TAVRIS ON SEX DIFFERENCES • RANDI ON JOHNNY CARSON • NICKELL ON TURIN SHROUD Skeptical Inquirer THE MAGAZINE FOR SCIENCE A N D R EASON Volume 29, No. 3 • May / June 200

» Testing **, 'The Girl with X-Ray Eyes' •\ •Ray Hyman. . . Andrew Skolnick Joe Nickell

Psychic Swindlers ^H --.T.'.-V*• •

FourMyths about Evolution

A Librarian's Guide to Critical Thinking

Published by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION of Claims off the Paranormal

AT THE CENTER FOR INQUIRY-TRANSNATIONAL (ADJACENT TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO| • AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION Paul Kurtz, Chairman; professor emeritus of philosophy, State University of New York at Buffalo Barry Karr, Executive Director Joe Nicked, Senior Research Fellow Massimo Polidoro, Research Fellow Richard Wiseman. Research Fellow Lee Nisbet. Special Projects Director FELLOWS

James E. Alcock.* psychologist. York Univ., Toronto Saul Green, Ph.D., biochemist, president of ZOL Loren Pankratz. psychologist. Oregon Health jerry Andrus, magician and inventor, Albany, Oregon Consultants, New York. NY Sciences Univ. Marcia Angell. M.D., former editor-in-chief. New Susan Haack. Cooper Senior Scholar in Arts Robert L Park, professor of physics, Univ. of Maryland England Journal of Medicine and Sciences, prof, of philosophy, University John Paulos, mathematician. Temple Univ. Robert A. Baker, psychologist, Univ. of Kentucky of Miami Steven Pinker, cognitive scientist. Harvard Stephen Barrett. M.D., psychiatrist, author. C. E. M. Hansel, psychologist, Univ. of Wales Massimo Polidoro, science writer, author, consumer advocate. Allentown, Pa. David J. Helfand. professor of astronomy, executive director CICAP Italy Willem Betz. professor of medicine, Univ. of Columbia Univ. Milton Rosenberg, psychologist, Univ. of Chicago Brussels Douglas Hofstadter, professor of human Wallace Sampson, M.D., clinical professor of Barry Beyerstein.* biopsychologist, Simon Fraser understanding and cognitive science. Univ., Vancouver, B.C., Canada Indiana Univ. medicine, Stanford Univ., editor. Scientific Irving Biederman, psychologist, Univ. of Southern Gerald Holton, Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics Review of Alternative Medicine California and professor of history of science. Harvard Univ. Amardeo Sarrna. manager NEC Europe Ltd., Susan Blackmore, Visiting Lecturer, Univ. of the Ray Hyman,* psychologist, Univ. of Oregon executive director. GWUP, Germany. West of England, Bristol Leon Jaroff, sciences editor emeritus. Time Evry Schatzman, former president, French Physics Henri Broch, physicist, Univ. of Nice, France Sergei Kapitza. former editor. Russian edition, Association Jan Harold Brunvand, folklorist. professor Scientific American Eugenie Scott, physical anthropologist, executive emeritus of English, Univ. of Utah Philip J. Klass, aerospace writer, engineer director. National Center for Science Education Vern Bullough. professor of history, California Lawrence M. Krauss, author and professor of physics Robert Sheaffer, science writer State Univ. at Northridge and astronomy, Case Western Reserve University Elie A. Shneour. biochemist, author. Edwin C. Krupp. astronomer, director, Griffith Mario Bunge, philosopher, McGill University director, Biosystems Research Institute, John R. Cole, anthropologist, editor. National Observatory La Jolla. Calif. Paul Kurtz,* chairman, Center for Inquiry Center for Science Education Dick Smith, film producer, publisher, Terrey Hills, Lawrence Kusche. science writer Frederick Crews, literary and cultural critic N.S.W.. Australia Leon Lederman. emeritus director, Fermilab; professor emeritus of English, Univ. of Robert Steiner, magician, author. El Cerrito, Calif. California, Berkeley Nobel laureate in physics Victor J. Stenger, emeritus professor of physics Richard Dawkins, zoologist, Oxford Univ. Scott Lilienfeld, psychologist Emory Univ. and astronomy, Univ. of Hawaii; adjunct Geoffrey Dean, technical editor, Perth, Australia Lin Zixin, former editor. Science and Technology professor of philosophy, Univ. of Colorado Daniel C. Dennett, University Professor and Austin Daily (China) Jill Cornell Tarter, astronomer, SETI Institute, B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy. Director of Jere Lipps, Museum of Paleontology. Univ. of Mountain View, Calif. the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts Univ. California, Berkeley Carol Tavris, psychologist and author, Los Angeles. Calif. Ann Druyan, writer and producer, and CEO. Elizabeth Loftus. professor of psychology. Univ. of David Thomas, physicist and mathematician, Cosmos Studios, Ithaca, New York California. Irvine Cornelis de Jager, professor of astrophysics, Univ. Paul MacCready, scientist/engineer, Peralta, New Mexico of Utrecht the Netherlands AeroVironment, Inc., Monrovia, Calif. Stephen Toulmin, professor of philosophy, Univ. of Paul Edwards, philosopher, editor, encyclopedia John Maddox. editor emeritus of Nature Southern California of Philosophy David Marks, psychologist, Gty University, London. Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and director. Kenneth Feder, professor of anthropology, Mario Mendez-Acosta, journalist and Hayden Planetarium. New York City Central Connecticut State Univ. science writer, Mexico City, Mexico Marilyn vos Savant Parade magazine Antony Flew, philosopher, Reading Univ., U.K. Marvin Minsky. professor of media arts and contributing editor Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer, Foothill College, Los sciences, M.I.T. Steven Weinberg, professor of physics and Altos Hills, Calif. David Morrison, space scientist. NASA Ames astronomy, Univ. of Texas at Austin; Kendrick Frazier, science writer, editor. SKEPTICAL Research Center Nobel laureate Richard A. Muller. professor of physics. Univ. of INQUIRER E.O. Wilson, University Professor Emeritus, Yves Galifret, vice-president. Affiliated Calif., Berkeley Harvard University Organizations: France Joe Nickell,' senior research fellow. CSICOP Richard Wiseman, psychologist University of Martin Gardner, author, critic Lee Nisbet.* philosopher. Medaille College Murray Gell-Mann, professor of physics, Santa Fe Bill Nye. science educator and television host. Nye Labs Hertfordshire Institute; Nobel laureate James E. Oberg, science writer Marvin Zelen, statistician. Harvard Univ. Thomas Gilovich, psychologist. Cornell Univ. Irmgard Oepen, professor of medicine (retired). * Member. CSICOP Executive Council Henry Gordon, magician, columnist. Toronto Marburg. Germany (Affiliations given for identification only.)

Visit the CSICOP Web site at www.csicop.org

I"he SKEPTK M INQUIRER (ISSN 0194-6T30> is published bimonthly by ihc Commincc for the page 64 of the November/December 2004 issue Ot you may send a fax request to the editor. Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. 1310 Sweet Home Rd.. Amherst. NY Articles, reports, reviews, and letters published in the SKEPTICAI INQUIRER represent the 14228, Printed in U.SA Periodicals postage paid at Purralo. NY. and at additional mailing of­ views and w*ork of individual authors. Their publication docs not necessarily constitute an en­ fices. Subscription prices: one year (six issues). $35: r*"o years. S60; three years. $84: single is­ dorsement by CSICOP or its members unless so stated. sue. $4-95. Canadian and foreign orders: Payment in VS. hands drawn on a U.S. bank must ac­ ( opynglu •02DOS hi the < ommiticc lor the Scientific Investigation ul * laims ot the Pat company orders: please add USS10 per year for shipping. Canadian and foreign customers are anormal. All rights reserved. Trie StCErTlOU INQUIRER is available on 16mm microfilm. encouraged to use Visa or MasterCard. 35mm microtilm. and 105mm microfiche from University Microfilms International and is Inquiries from the media and the public about the work of the Committee should be made indexed in the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature. to Paul Kurtz. Chairman. CSICOP Bo* 703. Amhcrvi. NY 14226-0703. Tel: 716-636-1425. Subscriptions and changes of address should be addressed to: SKOTXAi INQUIRE*. Box 703, Am­ Fax. -16-636-1-33. herst. NY' 142264703. Or call toll-hee 1-800-634-1610 (outside U.S. call 716^.36-1425). Old ad­ Manuscripts, letters, books for review, and editorial inquiries should be addressed to Kendrick dress as well as new- are necessary for change of subscriber's address, with six weeks advance notice. Frazier. Ediror. SKEPIKAI INQUIRER, 944 Deer Drive HE, A&uquerquc. NM 8"I21 Fax: 505- SkH'tKAl Iv.H IREK suhsenhen nui n.x speak on Mult oft SH J tP« the SKEFTKA) INQI [RED 828-2080- Before submitting any manuscript, please consult our Guide for Authors for format and Postmaster Send changes of address to SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. P.O. Box 703. Amherst. NY references requirements. It is on our Web site JI www-.csicop.oig/si/guidc-for-authors.htrnl and on 14226-0703. COLUMNS

Skeptical Inquirer EDITOR'S NOTE Science, Seeing, and Cosmological Worldviews 4 May/June 2005 • VOL. 29, NO. 3

NEWS AND COMMENT Florida Legislators, FSU Faculty Clash over Proposed Chiropractic School at University / Shark Cartilage Cancer 'Cure' Shows INVITED COMMENTARY Danger of Pseudoscience / Psychic Con Artist Caught in Police Sting / Internet Group Donates Evolution Texts to Dover High 11 Brains, Biology, Science, and School / CSICOP Launches Creation Watch Web Site / 'Ancient Universe' Booklet Explains the Great Age of the Changing Skepticism Cosmos / Astronomy, Astrology—What's the Difference? It's On Thinking about Sex Differences (Again) Politics / Loftus Wins $200,000 Grawemeyer Award for Her Memory Research / CSI's Anthony Zuiker: TV's Man of the CAROL TAVRIS Century? / Newspaper's 'Psychic Experts' Wash Out with Hurricane Predictions / Centuries-old Puzzle Solved by Calgary Teen / Recent Deaths / Alleged Reagan Astrologer Dies / Indian SPECIAL REPORTS Rationalist H. Narasimhaiah Dies at 84 / Quoteworthy 5

13 Johnny Carson Remembered INVESTIGATIVE FILES Second Sight: The Phenomenon of Eyeless Vision JAMES RANDI JOE NICKELL 18

THINKING ABOUT SQENCE The So-called Gaia Hypothesis MASSIMO PIGLIUCCI 21 14 Claims of Invalid 'Shroud' Radiocarbon Date Cut from NOTES ON A STRANGE WORLD Whole Cloth There's a UFO in My Painting! MASSIMO POLIDORO 22 JOE NICKELL 16 Rebuttal to Joe Nickell RAYMOND N. ROGERS

PSYCHIC VIBRATIONS TESTING 'THE GIRL WITH X-RAY EYES' Tsunami Conspiracies and Hollow Moons

27 Testing Natasha ROBERT SHEAFFER 24 RAY HYMAN SCIENCE BEST SELLERS 57 34 Natasha Demkina NEW BOOKS 60 The Girl with Normal Eyes ANDREW A. SKOLNICK LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 61

REVIEWS ARTICLES State of Fear 38 Psychic Swindlers By Michael Crichton AMY DAVIS CHRIS MOONEY S3 43 Getting the Monkey off Kindness in a Cruel World: The Evolution of Altruism Darwin's Back By Nigel Barber Four Common Myths about Evolution PETER LAMAL S5 CHARLES SULLIVAN and The Dictionary of Fashionable Nonsense: CAMERON MCPHERSON SMITH A Guide for Edgy People By Ophelia Benson and Jeremy Stangroom 49 The Psychologist, the Philosopher, PHIL MOLE 56 and the Librarian Medium The Information-literacy Version of CRITIC NBC Television BRAD MATTHIES WILLIAM HARWOOD S9 Skeptical Inquirer THE MAGA/tNl 101 SCIENCE AND MASON

