Claims, Revolutionary Ideas, and the Promotion of Science In this week’s eSkeptic, Michael Shermer celebrates the 150th anniversary of the 1858 discovery of natural selection by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace. Wed, 2 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-07-02.html http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-07-02.html eSkeptic newsletter This week on Skepticality, Derek & Swoopy return from the desert with highlights from “The Amazing Meeting 6” conference in Las Vegas (hosted by the James Randi Educational Foundation). Joining them are two skeptics who are changing the face of popular science: MythBuster Adam Savage, and astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. In his third appearance on Skepticality, Adam discusses his evolution from artist and model maker to skeptic and television scientist — as well as thoughts about his life after MythBusters. The incomparable Neil deGrasse Tyson (Director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, current host of Nova Science Now, and the only astrophysicist to be named one of People magazine’s “Sexiest Men Alive”) talks with Swoopy about getting the United States back on track as science innovators. (He also sets the record straight about Pluto.) Tue, 1 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-07-02.html#skepticality http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-07-02.html#skepticality podcast In this week’s eSkeptic, Priscilla Sakezles discusses the famous words most often attributed to Socrates, “All I know is that I know nothing.” claiming that it is indeed a misquote. Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-06-25.html http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-06-25.html eSkeptic newsletter In this week’s eSkeptic, Infectious Disease doctor Mark Crislip dissects some medical research on near death experiences. Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-06-18.html http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-06-18.html eSkeptic newsletter In this week’s eSkeptic, we present a link to a free, beautifully produced booklet on the question “Does science make belief in God obsolete?” published by the Templeton Foundation and edited by Michael Shermer. Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-06-11.html http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-06-11.html eSkeptic newsletter In this week’s eSkeptic, John Ray celebrates the triumph of skepticism over 9/11 conspiracy theorists; the Skeptics Society gets a presence on MySpace; Shermer receives his first honorary doctorate and delivers a commencement speech; and, we remind readers about The Amazing Meeting 6 coming up in a couple weeks! Wed, 4 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-06-04.html http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-06-04.html eSkeptic newsletter In this week’s eSkeptic, Daniel Loxton digs into a protest campaign that is fighting to block enforcement of Canada’s purity, safety, and labeling laws for natural health products — and discovers a shadowy business interest behind the faux consumer watchdog site organizing those protests. Wed, 28 May 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-05-28.html http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-05-28.html eSkeptic newsletter In this week’s eSkeptic, Tony Ortega debunks the Phoenix Lights: the mysterious “vee” configuration that people reported seeing flying over the state of Arizona in March 1997. Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-05-21.html http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-05-21.html eSkeptic newsletter In this week’s eSkeptic, Norman Levitt reviews John Alan Paulos’ book entitled “Irreligion: A Mathematician Explains Why the Arguments for God Just Don’t Add Up”; we ask eSkeptic readers to take our reader survey. Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-05-14.html http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-05-14.html eSkeptic newsletter Over the past several episodes, Skepticality has interviewed some of the notable scientists featured in the new pro-Intelligent Design documentary “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.” This week, the last word on the controversy goes to Dr. Randy Olson, the biologist-turned- filmmaker whose 2006 documentary “Flock of Dodos: The Evolution – Intelligent Design Circus” examined the communication breakdown between the science community and the rest of the world on the subject of evolution… Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-05-14.html#skepticality http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-05-14.html#skepticality podcast