EDITOR Kendrick Frazier Science, Seeing, and Cosmological Worldviews EDITORIAL BOARD James E. Alcock Barry Beyerstein ay Hyman's cover article describes tests he, Richard Wiseman, and Andrew Thomas Casten Skolnick carried out on the so-called Russian "girl with X-ray eyes." It is, I Martin Gardner R Ray Hyman think you will find, a model of scientific presentation. Andrew follows with his own Philip J. Klass first-person take on certain aspects of the tests. Joe Nickel), there as an observer, puts Paul Kurtz Joe Nickell the Natasha business into broader perspective of other "eyeless vision" claims. Lee Nisbet Amardeo Sarma This is just the latest of a long series of tests over the years that CSICOP has Bela Scheiber encouraged, stimulated, or sponsored. It all brings back fond memories of a trip to CONSULTING EDITORS China with a CSICOP delegation in 1988 when we tested, among others, Chinese Robert A. Baker Susan J. Blackmore children who were being promoted worldwide for alleged psychokinetic abilities. John R. Cole Kenneth L. Feder Our tests, led by James Randi, revealed that the girls were, with the complicity of C E. M. Hansel their naive mentor, engaged in childlike chicanery. (Our report appears in the SI E. C. Krupp Scott O. Lilienfeld anthology The Hundredth Monkey.) David F. Marks Eugenie Scott In this issue Randi returns to offer a revealing and heartfelt tribute to Johnny Richard Wiseman Carson, and Paul Kurtz adds a note about Johnnys support of CSICOP as well. CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Carson, an amateur astronomer, was a good friend of science and skepticism. In Chris Mooney James E. Oberg addition to Randi's appearances, he had Carl Sagan on his show thirty times. Each Robert Sheaffer gave Carl an opportunity to talk about the passion of scientific discovery and show David E. Thomas MANAGING EDITOR how scientists strive to get at the truth about nature. Benjamin Radford ART DIRECTOR Lisa A. Hutter We continue a series of articles about evolution. Charles Sullivan and Cameron PRODUCTION Christopher Fix Smith discuss four commonly (mis)used phrases (e.g. "missing links") about it. Paul Loynes EDITORIAL ASSISTANT • » * David Park Musella CARTOONIST I recently judged at a regional science fair. Although my section was earth and Rob Pudim space sciences, I encountered creationism. One high school student compared the WEB PAGE DESIGN Patrick Fitzgerald. Designer modern scientific view of big bang cosmology with the creationist/intelligent Amanda Chesworth design view . .. and claimed to find die former heavily influenced by ideology and dogma and the latter strongly supported by evidence! Not surprisingly, since she PUBUSHER'S REPRESENTATIVE based much of her analysis on a well-known creationist physicist's book, promi­ Barry Karr CORPORATE COUNSEL nently displayed, on this theme. Worse, in talking to her I found that her interest Brenton N. VerPloeg in these ideas wasn't casual. She already had a deeply ingrained ideological—almost BUSINESS MANAGER strident and proselytizing—commitment to the creationist worldvicw of cosmo­ Sandra Lesniak FISCAL OFFICER logy, and of science generally. Paul Paulin For me, there were two consolations: The judges assigned to her (I wasn't) were DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS Diane Giuliano as appalled by ihis as I. And two booths away a project by an elevcndi-gradcr ana­ Sherry Rook lyzed the evolution of the human species through ages and locations of major fos­ CHIEF DATA OFFICER sil finds in Africa, Europe, and Asia. The brightest student I talked to, he had come Michael Cione STAFF to the United States from Manchuria in 2001 knowing no English. He has a pas­ Darlene Banks sion to become a paleoanthropologist and do field work in China on human evo­ Patricia Beauchamp Cheryl Catania lution. I think he will. Matthew Cravatta Kathryn Landon • ' • Jennifer Miller Be sure to check out the amusing Periodic Table on the back cover as it might be Anthony Santa Lucia John Sullivan Vance Vigrass labeled by creationists. It is die work of Loren Williams, professor of chemistry and PUBLIC RELATIONS biochemistry at Georgia Tech. "The point I am trying to make," he says, "is that Nathan Bupp John Gaeddert the creationist/intelligent design attack on biology is truly an attack on all science." EDUCATIONAL DIRECTOR It sure is. Amanda Chesworth INQUIRY MEDIA PRODUCTIONS Thomas Flynn DIRECTOR OF LIBRARIES Timothy S. Binga

The SKEPTICAL iMQuwf* is the official journal of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. an international organization.

4 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT

Florida Legislators, the deal on academic and scientific only way to combat this is to ensure that grounds.) After a protracted fight, York government leaders and media professionals FSU Faculty Clash over rejected the proposal in 2001. receive adequate scientific training based on Proposed Chiropractic reason, and that they also develop critical —John Gaeddert School at University thinking skills." John Gaeddert is Assistant Director of Public Ostrander traces the popularity of crude A proposed chiropractic school at Florida Relations for CSICOP. shark cartilage as a cancer treatment and pre­ State University (FSU) has pitted state legis­ ventive measure to I. William Lane's 1992 lators against school faculty in a battle that is book tided Sharks Don't Get Cancer, which equal parts science and politics. Shark Cartilage Cancer was further publicized by the CBS News pro­ 'Cure' Shows Danger of gram 60 Minutes in 1993. Though Lane acknowledges in the book that sharks do, in Pseudoscience fact, get cancer, he bases his advocacy of crude cartilage extracts on what Ostrander The rising popularity of shark cartilage calls "overextensions" of some early experi­ extract as an anti-cancer treatment is a tri­ ments in which the substance seemed to In January, FSU considered a proposal to umph of marketing and pseudoscience over inhibit tumor formation and the growth of build the first public chiropractic school in reason, with a tragic fallout for both sharks new blood vessels that supply nutrients and the country. Florida Governor Jeb Bush and and humans, according to a Johns Hopkins the state legislature have already set aside $9 biologist writing in the December 1, 2004, oxygen to malignancies. million of annual funding for the proposed issue of Cancer Research. "The fact is that it is possible that highly school. (Governor Bush has been quoted as "Since shark cartilage has been promoted purified components of cartilage, including saying that the deal was more about making as a cancer cure, not only has there been a from sharks, may hold some benefit for treat­ peace between warring politicians than any measurable decline in shark populations, but ment of human cancers," Ostrander said. particular interest in chiropractic medicine.) cancer patients also have been diverted from "The key will be to isolate these compounds The proposal was voted down by the proven, effective treatments," said Gary K. and design a way to deliver them to the site University Board of Governors. Ostrander, a research professor in the depart­ of the tumor. Lane and others ignore these Several Florida politicians voiced support ments of Biology and Comparative Medicine existing barriers and suggest that consuming for the chiropractic school; they contend that at The Johns Hopkins University. crude cartilage extracts by mouth or rectum it would have attracted students and develop­ In the paper, titled "Shark Cartilage, could be curative of all cancers—an approach ment dollars, as well as boosting the reputa­ Cancer, and the Growing Threat of Pseudo- for which there is no scientific basis." tion of the chiropractic community. science," Ostrander writes, "Crude shark —Johns Hopkins University However, many FSU faculty members cartilage is marketed as a cancer cure on the opposed it. They argued rhat chiropractic premise that sharks don't get cancer. That's medicine is a pseudoscience and that such a not true, and the fact that people believe it is school would hurt FSU's academic reputa­ an illustration of just how harmful the pub­ 'Psychic' Con Artist tion. They also protested the way in which lic's irrationality can be." Caught in Police Sting the deal was arranged, with little to no input In fact, Ostrander's paper details more than from faculty members. Several pan-time fac­ forty examples of tumors in sharks and related At the 2004 Bayou Lacombe Crab Festival in ulty members had threatened to quit if the species, dating back to the mid-1800s. In the Louisiana last July, a resident of Slidell, school was approved. paper, Ostrander and a team of researchers Louisiana, had a reading performed by a sup­ One of the professors created a parody from the Registry ofTumor s in Lower Animals posed psychic who called herself "Miss map of the campus, which designates a not only dissect what they call the "fallacious Jackson." While the woman sought the read­ building for Chiropractic Medicine along­ arguments" that have successfully convinced ing as entertainment, upon being informed side other paranormal departments such as desperate cancer patients to purchase and that she had a terrible curse on her, she began the Yeti Foundation, the School of ingest crude shark cartilage extract, but they to take the episode more seriously. But to her Channeling and Remote Sensing, and a also call for society to become more scientifi­ relief. Miss Jackson quickly informed her Circle Simulation Laboratory. cally literate and, rhus, less vulnerable to skill­ that the curse could be removed with the fully mass-marketed illogical claims. proper ritual, and the next day, the two This is not the first time that a partner­ arranged to get together and discuss remov­ ship between a major university and a chi­ "People read on the Internet or hear on ing the curse. That procedure, predictably, ropractic organization has been attempted: television that taking crude shark cartilage involved a large sum of money which was to in 1995, York University in Toronto con­ extract can cure them of cancer, and they be ceremonially buried in a specified loca­ sidered a plan to affiliate themselves with believe it without demanding to sec the sci­ tion in a paper bag—with a banana. the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic ence behind the claims," Ostrander said. College. (There are several parallels: the "This shows how the electronic media have Fortunately, the victim realized that she proposal was not made public until 1998, increased the potential harm of pseudo- was being targeted by a con artist and con­ and advocates promised that the deal science, turning what would otherwise be tacted the Slidell Police Department. She was quaint cultural curiosities into potential seri­ would bring in millions of dollars and asked by investigators to go through with the ous societal and ecological problems. The many new students while faculty opposed meeting so that Miss Jackson could be caught

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 5 NEWS AND COMMENT

committing an act of fraud. Unfortunately, at Sweden, say they were motivated by 'Ancient Universe' die site, something raised the supposed psy­ reports that an "anonymous donor" gave chic's suspicion, and she quickly gathered her sixty copies of the ID textbook Of Pandas Booklet Explains the magical implements and left the scene widi- and People to the school district. "We Great Age of the out performing the "necessary" ritual. (The wanted students in Dover to have access Changing Cosmos victim did manage to retain the $5,000 in to accurate information about science, marked bills.) about evolutionary biology, and about the In several U.S. states there have been On July 13, 2004, a team of officers real agenda of the Intelligent Design demands that discussions of the Big Bang arrested Jackson, also known as Lecia Urich, movement," says list founder Lenny and the vast age of the universe be excluded who operates a fortune-telling parlor in Flank, a freelance writer from St. from science curricula in K-12 classrooms. Kenner. Urich was booked on charges of Petersburg, Florida. In response, the Astronomy Education attempted theft of an amount greater than Board of the American Astronomical Society $500. Another woman later came forward, (AAS) put together an article first published reporting that she was similarly duped out of CSICOP Launches in a newsletter for teachers on the Astro­ $37,000, so further charges have been added Creation Watch nomical Society of the Pacific Web site. in the case, which is still awaiting a court Web Site The AAS has now expanded this article appearance. into "The Ancient Universe," an illustrated For a more detailed account of a similar In an effort to help counter the misinfor­ guide explaining how astronomers know that case, see Amy Davis's article, "Psychic mation spread on the Internet by creation­ the cosmos is old and that it changes with Swindlers" on page 38 of this issue. ist groups, the Committee for the Scientific time. The booklet is designed for school —David Park Musella Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal boards, principals, parents, and anyone (CSICOP) has recently unveiled a interested in the scientific perspective on the David Park Musella is an editorial assistant "Creation Watch" Web site. In its early age of Earth and the physical world. with SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. stages the site will collect all SKEPTICAL The authors explain the evidence show­ INQUIRER and Skeptical Briefs articles on the ing that we live in a universe that is between 10 billion and 15 billion years old and that Internet Group subject. The site will help promote good science education and an understanding of both the universe and its contents undergo Donates Evolution Texts the evolutionary sciences, and address the evolutionary change. A list of written and to Dover High School fallacies of creation and Intelligent Design Web resources is also included. The 20-page nontechnical booklet An international e-mail group that is available for free downloading on the focuses on opposing the teach­ Web site: http://education.aas.org/ ing of Intelligent Design (ID) publications/ancienruniverse.html. creationism has donated over twenty science books to the Dover Astronomy, High School Library in Dover, Pennsylvania. The books include Astrology—What's What Evolution Is by evolutionary the Difference? It's biologist Ernst Mayr, Intelligent Politics Design Creationism and Its Critics by Robert Pennock, and Finding A saturation radio ad tiiat confused Darwin's God by biologist Kenneth astronomy with astrology was used to R. Miller. ridicule political incumbent Joel Dover became the scene of a Trella for taking college courses in legal fight after supporters of astronomy while serving as sheriff for Intelligent Design dieory attempted to insert arguments while exposing the tactics used Bergen County, New Jersey. The political ad, their viewpoint into science classes. The to mislead the public. In addition we hope broadcast on a New York City radio station, donated books arrived as lawyers argued in to add valuable educational materials and derided Trella for using "astronomy" to make court over the fate of Intelligent Design links to other online sites containing useful professional decisions. information for educators, activists, and "textbooks." At die beginning of the fifty-second Similar conflicts over ID theory are tak­ concerned citizens. The highlight of the site spot, a male voice, pretending to be that of ing place in Ohio, Kansas, Alabama, will be a Web column by Eugenie Scott, Trella, is singing the opening line from the Arkansas, and elsewhere. director of the National Center for Science song "Aquarius." He is interrupted by an The cyber-activists from the Debunk- Education (NCSE) and up to date report­ alarmed female voice announcing that a Creation e-mail list at Yahoogroups, from ing of news items from around the world. prisoner is escaping from the jail. The Trella the United States, the United Kingdom, The Creation Watch Web site is at www. impersonator responds in shock, "That's South Africa, Canada, Australia, and csicop.org/creationwatch/. impossible. Jupiter's orbiting!" At die end of

6 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT

the ad, the female exclaims, "Look, another "repressed" memories often brought out dur­ He has, widi his stories of forensic spe­ prisoner is escaping!" This time die Trella ing psychotherapy. She has testified on such cialists using science and scientific mediod, voice moans, "Ooh! What would the matters in many high-profile cases. given us back our very reason. The diree CSI Maharishi do?" The ad closes with state­ The Grawemeyer Web site said her re­ shows, which began in 2000, have all been in ments urging listeners 10 vote for Leo search "has implications for law and for psy- die top ten of die ratings and have made sci­ McGuire "because Bergen County needs a chodicrapy's mediods of probing memory." ence, reason, and even thinking itself fash­ sheriff—not an astronomer." Loftus told the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER she ionable again. Although die ad's writers arc aware diat was "shocked and delighted to be honored in Amid the so-called reality shows, the Maharishi Yogi represents a particular school of such an enormous way." Springer-esquc talk shows, and the inane sit­ astrology (Vedic), they must be clueless as to what In an earlier Los Angeles Times article, she coms, critical thinking and intelligent fare astronomy is. The apparent scientific illiteracy of called the award "a validation of work that I are hard to find. die campaign ad's writers produced a negative have been passionate about but also had to We have seen die flourishing of die super­ political spot criticizing die incumbent's educa­ do in a climate of hostility and difficulty. So natural on television, instead of a naturalistic tion that is so far off base as to sound moronic there's a special sense of vindication and view of life. Touched By an Angel, Joan of A call to Trella's office revealed mat die appreciation diat the enemies who have been Arcadia, The Others, Medium, John Edward, astronomy courses were taken to meet a uni­ trying to do me in for at least ten years did James Van Praagh, not to mention supernat­ versity's degree requirements and were not succeed." ural shows like The X-Files, often champion approved under die County's long-standing superstition over science, belief over proof, employee tuition reimbursement plan. In wishful diinking over scientific mediod. addition, according to Bergen County Community College, the incumbent played a Viewers become indoctrinated into die critical role in die development of die school's fantastical, avoiding scientific mediods and criminal-justice program, one of die few in reasoning. CSI stepped up like a drill die state. Bill Maer, McGuire's campaign sergeant and began putting the people manager, when asked about die confusion through their intellectual paces. Evidence, between astronomy and astrology would only proof, reason, and scientific method arc reply, "I'm sorry if die ad has offended any­ always stressed. body." It seems diat the greater cost for get­ Will Zuiker continue his winning ways? ting a science education, at least in this case, is Who knows? Will he continue to spread his not die tuition, but die public ridicule for brand of scientific Hellenization, a la having improved one's critical thinking skills. CSICOP Fellow Elizabeth Loftus. Alexander the Great? Let's hope so. But this much is certain. From both a rat­ —Frank Reiser She said she would use some of die ings and a pro-science point of view, Anthony money to support her research. Loftus is Frank Reiser is in the Department of Biology at Zuiker is easily TV's early man of die century. ranked 58th by the Review of General Nassau Community College in Garden City, Psychology on its list of the 100 top psy­ —Chris Volkay New York. chologists of die twentieth century. Chris Volkay is a freelance writer in Los Angeles who specializes in championing science over CSfs Anthony Zuiker: superstition, rationality over religion, and Loftus Wins $200,000 debunking the paranormal Grawemeyer Award for TV's Man of the Century?

Her Memory Research I nominate Anthony E. Zuiker as TV's man of die century. CSICOP Fellow Elizabeth Loftus, a noted Okay... I'm talking about diis century, not memory expert and professor of psychology last, and, second, just who is Anthony Zuiker? and law at die University of California, Irvine, Mr. CSI. The creator of the dure blockbuster has been named recipient of die $200,000 Grawemeyer Award for Psychology. hits on CBS: CSI; CSI: Miami, and CSI: New York. All this from a guy who was apparently The award was announced December 1 operating a tram not too very long ago. by UC-Irvine and the University of Louisville, which administers the award, My reason for naming him? Not die endowed by industrialist H. Charles usual ones. While I'm sure that CBS is mak­ Grawemeyer in 1984. ing plenty of money and spread-eagling die Loftus's work has emphasized that mem­ competition widi its holy trinity of crime ory is not like a tape recorder but creative fighters. Zuiker has given us something and reconstructive, and thus susceptible to much more important than any of diat. He's suggestion and manipulation. Her research given us back our sanity. He's also given us back our rationality, our empiricism. Anthony Zuiker. (Photo by Frederick M. has cast doubt on the validity of past Brown/Getty Images)

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 7 NEWS AND COMMENT

Newspaper's 'Psychic dimensional forms with no overlapping by Toward a New Philosophy of Biology, What cutting along the edges of their faces. The Evolution Is, and (most recendy) What Makes Experts' Wash Out with question arose from the artist's pursuit of Biology Unique?, on February 3, 2005, in Hurricane Predictions more accurate methods of representing the Bedford, Massachusetts, at the age of 100. proper proportions of three-dimensional (Mayr's short article "The Concerns of Science" Like Frances did three weeks earlier, objects in two-dimensional an. appeared in the July/August 1999 SKEPTICAL Hurricane Jeanne cut a swatch of destruction That question remained unanswered until INQUIRER Science & Religion issue.) across central Florida, striking the east coast it was solved last year by a fourteen-year-old at about midnight on the morning of Canadian student, Daniel Bezdek, who, like September 26, 2004. But if the coastal resi­ Durer, has a keen interest in geometry and dents were prepared for Jeanne's wrath, it math in general. Alleged Reagan was no thanks to the coast's Florida Today The project won its author five awards at Astrologer Dies newspaper, headquartered in Melbourne. Or the Canada Wide Science Fair, held in St. at least not to what die paper refers to as its John's, Newfoundland, Canada, in May Joyce Jillson, the actress turned self-styled three "psychic experts." 2004, garnering the young mathematician "Hollywood Astrologer" who claimed to A September 20 story tided "Local psy­ over $8,000 (Canadian) in prizes. The have cast horoscopes for President and Mrs. chics predict the weather: Will more storms judges stated that Bezdek's research was so Reagan, died October 1, 2004. Her obituary batter Brevard?" carried the following predic­ complex they needed to bring in additional again raised questions about the Reagans' tions from its telepathetic trio, who "for the mathematicians to properly evaluate it. reliance on astrology, as well as Jillson's past three years . .. have participated in New Though five centuries have passed since alleged role in providing such advice. Year's forecasts on politics, celebrities, Durer first asked the question, Bezdek is Jillson, one-time actress on die racy weather, etc." None foresaw Florida's historic reported to have spent just two weeks solving it. 1960s television scries Peyton Place, garnered run of four major hurricanes or the role worldwide publicity for her astrology busi­ —David Parle Musella Jeanne would play. ness in 1988. She claimed that she was actu­ ally a guest at the White House in 1981 fol­ According to staff writer Billy Cox, Shiraa lowing the attempted assassination of Roccelle "was certain [Jeanne] wouldn't splat­ President Reagan. Through their spokesper­ ter into Florida." Roccelle is quoted as saying Recent Deaths sons, the Reagans denied that was true. (or seering), "My sense is that it will come Jillson's claim followed revelations by for­ much closer to Georgia or South Carolina, Ernst Mayr, considered by some the leading evolutionary biologist of the twentieth century, mer White House chief of staff Donald T and it'll miss us." one of the architects of the modern evolution­ Regan in his book. For the Record In addi­ Next Elizabeth Cooper came to the plate: ary synthesis that reconciled Darwin's theories tion to characterizing President Reagan as "It's going to dissipate—1 don't think it'll be of evolution with new findings in genetics, pop­ likeable but disturbingly susceptible to a hurricane." ulation biology, and diversity, professor emeri­ manipulation, especially by a meddling First Batting third, and playing way out in left tus of zoology at Harvard (the Museum of Lady, Regan exposed what he called "proba­ field, Chris Jones: " Georgia is the first word Comparative Zoology), promoter of evolution­ bly the most closely guarded domestic secret that comes to mind with Jeanne," Jones said. ary biology as a discipline and the philosophy of of the Reagan White House." He revealed "Jeanne is full of steam, but she'll hit land biology as a field, author of such works as Birds that the First Lady relied on an astrologer to and blow out ratiier quickly." Jones was of the Southwest Pacific, Animal Species and determine the best time for every presiden­ instead more concerned about Hurricane Evolution, The Growth of Biological Thought, tial move, from travel to speeches and more: Karl, which, alas, never approached the The Evolutionary Synthesis, This is Biology The astrologer, according to Time magazine, United States. cast the charts of Reagan (an Aquarius) and Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev (a —Gary Posner Pisces) and "determined that 2 P.M. on Dec. Gary P. Posner is founder of Tampa Bay 8, 1987, was die most propitious moment Skeptics and a CSICOP Scientific Consultant. for them to sign the intermediate-range nuclear forces treaty." Don Regan did not name the prognosti- cator except to say that she was "an Centuries-old Puzzle astrologer in San Francisco." Joyce Jillson Solved by Calgary Teen was instead from Los Angeles, but she quickly claimed that she had "spent a lot of In the early part of the sixteenth century, time of the White House" after the assassi­ German artist, engraver, and master of per­ nation attempt and had recommended spective Albrecht Durer, who often brought George H.W. Bush as Reagan's running his powerful interest in geometry into his mate in 1980. However, as Time reported, artistic pursuits, wondered whether all "Neither the President nor the First Lady polyhedral forms could be reduced to two- Ernst Mayr. recalls ever meeting Jillson."

8 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT

Soon, reporters had identified die real Apparendy Mrs. Reagan did not stop to astral consultant as Joan Quigley, who was said recall die adage diat hindsight is always to be "not unlike many of the First Lady's 20/20. Astrologers, like other mystics, often California friends": a wealthy conservative make such retroactive claims. (One psychic, socialite. Quigley had authored three books on Tamara Rand, seemed especially accurate in astrology and had been advising the Reagans predicting die attempted assassination of ever since die early 1970s when television talk- Reagan, reputedly on a TV show on January show host Merv Griffin introduced her to 6, 1981. She mentioned the initials "J.H." and other details, saying Reagan would be Mrs. Reagan. A long-time acquaintance de­ shot in the chest during a "hail of bullets," scribed Quigley as "a little wacky." and that it would transpire in late March or President Reagan tried to minimize his con­ early April. Indeed, John Hinckley shot nection to astrology, but, according to Time. Reagan on March 30. However, an AP Both Reagans have always been supersti­ reporter discovered the video was a fake, filed tious, observing such harmless rituals as die day after die assassination attempt.) knocking on wood and walking around, not under, ladders. The President puts a —Joe Nickell certain coin and a gold charm in his H. Narasimhaiah. pocket each morning, and routinely tosses Joe Nickell is CSICOP's Senior Research Fellow. salt over his left shoulder not just when he the Bangalore Science Forum, been the vice- spills some but before all his meals. chancellor of Bangalore University from 1972 to 1977 and known worldwide because Also, in his autobiography, written in 1965, of his commitment and activities to promote Reagan described his and his wife's attraction Indian Rationalist science. I have never met someone so promi­ to published astrological forecasts. H. Narasimhaiah nent and humble at the same time. Reagan's son Michael told me, when I Dies at 84 Full-page newspaper reports in several was on his radio show, that his father often Bangalore newspapers reviewed his lifelong mentioned how his dog Rex would refuse to Eminent rationalist H. Narasimhaiah, achievements. They lauded his humor and enter the Lincoln bedroom which was sup­ founder of die Bangalore Science Forum, discussed many of tricks he used to lure posedly haunted. Reagan's daughter, Patti CSICOP Fellow, and eminent skeptic, died students into science classes. Among Davis, recalled he once replied when asked January 31, 2005, at the age of 84. He was the honors bestowed on him were the about Lincoln's ghost: "1 haven't seen him one of die greatest minds in India, promoting Sir M. Visweswaraya Award for the popular­ yet. But 1 do believe he's here." die public understanding of science and die ization of science and die Padma Bhushan In her 1989 memoir, Nancy Reagan also spirit of critical inquiry. He was cremated in Award of the Government of India. his native Hosur village with full state honors. attempted to play down the astrology issue, stat­ Skeptics worldwide will miss him. ing it had had no impact on American policy "Do not accept anything widiout ques­ matters. However, die following year Quigley tioning" was his guideline. During the infor­ —Amardeo Sarma wrote in her own book, What Don Joan Say?, mation technology revolution, he remained Amardeo Sarma is chairman of the German that her involvement with Mrs. Reagan gave her committed to promoting pure science and a skeptics group GWUP and a member of the "a direct line to the President." She said she per­ scientific outlook to life. His outstanding con­ CSICOP executive council- suaded him, for instance, to soften his "evil tribution was the founding of the Bangalore empire attitude" toward Gorbachev prior to Science Forum in 1962, which is dedicated to their Geneva Summit meeting. promoting the scientific temper. Developing There may have been further unintended scientific temper is incidentally one of die Quoteworthy Fundamental Duties enshrined in die Indian consequences. According to Jack Anderson constitution, and he was one of die few who and Dale Van Atta, syndicated columnists, the "Science is always more unsolved questions, took diis duty seriously in a country where Soviet consulate was believed to have tapped and its great advantage is you can prove courting fraudulent god men, whom he vehe- into unsecured phones lines over which Mrs. something is true or something is false. You mendy opposed, has become fashionable. Reagan and her stargazer routinely discussed can't do that about human affaire—most national policy matters. Reportedly, White Narasimhaiah strongly opposed super­ human things can be right from one point of view and wrong from another. It is the most House sources, the CIA, and rhc National stition and obscurantism and had challenged wonderful feeling when you come to a real Security Council believed that the Soviets had god men, including Sai Baba. Ten years ago, answer. This is it, and diis is correct! In sci­ recorded hundreds of such calls. I was fortunate to have a brief talk with him. ence, you know you know." However credible the superstitious Students I asked immediately knew where his Reagans initially found astrology, "In 1981," office was. I was struck by the utter simplic­ reported Time, "Quigley made Nancy a ity of his office, equipped widi a few simple, —Nobel laureate physicist Hans believer by showing how the astrologer's toldablc chairs and small table. I learned th.it Bethe. who discovered how the sun he had also been living in a similarly simple charts could have foretold that the period on and other stars generate their room wirhout even a bed for fifty-three years. or around March 30, 1981, would be energy and who died March 6, This was a man who had, besides founding extremely dangerous for the President." 2005. at the age of 98. D

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 9 The Center for Inquiry - Transnational materials keep coming. There's an office announces a major 13,600 square foot or workstation everywhere we can put expansion at its Amherst, New York, head­ one, yet program and staffing needs con­ quarters. Slated for completion during tinue to grow. Our existing conference and 2005, the $2.54 million expansion will more seminar space, opened in 1995, is often than double conference and seminar overwhelmed by larger and more complex capacity, add ten urgently-needed new events. offices, and enlarge the Center's world- The headquarters expansion is one class libraries. This capital project will The new addition will be erected just east of the present focus of our $26.26 million New Future building, constructed in 1995. relieve serious overcrowding and capac­ Fund capital campaign. Your gift to the ity problems, supporting projected pro­ New Future Fund today will help to make gram growth of the Center and its affiliate our desperately-needed headquarters organizations, including the Committee for expansion a reality. We seek gifts of cash, the Scientific Investigation of Claims of publicly-traded securities, paid-up insur­ the Paranormal, for years to come. ance policies, and other assets. Attractive We are bursting at the seams, and can­ incentive and naming opportunities are not continue program growth without offered in acknowledgment of larger gifts. expanding our headquarters. The shelf All gifts are fully tax-deductible as pro­ space of our skeptical and freethought vided by law. Please join us and declare library—the finest in the world—is full. Yet your support Write, call, email, or send the bound-in postcard today donated books, magazines, and archival Three large seminar rooms open off of the new building's central corridor.

Contact: Development Department, Center for Inquiry- Transnational* PO Box 741, Amherst NY 14226-0741 Located between the current and new buildings, this Garden Patio will be an exciting focus for seminar meal (716)636-4869, ext 311 breaks, media interviews, and other outdoor activities. E-mail: [email protected] • http://www.centerforinquiry.net

l4li]lilllIU(iM['!lll[*.vM[ Ini L lIHh1lill*lIi[T3i* Brains, Biology, Science, and Skepticism

On Thinking about Sex Differences (Again)

CAROL TAVRIS

n 1977, my friend and colleague So first, some perspective. Amer­ abandoned the science they loved, Carole Wade and I wrote one of the icans, being an individualistic culture, describing the insults, rejections, and Ifirst textbooks in women's studies. tend to ascribe the origins of people's humiliations they have endured. We called it The Longest War: Sex difficulties to something in them—low Dr. Summers has had many defend­ Differences in Perspective. The publisher motivation, bad personality, wonky hor­ ers who have argued that this whole briefly worried about the title, on the mones, or a gene for laziness. (They kafuffle is just a politically correct tem­ grounds that it was unduly gloomy, make personality attributions even per tantrum by those who can't abide though she was cheered when someone when, in experiments, they have been even asking sensitive questions such as from the U.S. Army called to order sev­ explicitly informed that the other person whether sex differences occur and if so, eral thousand copies—until he learned is doing what they were ordered to do.) why they do. These questions should it wasn't about Vietnam. Therefore, whenever some individual or certainly be on the table, they say, and There is a benefit to having written some group isn't doing as well as others, scholars should be able to debate them about sex differences for so long. You get the immediate temptation is to assume without uproar and censorship. Indeed to take the long view of an issue, to see the reason lies in the "inherent" qualities they should! They have been doing so it, as it were, in perspective—for exam­ of the individual or group. for thirty years! If Dr. Summers had ple, how women's rights have risen and No serious scholar disputes any discussed the matter by offering any fallen, come and gone, and returned and longer that motives, hormones, and data at all from those thirty years of gone again, depending on the state of genes affect behavior; it's just that they research to bolster his case, I doubt his the economy and the current level of are not the only factors that do. For audience would have been so appalled. hysteria among religious conservatives example, in the 1970s psychologists For the record, let's note that Dr. about sex, marriage, and morals. In worried that women suffered from an Summers did not present any data in America, anything over ten years is the internal "fear of success" that was keep­ his remarks. A New York Times editorial long view, and everything over twenty- ing them out of law and medical observed wryly that "the transcript pro­ five years is die ancient view. schools and other traditionally male vides the best possible refutation of the There is a disadvantage to having careers. When discrimination was made charge of political correctness. written about sex differences for so long. illegal, "fear of success" was trampled Whatever Dr. Summers was doing at It makes me feel ancient and irritable. under the crush of women entering the conference, it had nothing to do You would feel that way too, if you had professional schools and occupations with serious intellectual inquiry. 'I to read the same damned debate over formerly closed to them, including bar­ don't think anybody actually has a and over and over and over. In America, tending and boxing. I will be very clue,' was one operative phrase." hardly anyone remembers anything that happy to entertain Summers's specula­ happened more than a few years ago, tions about why more women are not at Carol Tavris, Ph.D., is a social psychologist and so, every time someone comes along the higher echelons of math and science and author, among other books, o/"The speculating that, say, men have an when the notion that they don't belong Mismeasure of Woman: Why Women innate advantage over women in math mere is as dead as fear of success. We are are Not the Better Sex, the Inferior Sex, and science, the country gets riled up all not there yet by a long shot. Just read or the Opposite Sex (Touchstone) and, over again. This time the someone was any of the letters to the editor written, with Carole Wade, Psychology, and the president of Harvard, Lawrence in the aftermath of the Summers affair, Invitation to Psychology (Prentice Hall). Summers, so he caused a lot of riling. by women in science, and those who She is a CSICOP Fellow.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 11 So let's examine some of the evi­ seems to listen. Jeannette McGlone sum­ as sociologists have found, more deter­ dence, starting with Summers's anecdote marized her own findings on sex differ­ mined by the structure of occupations about his daughter's preference for dolls ences in die brain this way: "One must and how much time and commitment a over trucks—parents' favorite kind of not overlook perhaps die most obvious career demands of its employees; the data. Developmental psychologists have conclusion, which is that basic patterns of existence of good day care for workers shown that three- to seven-year-old chil­ male and female brain asymmetry seem to who have children; die percentage of dren do indeed often behave like sexist be more similar dian they are different." women in a field (to women, a signal of piglets, to the despair of egalitarian par­ Of course, everyone dien overlooked it. how welcome they are, and to men, a ents and die gloating of traditionalist Third, sex differences in the brain signal of what their income will be); ones. It doesn't much matter how par­ could be the result rather than the what a person's friends and peers are ents treat their children during these cause of behavioral differences. doing; what the economy encourages or years; the kids know what they want to Experiences in life are constantly discourages; and the cultural norms play with, and don't try giving a boy a sculpting the circuitry of the brain, within a profession. Barbie. During those years, children are affecting the way brains are organized Suppose a chocolate factory has an acquiring a "cognitive schema" for gen­ and how they function. For example, assembly line that is geared to die average der, fitting in the qualities and activities bilingual people who learned both of height of a man, say 5'9". Workers who that seem to fit into each category— their languages in early childhood tend are 55 or shorter cannot be hired. Would rough, spiky, black, mechanical things to use a single, uniform Broca's area we conclude mat women's underrepresen- are "male," for example, and soft, pink, when they generate sentences in the tation in that factory was due to Chocolate fuzzy, or flowery things are "female"; two languages. But in people who Aversion Disorder, Fear of Chocolate, or a black bears are male and pink poodles learned a second language during ado­ Just Don't Wanna factor? We would say, are female. At this age, they will insist lescence, Broca's area is divided into oh, for crying out loud, adjust die height that only boys can be doctors, even if two distinct regions, one for each lan­ of the £V©91!T)&! assembly line, or find their mother is a doctor. But dieir gen­ guage. Playing a stringed instrument in comparable work for die women—and der-typed behavior as five-year-olds childhood enlarges parts of the brain men—who are shorter dian 5'5". often has little to do with how they will associated with music production, and Therefore, in the final analysis, I behave at twenty-five or forty-five. driving a taxi for years enlarges parts of think it's time to dump the ancient, bor­ Children can grow up in an extremely the brain involved in spatial orienta­ ing question: "Do 'men' have a greater traditional, gender-typed family and yet, tion. Obviously, women and men often intrinsic aptitude for madi and science as adults, find themselves in careers or have different experiences in childhood dian 'women' do?"—as if the sexes were relationships they would never have that could affect their brains accord­ separate categories like furniture and imagined for themselves—as the grow­ ingly. A scientist who identified lateral­ fruit. The question should be: "What ing number of men who are nannies, ization differences in one MRI study can we do to make sure that anyone who nurses, and homemakers confirms. concluded, "We don't know if the dif­ has any interest in or aptitude for science— But what about all those studies that ference [we found] is because of the anyone of any sex or ethnicity or age or are finding sex differences in the way we're raised, or if it's hard-wired in background or income—is encouraged to brain—say, those that find a sex differ­ the brain." learn more and succeed in a career in sci­ ence in lateralization? For some types of Lawrence Summers posed two expla­ ence?" Today, when the president of the tasks, especially those involving lan­ nations for the underrepresentation of United States thinks the jury is still out guage, men seem to rely more heavily on women in math and science: die "intrin­ on evolution; when teachers are afraid to one side of the brain whereas women sic aptitude" hypodiesis and "socializa­ teach evolution lest they incur die wrath tend to use both sides. This is incredibly tion." The current evidence suggests diat of parents; when the majority of interesting, but consider these three bodi are wrong. Males may indeed have Americans embrace astrologers, psychics, caveats: an "innate" advantage at die extreme end and scam artists; when government First, in diese studies both sexes usu­ of die bell curve, up there in die stratos­ agencies and Web sites are censoring sci­ ally do equally well on the task at hand. phere of genius, but for everyone else in entific findings diat do not support So what does the lateralization differ­ die vast middle, die similarities between administration policies on everything ence actually mean for anyone's behav­ die sexes in behavior and aptitude are far from global warming to die alleged psy­ ior in real life? Who knows? greater dian die differences. chological effects of abortion and non- Second, die overlap between die sexes But "socialization" is wrong too. marital sex—we cannot afford to make a in diese studies is often greater than any Occupational choices are not especially single citizen feel unwelcome in die halls average difference between them. determined by events in our childhoods of science. The president of Harvard, of Scientists keep saying diis, but no one or by how our parents raise us. They are, all people, should know diat. •

12 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER SPECIAL REPORTS

Johnny Carson Remembered

JAMES RANDI

very bright light in utes before airtime, opening it my life has gone out. to find him standing diere. He was thoughtful enough to want A to ask me what I wished to pro­ Forgive me if what follows is a little disorganized, but mote during my appearance, I've just heard diat we've lost and always had some sort of Johnny Carson. It doesn't anecdote to share with me. seem possible. We were in Once, after he'd left my dress­ touch just a week ago. ing room, I was asked by the I'm writing this as a sort of prop man, "Do you know catharsis. The phone has where the body's hidden, or been ringing incessandy, and something?" He just couldn't understand why John had bro­ I'm hardly able to speak Johnny Carson laughs on the set of The Tonight Show. Carson, a pioneer coherently to those who of late night television comedy, died January 23, 2005. at the age of 79. ken his rule in my case. (AFP/Getty Images) express dieir grief and shock. When the famous expose of Just a few years ago I asked John about die product— and those who promote Peter Popoff occurred on his his triple bypass and how it was affecting it—even more than I did previously; it show, conditions had been somewhat his life. Typically, he told me diat it had took away my father, too. changed over those diat usually applied. made such a difference to him in so many John was generous, kind, and caring. Earlier that afternoon I had met widi ways, diat he would recommend it to The James Randi Educational Founda­ Fred DeCordova, his director, I had everyone, "whether tliey need it or not." tion received several checks—six-figure shown him die video footage that we had I now regret diat I was never able to ask checks—from this prince, because he exposing Popoffs scam, and when Fred him a burning question: whether he'd really believed in what we were doing, he said that he would show the video to given up smoking. I suspect he hadn't, followed our Web page closely, and he Johnny, I'd suggested diat it might be since those of us who appeared on his would call every now and dien widi com­ better to surprise him. "No," Fred had show were well aware diat he smoked all ments and suggestions for subjects he insisted, "Johnny doesn't like surprises." through die taping, concealing diat fact believed to be important. The phone will "Well, just think for a moment about the by waiting until die camera was on a never again give me die delight of hearing expression he'll have on his face," I told guest and would probably stay diere for his voice, and diat is the burden I will him. That did it. We went on-camera at least thirty seconds. There was an have to live with. I will miss him more that evening without Johnny knowing exhaust fan under die desk, always a lit than I can say. the big surprise — that Popoff had a cigarette within reach, and the audience There was always a bit of mystery had been prompted to simply not nouce connected with my appearances on the James "The Amazing" Randi was a diat he was smoking in between camera show. John would never wish to meet founding member of the Committee for the shots. I mention diis because it seems guests before they actually walked out Scientific Investigation of Claims of the pretty evident diat tobacco got die man, onto die set, but I was accustomed to Paranormal and is currently head of the as it does so many of us. It makes me hate hearing a tap on the door about ten min- James Randi Educational Foundation.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 13 concealed receiver in his ear. John let out he might place a telephone call to Martin's birthday, for some twenty an expletive that was dropped out of the Martin Gardner on that gentleman's minutes. That's the kind of gentleman tape before it was broadcast later in the ninetieth birthday, John had no hesi­ that Johnny Carson was. evening, and DeCordova had to agree tation agreeing to do so. "I've got John, I will miss you, as will so many that we'd made the right decision. most of his books," he told me, "and millions here and around the world, but John and I were fond of pertinent it'll be fun to speak with him." They your legacy lives on. I've just run out of quotations. We'd exchange them by e- did speak, on the afternoon of words. mail or phone, really, I suspect, trying to out-quote one another. Here's one I'll send him right here and now: The editors of SKEPTICAL INQUIRER wish to add their lament at the death of Johnny Carson. He had a skeptical mind, ever willing to poke holes in sham Love is a bad tenant for one's bosom; for when compelled to quit, he always and pretense. In addition to Carson's broadcast of Randi's classic expose" of leaves the mansion more or less out of Peter Popoff, he was complicit in the scuttling of Uri Geller! Interestingly, repair. Carson once featured a young lady who claimed to be a psychic card reader. "I'll be damned it I know how she did it," he is alleged to have remarked. This —C.F. Hoffman 1806-1884 prompted CSICOP to invite her to SUNY at Buffalo in order to test her pow­ I loved you, Johnny. We all did. ers. We were able to demonstrate that she was a trickster. Martin Gardner said Yes, I'm rambling, because I just that she used the Matt Schulien forced card trick, and Randi caught her on don't know what else to say. I will camera peeking! That's psychic? miss Johnny Carson like no other per­ Carson was a subscriber to SKEPTICAL INQUIRER (and Free Inquiry), and he son in my life. He was such a good made several four-figure contributions in response to our fund appeals. Alas, man, one of my minor gods, and a there are all too few figures in the media with enough guts to criticize hoax­ good friend that I regret to say I did ers and defend skeptical inquiry. Steve Allen was a notable exception, but he not meet again in person after he left is gone as well. Luckily, Penn and Teller are still in action, as is, of course, the television so long ago. Just one small inimitable Randi. example, if I may, of how generous he —Paul Kurtz was. When 1 called and asked him if

Claims of Invalid 'Shroud' Radiocarbon Date Cut from Whole Cloth

JOE NICKELL

ongtime Shroud of Turin devotee medieval artist (Rogers 2004, 2005). proved the linen was produced between Ray Rogers, a retired research Rogers follows many other shroud 1260 and 1390 (Damon et al. 1989)— Lchemist, now admits there is the defenders in attempting to discredit the were invalid because they were conducted equivalent of a watercolor paint on the medieval date given by radiocarbon test­ on a sample taken from a medieval patch. alleged burial cloth of Jesus. By tortuous ing (Nickell 1998, 150-151). "The radiocarbon sample has completely logic and selective evidence, however, he In a paper published in Thermo- different chemical properties than the uses the coloration to claim the chimica Acta, Rogers (2005) claims that main pan of the shroud relic," Rogers "shroud" image was not the work of a earlier carbon-14 dating tests—which told BBC News ("Turin" 2005).

14 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER In fact, the radiocarbon sample (a Not only did McCrone find "occa­ radiocarbon-sample area, in contrast to its small piece cut from the "main body of sional" cotton fibers on die Shroud, but reported absence in other areas of the the shroud" [Damon 1989, 612]) was die source of Rogers's sample, Gilbert clodi. This is a dubious finding given his destroyed by the testing. Rogers (2005) Racs, has since been challenged as to his extremely limited samples. He attempts relied on two little threads allegedly left claim, cited by Rogers (2005, 189), that to date the shroud by die amount of the over from die sampling,' together with "the cotton was an ancient Near Eastern lignin decomposition but admits diat diat segments taken from an adjacent area in variety." In fact, others—including method can offer only an accuracy range 1973. He cites pro-authenticity re­ French textile expert Gabriel Vial and of a whopping 1,700 years (contrasted searchers who guessed that die carbon- major pro-shroud author Ian Wilson with about 150 years by radiocarbon dat­ 14 sample came from a "rewoven area" (1998, 71, 97)—believe the cotton may ing). He concedes diat the decomposition could have been accelerated by the baking of repair—"As unlikely as it seems," be entirely incidental. They point out it of the clodi in its reliquary diat occurred Rogers admitted to one news source could have come from the cotton gloves during the fire of 1532, but diinks it (Lorenzi 2005). Indeed, textile experts or clothing of the Turin cloth's handlers unlikely die cloth is medieval. specifically made efforts to select a site or a similarly mundane source. for taking the radiocarbon sample that On the tape-lifted STURP samples However, apart from the fire damage, was away from patches and seams (affixed to microscope slides), McCrone the cloth is remarkably well preserved (Damon et al. 1989, 611-612). found a variety of substances (including for a reputed age of nearly 2,000 years. Rogers compared the threads with mold spores and wax spatters). Major Also, no examples of its complex her­ some small samples from elsewhere on pigments were red ocher (in "body" ringbone weave are known from the the Shroud, claiming to find differences areas) and vermilion (together with red time of Jesus when, in any case, burial between the two sets of threads that ocher in the "blood" areas), contained cloths tended to be of plain weave "prove" the radiocarbon sample "was in a collagen tempera binder. He also (Nickell 1998,35; Wilson 1998,98-99, 188; Sox 1981). In addition, Jewish bur­ not part of die original cloth" of the found the madder,-' in addition to orpi- ial practice utilized—and the Gospel of Turin shroud (as stated in his abstract ment, azurite, and yellow ocher pig­ John specifically describes for Jesus— [Rogers 2005, 189]). ments, as well as paint fragments, multiple burial wrappings with a separate The reported differences include the including ultramarine and titanium cloth over the face. presence—allegedly only on die "radio­ white—together suggestive of the carbon sample"—of cotton fibers and a shroud's origin in "an artist's studio" Other evidence of medieval fakery coating of madder root dye in a binding (McCrone 1996,85, 135). includes the shroud's lack of historical medium that his tests "suggest" is gum Astonishingly—and with serious record prior to the mid-fourteenth cen­ Arabic. He insists the sampled area was implications to the spirit of peer tury—when a bishop reported the that of an interwoven medieval repair review—Rogers omits any mention of attist's confession—as well as serious that was intentionally colored to match McCrone's findings from his report anatomical problems, the lack of wrap­ the "older, sepia-colored cloth" (Rogers while insisting elsewhere, "let's be hon­ around distortions, the resemblance of the figure to medieval depictions of 2005, 192, 193). est about our science" (Rogers 2004). Jesus, and suspiciously bright red and However, Rogers's assertions to die con­ Although Rogers is a research picturelike "blood" stains which failed trary, both the cotton and me madder have chemist, unlike McCrone he is not an a battery of sophisticated tests by been found elsewhere on the shroud. Both internationally celebrated microanalyst forensic serologists, among many odier were specifically reported by famed micro- with special expertise in examining indicators. These facts argue against questioned paintings. Working in his analyst Walter McCrone (1996, 85) who Rogers's assertions that the shroud is was commissioned to examine samples "home laboratory," he did not, as far as neither a forgery nor a miracle—that taken by die Shroud of Turin Research his report informs, use a "blind" "the blood is real blood"1 and the image Project (STURP). After McCrone discov­ approach as McCrone did to mitigate was produced by "a rotting body" ered die image was rendered in tempera against die subjectivity diat has contin­ (Rogers 2004). paint, STURP held him to a secrecy agree­ ually plagued the work of shroud advo­ ment, while statements were made to die cates. Moreover, McCrone once referred Science has proved the Shroud of press diat no evidence of artistry was to Rogers's and his fellow STURP co­ Turin a medieval fake, but defenders of found. McCrone was then, he says, author's "incompetence in light authenticity turn the scientific method "drummed out" of the organization microscopy" and pointed out errors in on its head by starting with the desired (Nickell 1998,124-125:2004,193-194). the test procedures they relied on conclusion and working backward to As evidence of its pro-authentkiry bias, (McCrone 1996, 157, 158-171). the evidence—picking and choosing STURP's leaders served on die executive Rogers (2005) now also reports die and reinterpreting as necessary. It is an committee of the Holy Shroud Guild. presence of vanillin in the lignin of the approach I call "shroud science."

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 200S 1 S Notes Lorenzi, Rossella- 2005. Turin shroud older than INQUIRER 28:4 (July/August), 69; with thought. News in Science (hnp://www.abc. 1. Ian Wilson (1998, 187) reported that the response by Joe Nickell. net.au/science/news/storics/s 1289491 .htm). . 2005. Studies on die radiocarbon sample trimmings "are no longer extant." )anuary 26. from the Shroud of Turin. Thermochimica 2. Red lake colors like madder were specifically McCrone, Walter. 1996. Judgment Day for the -4CM 425: 189-194. used by medieval artists to overpaim vermilion in Turin Shroud. Chicago: Microscope Publi­ Sox, H. David. 1981. Quoted in David F. Brown, depicting "blood" (Nickell 1998, 130). cations. Interview with H. David Sox, New Realities 3. Rogers (2004) does acknowledge that Nickell, Joe. 1998. Inquest on the Shroud of Turin: 4:1 (1981), 31. claims the blood is type AB "are nonsense." Latest Scientific Findings. Amherst, N.Y.: Turin shroud "older than thought." 2005. BBC Prometheus Books. News, January 27 (accessed at hnp://news. References . 2004. The Mystery Chronicles. Lexington, bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/—/2/hi/scicnce/naturc/421 Damon, P.E., et al. 1989. Radiocarbon dating of Ky.: The University Press of Kentucky. 0369.stm). the Shroud of Turin. Nature 337 (February): Rogers, Raymond N. 2004. Shroud not hoax, not Wilson, Ian. 1998. The Blood and the Shroud New 611-615. miracle. Letter to the editor, SKEPTICAL York: The Free Press.

Rebuttal to Joe Nickell

RAYMOND N. ROGERS

oe Nickell has attacked my scien­ results from Mark Anderson, his own an expert on chemical kinetics. I have a tific competence and honesty in his MOLE expert? medal for Exceptional Civilian Service "Claims of Invalid 'Shroud' Radio­ Incidentally, I knew Walter since the from the U.S. Air Force, and I have Jcarbon Date Cut from Whole Cloth." 1950s and had compared explosives developed many microanalytical meth­ Everything I have done investigating the data with him. I was the one who "com­ ods. I was elected to be a Fellow of a shroud had die goal of testing some missioned" him to look at the samples national laboratory. A cloud still hangs hypothesis [Schwalbe, L.A., Rogers, that I took in Turin, when nobody else over Walter with regard to the Vinland R.N., "Physics and Chemistry of die would trust him. I designed the sam­ map. Joe does not take his job as Shroud of Turin: Summary of the 1978 pling system and box, and I was the "Research Director" very seriously. If Investigation," Analytica Chimica Acta person who signed the paperwork in he thinks I am a "true believer," I will 135, 3 (1982); Rogers R. N., Arnoldi Turin so that I could hand-carry the put him solidly on the "far-right" A., "The Shroud of Turin: an amino- samples back to the U.S. The officials in lunatic fringe. carbonyl reaction (Maillard reaction) Turin and King Umberto would not Joe did not understand die mediod or may explain die image formation," in allow Walter to touch the relic. Walter importance of the results of die pyroly- Meianoidins vol. 4, Ames, J.M., ed., lied to me about how he would handle sis/mass spectrometry analyses, and I Office for Official Publications of the the samples, and he early ruined them doubt that he understands die funda­ European Communities, Luxembourg, for additional chemical tests. mental science behind either visible/ 2003, pp. 106-113]. Incidentally, has anyone seen direct evi­ ultraviolet spectrometry or fluorescence. My latest paper [Rogers, R. N., dence that Walter found Madder on the He certainly does not understand chemi­ "Studies on the radiocarbon sample clodi? I can refute almost every claim he cal kinetics. If he wants to argue my from the Shroud of Turin," Thermo- made, and I debated the subject with results, I suggest that we stick to observa­ chimica Acta 425/1-2, 189-194 his people at a Gordon Conference. I tions, natural laws, and facts. I am a skep­ (2005)] is no exception. I accepted the can present my evidence as photomi­ tic by nature, but I believe all skeptics radiocarbon results, and I believed crographs of classical tests, spectra, and should be held to the same ethical and that die "invisible reweave" claim was mass spectra. scientific standards we require of others. highly improbable. I used my samples Now Joe thinks I am a "Shroud of to test it. One of the greatest embar­ Turin devotee," a "pro-authenticity Raymond N. Rogers rassments a scientist can face is to have researcher," and incompetent at micro­ Fellow (Retired) to agree with die lunatic fringe. So, analysis. If he ever read any of my pro­ University of California Joe, should I suppress the informa­ fessional publications, he would know Los Alamos National Laboratory tion, as Walter McCrone did the that I have international recognition as Los Alamos, New Mexico

16 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER (and fellow researcher John Heller) "had Turin, apart from debates over sensitive Joe Nickell Replies: never before tackled anything remotely tests, powerful historical and other evi­ like an artistic forgery." Apparently the dence still strongly indicates forgery. ay Rogers largely sidesteps my criti­ same is true of Rogers. Why, then, were Regarding the rate of the shroud cisms. He claimed to have uniquely R they chosen for such important work? linen's vanillin loss, again Rogers is found cotton and madder on the Having taught FBI and other foren­ drawing doubtful conclusions from lim­ shroud's radiocarbon sample area—thus sic analysts, McCrone was termed "the ited samples. Moreover, the results supposedly indicating it came from an best-known forensic microanalyst in would have been affected not only by "invisible reweave." He admits this sce­ the world" and his lab "the most com­ the fire of 1532 but also by the cloth's nario seemed "highly improbable," hav­ pletely equipped laboratory of its kind unknown storage conditions. This alter­ ing come, he says, from "the lunatic in this country or the world." Rogers nate linen dating "test" is not an fringe" (shroud zealots). He is unhappy himself once conceded McCrone was accepted, proven one, but rather one that I disproved his claim by citing the "the best in the world" in his highly newly improvised, and Rogers's conclu­ earlier discovery, elsewhere on the cloth, specialized field. sions are contradicted by much other of both cotton and madder. evidence. As to the additional analyses Rogers claims "A cloud still hangs over Rogers refers to, please see McCrones Rogers now questions that Walter Walter with regard to the Vinland Map." Judgement Day for the Turin Shroud McCrone actually discovered madder on In fact, as shown on a Nova television pro­ (1996) and my Inquest on the Shroud of the cloth. If McCrone did not, how pre­ gram February 8, 2005, tided "The Turin: Litest Scientific Findings (1998). scient of him to claim so, since its pres­ Viking Deception," McCrones finding of ence would be confirmed over two a modern pigment, anatase, has been con­ » * « decades later by Rogers! Rogers's belated firmed. Aldiougli McCrones conclusions discovery follows the death in 2002 of were once challenged by chemist Thomas Since writing the above, I am saddened McCrone, thus precluding his response. Cahill and colleagues, in 2002 scientists to learn of Ray's death (on March 8). I I have not said Rogers was not a using Raman microprobe spectroscopy know that he sincerely wanted to do research chemist, rather that he is not an proved that the Vinland Map's ink did good science, and I praised him in my expert in the field of detecting an forg­ contain anatase. (See Katherine L. Brown book for backing away from his earlier and Robin J.H. Clark, 2002, "Analysis of eries. Rogers's pro-shroud colleague, position that the shroud image "was Pigmentary Materials on the Vinland Alan Adler (whom Rogers cited in his formed by a burst of radiant energy." He Map and Tartar Relation by Raman report), admitted that McCrone "had had the courage and integrity to dis­ Microprobe Spectroscopy," Analytical over two decades of experience with this tance himself from shroud zealots, and I Chemistry 74 [15], 3658-3661.) With kind of problem and a worldwide repu­ know that on many other issues he and the Vinland Map as with the Shroud of tation," whereas Adler conceded that he I would have been on the same side. •

If you want to join the fight against superstition, irrationalism, pseudoscience, and deception attend

THE FIRST IBERO-AMERICAN CONFERENCE ON CRITICAL THINKING: THE SOCIAL EFFECTS OF DOGMATISM AND DECEPTION

Science and Religion • Pseudoscience • Politics, Economy, and Mass Media Buenos Aires, Argentina—September 17 and 18, 2005 Lima, Peru—September 24 and 25, 2005

A select panel of scientists, investigators, journalists, and other professionals from Latin America, the United States, and Europe will speak about topics of interest and relevance to scientists, skeptics, and humanists.

Science and Religion—Are they compatible? Can ethics exist without religion? Pseudoscience—"Alternative" medicine, parapsychology, UFOs, faith healers, psychic powers, and other mysteries. Social Effects of Deception: Politics, Economy, and Mass Media—How the public is deceived, and what we can do to stop it

More information is available at . CSICOP www.pensar.org.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 17 INVESTIGATIVE FILES JOE NICKELL

Second Sight: The Phenomenon of Eyeless Vision

atasha Demkina (Guiley 1991, 111-113). claims a special abil­ Needless to say, perhaps, as Nity: She can suppos­ with other forms of ESP, nei­ edly peer inside people's bod­ ther of these alleged abilities ies, observe their organs, and has been scientifically verified. diagnose malfunctions and Let's look at each in turn. disease ("The Girl" 2004; X-Ray Clairvoyance Baty 2004). For a Discovery Channel documentary. The Demonstrations of X-ray Girl with X-ray Eyes, CSI- clairvoyance date back many COP was asked to test the centuries, as do revelations Russian 17-year-old's alleged that they could be accom­ visionary abilities. (Results of plished by deception. the test, conducted in New For example, in the six­ York City on May 1, 2004, teenth century, Reginald Scot are presented elsewhere in explained how a trickster could this issue.) This column pro­ use a confederate, or accom­ vides background and per­ plice, to receive secret informa­ spective on such claims. tion. "By this means," he wrote Natasha's alleged ability in his classic treatise. The falls under the heading of Discoverie of Witchcraft (1564), clairvoyance ("clear seeing"), "If you have ainc invention also long known as "second [that is, any inventiveness] you sight." This is the purported may seem to doo a hundreth perception of objects, people, miracles, and to discover the or events—other than by the secrets of a mans thoughts or Figures 1 and 2. The author dons an opaque blindfold, after it has been normal senses. It is thus a sup­ examined, followed by a black cloth hood. He then performs the cele- words spoken a far off." posed form of extrasensory brated "blindfold drive" feat—a supposed demonstration of "second Just such feats were being sight." (Photographs by Robert H. van Outer) perception (ESP). performed in 1831 by the Mystics claim there are var­ first is X-ray clairvoyance, supposedly "Double-sighted Phenom­ ious states of clairvoyance, including two "the ability to see through opaque objects enon," an eight-year-old Scottish lad that are relevant to Natasha's claims. The such as envelopes, containers, and walls named Louis Gordon M'Kean. Blind­ to perceive what lies within or beyond." folded and facing away from the audi­ Joe Nickell, CSICOP's Senior Research The other is medical clairvoyance, "the ence, the kilted youth readily identi­ Fellow, is a former professional magician ability to see disease and illness in the fied watches, coins, snuffboxes, and and author of numerous investigative hooks, human body, either by reading the aura the like. He could also repeat what including Real-Life X-Files. or seeing the body as transparent" others had spoken, even though they

18 volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER whispered the words at a distance of a example, in 1962 a Soviet newspaper the tide "The Man With the X-ray hundred yards (Nickell 1992, 70). reported that Rosa Kuleshova, a twenty- Eyes"—prompted several unique guesses In die following decade came similar two-year-old patient, could read with her when he drove a car around a farmyard. performances by an English woman middle finger and accurately describe One observer opined that the alleged known only as "the Mysterious Lady." She magazine pictures. Before long, other visionary had "fiber optics up his nose," appeared at the Egyptian Hall in Picadilly Soviet women had discovered that they another that he possessed "supersensi­ in 1845 and also toured New England, also possessed this amazing gift. Ninel tive hearing which detected the sound of where she apparently came to die atten­ Kulagina, a housewife in Leningrad, was squeaking mice hidden in straw bales." tion of Nathaniel Hawthorne. He por­ not only able to read while blindfolded The actual secrets are far simpler trayed a strikingly similar clairvoyant, but could also propel small objects across (Nickell 1992, 69-80). named "die Veileddale Romance (Dawes a table, apparendy by mere concentration But what of a performer whose abil­ 1979, 147; Nickell 1991, 126-137). (Christopher 1975, 77-86). ity to perceive is limited neither by In the United States, Life magazine blindfolding nor shielding by solid A contemporary of "The Mysterious carried accounts of the Russian marvels metal? Such a "phenomenal mysti- Lady" was Scotland's John Henry Ander­ in its issue of June 12, 1964. Years ear­ fier"—as the Great Houdini called son, styled the "Wizard of die North." In lier, in its April 19, 1937, issue, Life had him—was Joaquin Maria Argamasilla, his magic act he featured his blindfolded already featured the phenomenon of "the Spaniard with X-ray Eyes." He daughter, billed as "die Second-Sighted dermo-optical perception. At that time could tell time from a watch whose case Sybil." Anderson would leave the stage it was being demonstrated by a thirteen- was snapped shut or read a calling card for this routine, going into the audience year-old California lad named Pat or message locked in a box. to select the objects for remote viewing Marquis, "the boy with the X-ray eyes." Houdini investigated the Spanish (Dawes 1979, 110-111). Alas, each of the various X-ray won­ marvel in 1924. Noting first that To thwart skeptics who might have ders was soon discredited. Pat Marquis Argamasilla used a simple blindfold and guessed a prearranged code was used, was tested by ESP pioneer J. B. Rhine and was obviously peeking, Houdini maneu­ some performers utilized a method in caught peeking down his nose. When the vered into a position behind the mysti- which not a single word was uttered. Soviet marvels were tested in ways that fier that enabled him to peer over Such a version was employed in 1848 by did not allow them to benefit from peek­ Argamasilla's shoulder. Houdini discov­ the great French conjurer Robert- ing, die remarkable phenomenon ceased. ered that, upon receiving a watch, the Houdin (from whom young Ehrich As magicians know, it is difficult to Spaniard opened it a trifle under cover of Weiss would later derive the name prevent a determined trickster from a sweeping motion, and that the lid of Houdini). He performed his "La Second peeking, since there are numerous means the padlocked box allowed a corner to be Vue" (i.e., "Second Sight") with his of making it possible. For example, one raised slightly to permit a brief glimpse young son, Emile. The boy's eyes were ten-year-old Soviet girl took advantage of the contents. Houdini offered a test bandaged and his father merely rang a of her turned-up nose, which helped her by supplying two boxes, neither of which bell to indicate when an object was being to circumvent a pair of opaque goggles. could be opened even slightly. He later held up for identification. There are As well, many circus entertainers, such as wrote, "Argamasilla railed by refusal to many clever ways of accomplishing such high-wire walkers, jugglers, knife throw­ make a test in both instances" (Gibson a feat (Nickell 1992, 73-74). ers, and archers, have long employed and Young 1953, 248-257). The ability to see while apparently trick blindfolds (Christopher 1975 Another X-ray clairvoyant appeared securely blindfolded is a magician's 81-86; Gardner 1987, 63-73). on The Jerry Springer Show in 1992, secret employed by many who lay claim Among the most famous of rhe eye­ seeming to successfully divine the con­ to mysterious powers. One such alleged less-sight feats is the celebrated "blindfold tents of a locked and guarded refriger­ power is known variously as dermo- drive," which has a long and colorful his­ ator. I was on the show as well and was optical perception, paroptic vision, skin tory. The "thought reader" Washington suspicious of the whole performance. I vision, or simply eyeless sight. Sup­ Irving Bishop (1856-1889) performed it challenged the marvel to a test of his posedly, this involves reading printed with a horse-drawn carriage in the late ability using sealed envelopes, which matter by means of the fingertips, divin­ 1880s, and many others followed suit. In he failed. Later, I analyzed a videotape ing colors by holding objects to the modern times an automobile has been of the fridge stunt. The descriptions of cheek, or similar demonstrations. The used. I have performed the feat myself, the various items were not visually reputed phenomenon has appeared in wearing an examined blindfold followed accurate (for instance the psychic various guises over the centuries, being by a black cloth sack placed over rhe head described a "carton" rather than a jug associated, for example, with mes­ and tied at die neck (see figures 1 and 2). of milk) but only cognitively so—con­ merism in the 1840s. Laymen observing such feats often sistent with the hypothesis that the Experimental work in both the United come up with imaginative theories to alleged clairvoyant had been tipped off States and the Soviet Union in the 1960s explain them. A British performer— as to the refrigerator's contents sparked new interest in eyeless sight For only one in a long line of claimants to (Nickell 2001, 54-59).

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 19 To date, no one has demonstrated sons who had already died! (Randi subject's "aura" or by some odier—even convincingly, under suitably controlled 1982, 189-192) more remote—means. (Some nine- conditions, the existence of X-ray sight As to Cayce's supposedly successful teendi-century practitioners had curious or any other form of clairvoyance or ESP treatments, diey seem nothing more techniques: one offered "Medical than those often claimed by "alterna­ Diagnosis by Lock of Hair," while Medical Clairvoyance tive" medical practices including faith another worked via his "Spirit- The other type of alleged clairvoyance healing. Successes may simply be due to Physicians" [Medium 1975].) that is relevant to the Girl with X-ray the body's natural healing ability, the Natasha's claimed power, then, is Eyes is medical intuition, a resurgent spontaneous remission of some condi­ rather distinctive, but it also seems pseudoscientific fad based on so-called tions, the placebo effect, delayed results nonexistent. In Britain she appeared on "energy medicine." It involves psychi­ of prior medical intervention, and other ITV's This Morning and, at first, cally divining people's illnesses and, factors, including misdiagnosis and impressed the program's resident physi­ often, recommending treatment. selective reporting of positive outcomes. cian, Chris Steele, saying he might have The approach is as ancient as it is (The dead do not give testimonials. See problems with his stomach, liver, pan­ primitive, being akin to the magical, div- Nickell 1998, 131-166.) creas, and kidneys; however, subsequent inatory efforts of die shaman, medicine In recent years, die practice of medical medical tests revealed Natasha's claims man, or witch doctor, or the practice of clairvoyance gained new impetus from to be erroneous. For the results of her astrological medicine in the Middle Ages some popular books. One, published in CSICOP test, see the accompanying (Porter 1997, 14, 25). A forerunner of 1996, was Second Sight, written by Judith articles by Ray Hyman (pp. 27-33) and modern spiritualists, Andrew Jackson Orloff, M.D., a psychiatrist who fancies Andrew Skolnick (pp. 34-37). Davis (1826-1910) was known as the she has psychic abilities. Another book "Poughkeepsie Seer" for diagnosing ill­ was the 1997 best-selling Why People References nesses while in a supposed mesmeric Don't Heal and How They Can, by Baty, Phil. 2004. Scientists fail to see eye to eye over girl's "x-ray vision." Times Higher trance. Another was Antoinette (Mrs. Caroline Myss, "who has a background Education Supplement, December 10. J.H.R.) Matteson (1847-1913), a "clair­ in theology" (Koontz 2000, 102). As is Christopher, Milbourne. 1975. Mediums, Mystics voyant doctress" and spiritualist who, typical of other self-styled "medical intu- & the Occult. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell. Dawes. Edwin A. 1979. The Great Illusionists. suitably self-entranced, divined formulas itives," Orloff and Myss have many of the Secaucus, N.J.: Chartwell Books. for her custom-bottled "Clairvoyant traits associated with a fantasy-prone per­ Gardner. Martin. 1957. Fads and Fallacies in the Remedies" (Nickell 2004). sonality (Nickell 2004, 214-216). Name of Science. New York: Dover. . 1987. Science: Good, Bad & Bogus. The most famous medical clairvoyant Buffalo, N.Y.: Prometheus Books. was "Sleeping Prophet" Edgar Cayce Girl with X-ray Eyes Gibson, Walter B., and Morris N. Young, cds. (1877-1945) who gave diagnostic and Natasha Demkina's claimed ability com­ 1953. Houdini on Magic. New York: Dover. The Girl with the X-ray eyes. 2004. Fortean Times prescriptive readings while supposedly bines features of bodi X-ray clairvoyance 182 (May). 4-5. hypnotized. His early studies of osteopa­ and medical clairvoyance. I find it a Guiley, Rosemary Ellen. 1991. Harper's thy, homeopadiy, and other quaint theo­ curious admixture. Encyclopedia of Mystical and Paranormal Experience- New York: Harper Collins. ries of healings influenced his approach, For example, she declined my sug­ Koontz. Katy. 2000. The new health detectives. and in addition to osteopathic manipu­ gestion that she attempt to identify New Age (January/February): 64-^6, 102-110. simple, easily recognizable objects— The Medium and Daybreak. 1875. London. 13 lations he prescribed electrical treat­ August, 527. ments, special diets, and various strange such as a pair of scissors—merely Myss. Caroline. 1997. Why People Don t Heal and remedies. According to Martin Gardner placed inside my sport coat. 1 thought How They Can. New York: Harmony Books. Nickell, Joe. 1991. Ambrose Bierce Is Missing and (1957, 218) these included such medi­ this a far easier and potentially less Other Historical Mysteries. Lexington, Ky.: cines as "oil of smoke" (to treat a leg ambiguous test than having to look University Press of Kentucky. sore), "peach-tree poultice" (for a baby's through both clothing and flesh and . 1992. Mysterious Realms. Buffalo, N.Y.: Prometheus Books. convulsions), and "bedbug juice" (to trying to identify subtle alterations in . 1998- Looking for a Miracle: Weeping treat dropsy). organs. However, she told me Icons. Relics. Stigmata, Visions & Healing Cures. Cayce's touted successes at diagnosis (through a translator) that—inexplic­ Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books. . 2001. Real-Life X-Files. Lexington, Ky.: and treatment are not surprising. He ably—she could only "see" through University Press of Kentucky. was obviously aided in his diagnoses by living tissue, leaving me to wonder if . 2004. The Mystery Chronicles: More Real- die letters he received usually containing some of her touted successes were not Life X-Files. Lexington, Ky.: University Press of Kentucky. specific details about die illnesses for dependent on the ambiguity diat nec­ Orloff. Judith. 1996. Second Sight. New York: which readings were sought. Moreover, essarily resulted from such a descrip­ Warner Books. Cayce's responses were laced widi such tive process. Porter, Roy. 1997. Medicine: A History of Healing. New York: Barnes & Noble. expressions as "perhaps" and "I feel On die other hand, while a few med­ Randi, James. 1982. Flim-Flam! Buffalo. N.Y.: diat," as he avoided positive declara­ ical intuitives purport to see die body as Prometheus Books. tions. Even so, sometimes he gave his transparent, most do not, instead claim­ Scot. Reginald. 1564. The Discoverie of Witchcraft. Reprinted (from an English edition of 1930) supposedly psychic diagnoses for per­ ing to get dieir knowledge by reading the New York: Dover, 1972, 191. D

20 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER THINKING ABOUT SCIENCE MASSIMO PIGLIUCCI

The So-called Gaia Hypothesis

New Age "thought" about "mother s Earth a living organism? Broadly introduction to the theory and contro­ Earth" and other such pseudoscientific speaking, diis is die chief claim of a versy); or consider this statement: concepts. Given some of the quotes family of ecological theories often "Earth's atmosphere is more than I merely anomalous; it appears to be a reported above, I think it is fair to hold referred to as "Gaia" (from the Greek god­ Lovelock and Margulis at least partially dess of die earth). The idea was proposed contrivance specifically constituted for responsible for yet another form of in the 1960s by atmospheric scientist a set of purposes" (Lovelock and sloppy thinking and poor scientific liter­ James Lovelock, and elaborated in the Margulis 1974, source as above). Notice acy among the general public. Oh well. early 1970s by him in collaboration with the reference to Gaia "seeking" an end- Back to the first component of me biologist Lynn Margulis (author of the result, or it being "a contrivance," with Gaia hypothesis: Earth seen as a complex widely accepted theory that many sub­ the clear implication of purpose. In system with feedbacks. Lovelock devel­ cellular organelles, like mitochondria and response to harsh criticism in this oped a simple (some would say simplistic) chloroplasts, were once living organisms regard, Lovelock and Margulis later computer simulation to make die point: that began a symbiotic relationship with retreated to a less controversial (but, his "Daisyworld" explores what would other cells). The Gaia hypothesis is often alas, less interesting) position, even happen on a planet widi just two life taught in mainstream college-level courses denying any previous intention to forms, light daisies and dark daisies. The in ecology, despite being a hopeless mix of attribute purpose to Gaia: "Nowhere in former ones reflect light (and cool the pseudoscience, bad science, and mysti­ our writings do we express the idea that atmosphere), the latter ones absorb light cism. It dierefore provides an ideal topic planetary self-regulation is purposeful, (and warm up die atmosphere). The main of discussion for diis column, widi our or involves foresight or planning by the result of the model is that, in response to a focus on how science works and what dis­ biota" (1990, source as above). gradual increase of luminosity by the sun tinguishes science from pseudoscience. Regardless, is there anything scientif­ (a phenomenon that actually happened One reason the theory is slippery ically interesting in any version of the during the history of life on Earth) the and difficult to address is because there Gaia hypothesis? Let us consider two population of daisies adjusts the frequency are several forms of it, with claims tang­ fundamental components of the theory: ing from the trivial and uncontroversial the idea that Earth is a complex system (the Earth is a complex system with characterized by feedback loops; and the THE SO-CALLED GAIA HYPOTHESIS positive and negative feedback loops) to idea that the planet is, in some interest­ Continued on page 26 complete nonsense (Earth is a sentient ing sense, akin to a living organism. I and conscious being whose purpose is will leave out of this discussion the most to keep life thriving). Lovelock and nonsensical member of the Gaia family Massimo Pigliucci is a professor of evolu­ Margulis's original version was closer to of hypotheses, one claiming that the tionary biology at SUNY Stony Brook, a the nonsense end of the spectrum. For planet is a conscious being whose pur­ fellow of the American Association for the example, Lovelock wrote that Gaia is a pose is to keep life safe and sound. Advancement of Science, and the author cybernetic system "which seeks an opti­ Notice, however, that it is something of Denying Evolution: Creationism, mal physical and chemical environment like the latter version that is diriving at Scientism, and the Nature of Science. for life on this planet" (quoted at http:// the margin of academic circles and in His essays can be found at www. rationally en.wikipedia.org—a good, neutral the popular media, fueling mystical and speaking.org.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 21 NOTES ON A STRANGE WORIP MASSIMO POLIDORO

There's a UFO in My Painting!

Gospels have it, a radiant cloud. ^* "T" "TTOs are not a recent Another example of this kind is in I invention, they were the Nativity of Lorenzo Monaco." ^^*S seen by our ances­ The litde man on die right of tors as well!" This is one of the typ­ the painting that shields his eyes ical claims [hat can be found in looking at the sky is another typi­ books by Erich Von Daniken, Peter cal element of such paintings. Kolosimo, and similar authors. The However, that man does not proof for it? A variety of strange appear to look at the radiant cloud, objects depicted in paintings by but at the Nativity Star and three some of rhe world's greatest artists. other small stars (or flames) to the far left, a symbol of the "trifold vir­ ginity" of the Madonna (before, during, and after the virgin birth).

Crivelli's UFOs In Carlo Crivelli's Annunciazione (Annunciation), a i486 painting now on display at the National Gallery in London, some believe The Madonna's Spaceship diat a UFO is in the sky and diat A typical example is the Madonna from it a ray of light comes down to con Bambino e San Giovannino touch the head of die Virgin Mary. (Madonna and Child with the Carlo Crivelli's Annunciazione (Annunciation). All mystery mongering prints of diis Infant Saint John) attributed to painting show poor-quality repro­ Sebastiano Mainardi or Jacopo del In order to understand what this and ductions of the details. However, it would Sellaio. The painting is from die end of other ancient paintings really portrayed, be enough to visit die gallery or look at a the fifteendi century and is now on dis­ however, it is essential to learn how better print of die painting to see that it is play in the Sala d'Ercole in Palazzo ancient artists really worked. "Not one not a UFO at all. "It's a vortex of angels in Vecchio, Florence. Examining it, we see of those that see UFOs in paintings," die clouds," says Cuoghi, "a very com­ in the upper background, behind die says Italian art expert Diego Cuoghi, mon artistic device used to represent die Madonna, a strange oval shape sus­ "ever tries to understand the real sym­ presence of God, and it can be seen in pended in the sky. Some UFOlogists bolical meanings of those strange things many Medieval and Renaissance religious describe it as "an airborne object, leaden in die art of that period, and so they paintings, like in Correggio's fresco at die in color, inclined to port, sporting a take them as realistic depictions of Dome of Parma or in Gustave Dore's 'dome' or 'turret,' apparently identifiable unidentified flying objects seen live." engraving of Canto XXI from Dante's as an oval-shaped moving flying device." The object in Mainardi's painting is a Paradiso from his The Divine Comedy, but "radiant cloud." "In diose times," says above all in most Anunciations and Massimo Polidoro is an investigator of the Cuoghi, "the subjects for paintings were Baptisms of the Christ." paranormal, author, lecturer, and co- almost exclusively of a religious nature Another Crivelli painting, the founder and head of CICAP, the Italian and, in the case of the 'adorations,' like Madonna con Bambino (Madonna with skeptics group. His Web site is www. Mainardi's, there often appeared in the Child) at die Pinacoteca of Ancona, is massimopolidoro. com. sky an angel or, as some apocryphal believed by some to show "objects very

22 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER similar to modern nuclear missiles ready Monastery in Kosovo, Yugoslavia. Some the same way in other paintings of to launch"! did interpret the Sun and the Moon as the time. Those making such claims, however, "spaceships with a crew." "Only those The other UFOlogical painting is never take die time to research the life of that are unfamiliar with artistic symbol- the Miracolo delta neve (Miracle of the die artist, his work, or die place where die ogy of the time," says Cuoghi, "can claim Snow) by Masolino Da Panicale, painting was originally displayed. It that these are mysterious elements." painted in 1428 and on display at the would be enough to compare this with Museo Nazionale di Capodimontc, odier paintings by die same artist, in fact, The Flying Hat Naples. Here the mystery mongers to establish that die "missiles" are actually In Paolo Uccello's Tebaide (also known as claim to see "a UFO invasion" in die towers and bell towers, like those that Scene di Vita Ermetica, or Scenes of clouds above the scene. But those appear in almost all of Crivellis paintings. Monastic Life), now at the Gallerie lenticular clouds are not infrequent subjects in the artworks of the fif­ Anodier example is die famous Mayan dell'Accademia, in Florence, some claim teenth century. "It is a nonrealistic way bas-relief that Von Daniken and others to see "a saucer object, suspended in the to represent clouds," says Cuoghi, believed represented an astronaut, but was air and surmounted by a red domed top. "such non-realism was seen in the actually a depiction of Pakal, die Maya Red in color, the object comes out over sacred art of the first half of the fif­ . One cannot simply give a modern the dark background by contrast. The teenth century." As for the event dynamic movement of the flying object interpretation to events and depictions depicted in the painting, a snowfall in outside of dicir original context. is rendered by means of light brush August, it can certainly be seen as an strokes, again red in color, which provide God's Sputnik extraordinary event, but not an impos­ the effect of a sudden turn." sible one. Exceptional atmospheric The Santissima Trinita {Holy Trimly) by One can't help but smile at such a events of this kind are sometimes Bonaventura Salimbeni (1595), now a St. description. When viewing die whole paint­ recorded in Italy. Unseasonal snow, for Peter's Basilica at Montalcino, is one of die ing (not just a close up of the red object) it example, took place on the seaside of most famous "UFOs" in a painting. The is quite clear that the object is located inside Calabria on May 12, 1755; in mysterious "spherical object with anten­ a cave, on die ground beneath the crucifix­ Lunigiana on July 1, 1756, in Bologna nae" that appears between Christ and God ion, and diat it represents a large red hat on June 1, 1481; and recently in Prato has frequently been referred to as belonging to St. Jerome, who is seen praying on August 5, 2000. The memory of "Montakino's Sputnik," due to his similar­ before die crucified Christ. such an extraordinary events might ity in appearance to the old Soviet satellites. The first one to write about St. easily be handed down through the In truth, the globe represents Jerome was Giovanni di Andrea of centuries, gaining details and particu­ Creation, with the Sun on top and the Bologna, and in his writings legend lars and being transformed into the Moon below left (some interpreted it as overruled historical truth. The same "miracle of the snow." the periscope of the satellite!). The autlior gave precise details on how artists "antennae" are actually two sceptres held had to depict the Saint: "Cum capello, Aliens Everywhere! by Christ and God. quo nun cardinales utuntur, deposito, et The same kind of astronomical illus­ leone mansueto "("With hat, of the kind "The method used by so-called UFO tration on the Globe of Creation can be still in vogue for cardinals, placed on the hunters," concludes Cuoghi, "requires found in a painting by Pieter Coecke, ground, and with meek lion.") The hat no knowledge whatsoever on the history depicting the Trinity and now on dis­ in question is present in various of an. What you need is just to pick up play at Prado's Musem in Madrid. Here representations of the Saint. a book with reproduction of paintings, as well it is possible to see the Sun, the better if painted before the seventeenth Earth, with the cone of shade, and the UFO Invasion century, and try to find any little object Moon, smaller, down below. There are two other famous paint­ that may have a lenticular shape. This "The representations of Sun and ings where flying saucers are said to way, you will find no difficulty at all in Moon" continues Diego Cuoghi "have fre- be represented. One is the Baptism locating elements that may appear quendy misled some UFOlogists who have of Christ by Aert DeGelder, now at bizarre and out of place. Now, you only completely misunderstood meir meaning. the Fitzwilliam Museum in need to claim that these objects are The majority of the crucifixion paintings Cambridge. In this painting, a UFO inconsistent to the time, place, or con­ and mosaics done in the Byzantine style, seems to light from above the scene text of the artwork, and so you can cer­ for example, show die same odd 'objects' of Christ's baptism. Actually, the tainly term them as 'alien' or 'unidenti­ on eidier side of die cross, die Sun and die "thing" in the sky is not a flying fied.' And so, you can now call yourself Moon, and they are often represented with saucer but a circle of light with a an 'ancient UFOs' expert!" a human face or figure." dove inside, a typical representation Reference An example of this is the sixteenth- for the Holy Spirit. The scene repro­ A detailed study by Diego Cuoghi on UFOs in century fresco Crucifixion of Christ duces exactly the description in the ancient paintings can be found at www. located on the wall of the Visoki Decani Gospels and is also represented in sprezzatura.it/Anc/Ane_UFO_cng.htm. LJ

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/lime 2005 23 PSYCHIC VIBRATIONS ROBERT SHEAFFER

Tsunami Conspiracies and Hollow Moons

lmost as soon as the scope of the destruction became clear from Athe recent tragic tsunami that devastated much of coastal southern Asia, claims began to surface of strange events associated with it. Humans are pattern-seekers, and to many it seems impossible that an event so awesome and destructive could occur without at least some violation of the natural order, no matter how small. One of the first survivors of die dis­ aster to return to Britain, nurse Debbie Bates, told the Daily Record (December 28, 2004), '"I saw a palmist the day before [in Sri Lanka]. He said, 'Stay out of the sea, big wave coming.' At the time, I thought it was a joke—now I just think it is freaky." Unfortunately, we don't know how many thousands of People from a nearby camp for the displaced bathe in a river January 26. 2005, in the tsunami-ravaged town of people may have received that same Meulaboh. Indonesia. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) warning for days on which nothing unusual happened. Indeed, given the Association, said that Thailand's astro­ even a dead hare or rabbit. I think ani­ popular custom of visiting fortune-tellers logical sign was already under the mals can sense disaster. They have a sixth in Thailand and other Asian countries, adverse influence of four ill-omened sense. They know when things are hap­ it seems remarkable that there was any­ stars and, worse yet, one of the stars was pening." Even the National Geographic one left unwarned, unless the prognosti- further aggravated by malicious influ­ News was reporting (January 4) anec­ cators tliemselves were equally in the ence from Thaksin's astrological sign dotes of how "elephants screamed and dark. Meanwhile, a prominent Thai for­ (The Nation, Bangkok, December 28). ran for higher ground" and "Dogs tune teller blamed the tsunami on the Once the tizzy over the mostly refused to go outdoors." What is usually "bad luck" of Prime Minister Thaksin clueless fortune-tellers died down, media not mentioned is that the tsunami was Shinawatra. Pinyo Pongcharoen, presi­ outlets were rushing to report how ani­ preceded by an extremely powerful earth­ dent of the International Astrology mals seemed to have a "sixth sense" caus­ quake, capable of alarming bodi man and ing most of them to avoid die coming beast. Furthermore, it does not appear to Robert Sheaffer's World Wide Web page for tsunami. H.D. Ratnayake, deputy direc­ be the case that wild animals cluster UFOs and other skeptical subjects is at tor of Sri Lanka's Wildlife Department, along die ocean's open shore in the same www. debunker. com. told Reuters, "No elephants are dead, not manner that humans do—diey usually

24 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER prefer to remain hidden in the relative caused by corruption, the presence of lined up along north-south, east-west safety of the forest. infidels, and other sins (see http:// lines: "Clearly these are not random, Lynette Hart, an animal researcher at memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archiv 'square craters'—but remarkable, highly the University of California—Davis, es&Area=sd&ID=SP84205). ordered evidence of sophisticated, explained to the Sacramento Bee Abd Al-Baset Al-Sayyed of the aligned, repeating architectural relief! . . . (January 14) that many animals are Egyptian National Research Center said The impression of a vast set of extremely exquisitely sensitive ro sounds and to in an interview on Al-Majd TV on ancient ruins—most now without roofs, vibrations in the ground. "It may only January 16 that NASA had discovered but with ample surviving walls—cov­ take one antelope becoming frightened that Earth is emitting short-wave radia­ ered both by 'snow' . . . and whatever by sensory changes to communicate, tion. "When they discovered this radia­ rhe 'brown stuff* is ... is unavoidable." 'Let's get out of here,' and they all go." tion, they started to zoom in, and they Stressing the near-impossibility of Andy Michael, a geophysicist at die U.S. found that it emanates from Mecca— these structures being built by living Geological Survey, told National and, to be precise, from die Ka'ba" (see creatures on the surface of a cold, airless, www.memritv.org/Transcript.aspPP 1 =545). Geographic, "What we're faced with is a waterless world, Hoagland leaps to a What's more, diey found diat die radia­ lot of anecdotes. Animals react to so conclusion that presupposes an even tion was "infinite." NASA found diat many things—being hungry, defending greater engineering impossibility: "what the radiation extends well past Mars, their territories, mating, predators—so if lapetus is not a natural satellite at all apparently extending to "the celestial it's hard to have a controlled study to get . . . but a 900-mile wide spacecraft—an Ka'ba," effectively connecting heaven that advanced warning signal." artificial 'moon?!'." He suggests that and earth. NASA, says Al-Sayyed, had lapetus was assembled millions of years Next, just as predictably, the con­ this information on their Web site for ago by some alien intelligence using the spiracy theories began to emerge (these twenty-one days, but then took it down, principles of Buckminster Fuller's geo­ usually don't surface immediately, as it apparendy as part of yet another cover- desic domes, and that many of the takes a while to cook them up). The up of amazing findings in outer space. craters are in fact "deformed hexagons," Egyptian Nationalist weekly Al-Usbu where the moon's surface is collapsing published an investigative report by * * * from eons of meteoritic erosion, reveal­ Mahmoud Bakri on January 1. In it he ing the underlying hexagonal supports. Speaking of NASA, the recent, highly suggests that the earthquake and My brief summary cannot possibly do successful Cassini mission to Saturn has tsunami were a consequence of secret justice to the zaniness of Hoagland's returned a wealth of scientific data, nuclear testing by the U.S., Israel, and "hollow lapetus" dieory—you need to especially the Huygens probe that India: "The three most recent tests read the original on his Web site. landed on Saturn's moon Titan, the first appeared to be genuine American and such landing on a planetary satellite Israeli preparations to act together with It is telling that Hoagland does not other than our own Moon. However, India to test a way to liquidate human­ discuss the problem that his "hollow NASA conspiracy theorist Richard ity. In the[ir| most recent test, they lapetus" theory poses in accounting for Hoagland, the chief promoter of die began destroying entire cities over that moon's measured mean density of "Face on Mars," claims he has made dra­ about 1.21 grams per cubic centimeter, extensive areas. Although the nuclear matic discoveries from its photos, not of less than our own moon's but greater explosions were carried out in desert Titan, but instead of Saturn's moon dian that of Saturn. This is perplexing, lands, tens of thousands of kilometers lapetus, an unusual body having one rel­ since he begins die piece arguing that away from populated areas, they had a atively dark hemisphere and one lighter: direct effect on these areas." These Iapetus's relatively low density and slow rotation means that the centrifugal force alleged nuclear tests "destabilized the In our opinion, Cassini's discovery of at the equator would be extremely small. tectonic plates," leading to disaster. A "the Great Wall of lapetus" now forces serious reconsideration of a range of It's too bad that Hoagland didn't follow (possibly fictitious) American scientist staggering possibilities . . . that some through and give us any calculations was quoted saying "the center of an will most certainly find upsetting: it designed to show how it would be pos­ earthquake that took place some forty could really be a "wall" ... a vast, sible for an essentially hollow sphere to planet spanning, artificial kilometers under the ocean floor could have a mean density greater than that of not have caused such destruction unless construct!!... There is no viable geo­ logical model to explain a sixty thou- water. He must have realized die fatal nuclear testing had been conducted sand-foot-high, sixty thousand-foot- flaw this calculation would pose for his close to the tectonic plates in these wide, four million-foot-long "wall" . .. wild assertion, which is why he avoids countries, or unless several days previ­ spanning an entire planetary hemi­ the subject. ously there had been [nuclear] activity sphere—let alone, located in the precise plane of its equator! (See www.enter- that caused these plates to shift and col­ A NASA Web site notes: "Cassini's prisemission.com/moon I .htm.) lide." A Saudi professor attributed the next close encounter with lapetus tragedy to divine retribution for homo­ Hoagland has further discovered that will occur in September 2007. The sexuality and fornication, while various some of Iapetus's craters appear to be resolution of images from that flyby religious leaders warned that it was somewhat "square," and are allegedly should be 100 times better than the

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 20C5 25 ones currently being analyzed. The evening when Lennon surprised him when Lennon allegedly related this hope is that the increased detail may with the following account: account. So either John Lennon was a shed light on lapetus's amazing features About six months ago, I was asleep pioneering "experiencer" of a now- and the question of whether it has been in my bed, with Yoko, at home, in common alien encounter, or else volcanically active in the past" (see the Dakota Building. And suddenly, Geller made up this story long after www.nasa.gov/niission_pages/cassini/ I wasn't asleep. Because there was Lennon's death. media/cassini-010705- html). Until this blazing light round the door. It was shining through the cracks and The next thing that Lennon could then, we can only wonder what the keyhole, like someone was out reportedly remember, he was back in Hoagland's amazing "artificial struc­ there with searchlights, or the apart­ bed with Yoko, left holding a smooth, tures"—which, like all allegedly anom­ ment was on fire. .. . There were metallic egg-like object he subsequently alous objects photographed, are near these four people out there. . . . They gave to Geller in the hopes that Uri the limit of resolution of the cameras— were, like, little. Bug-like. Big bug eyes and little bug mouths and they could figure it out. Says Geller, "1 have a will look like with one hundred times were scuttling at me like roaches . . . strong sensation that John knew more finer detail revealed. 1 tried to throw them out, but, when about this object than he told me. » * * I took a step towards them, they kind of pushed me back. I mean, Maybe it didn't come with an instruc­ Last December 8 The Telegraph of they didn't touch me. It was like they tion manual, but I think John knew just willed me. Pushed me with London carried an item written by Uri what it was for. And whatever that pur­ willpower and telepathy. (See www. pose was—communication? Healing? A Geller, the noted Israeli-born spoon telegraph. co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml bender, about an "alien egg" allegedly =/arts/2004/12/08/ftgeller08.xm.) first-class intergalactic ticket?—it scared given to him by the late John Lennon. him." Yet despite all the hype, Geller According to Geller, he, Lennon, and Today, "insectoid" aliens play a sig­ seems to have made no attempt to initi­ Lennon's wife Yoko Ono were having nificant role in many stories of UFO ate any serious scientific analysis of his dinner in a New York restaurant one abductions, which was not the case potentially miraculous "egg."

THE SO-CALLED GAIA HYPOTHESIS More important, even if we grant that time I checked there aren't any baby Continued from page 21 Daisyworld tells us something interest­ Earths out there in the process of popu­ of the two types, and the overall tempera­ ing about self-regulatory systems, it does lating the solar system.... ture of the planet remains constant (and not follow that we can jump to the sec­ But, one could object, Gaia is just a favorable to the survival of the daisies). ond, more interesting and controversial, metaphor, aren't the critics being a bit While this is interesting, it is also not claim of the Gaia theory: that Earth itself too harsh about it? Yes and no. Yes, particularly surprising. Self-regulatory is in any meaningful sense a living organ­ Gaia is a metaphor, and science cannot systems (more complex than Daisy- ism. First, we know of clearly nonliving do without metaphors. But no, the world) are well known to ecologists and systems that achieve self-regulation. For criticisms have not been too harsh planetary scientists, and they are fairly example, the classical studies by Ilya because metaphors have to do some well understood in their mechanics. Prigogine on nonequilibrium thermo­ work in order to be beneficial in sci­ Moreover, a related claim that Daisy- dynamics and emergent complexity have ence. Thinking of Earth as a living world shows that self-regulating behav­ shown how sets of chemical reactions organism doesn't do any useful work, in ior can emerge without selection is sim­ (e.g., the Belousov-Zhabotinskii reac­ the sense that it doesn't generate any ply false: the population of light and tion) can achieve stable, self-regulating new insight or testable hypotheses dark daisies evolves to adjust its own fre­ equilibria, just like living organisms. Yet about emergent systems or ecosystem quency and co-evolves with the environ­ nobody in his right mind would suggest ecology (Daisyworld isn't a new way of ment in which the daisies live (inciden­ that a Belousov-Zhabotinskii system is a thinking about self-emergence, and it tally, the coevolution of organisms and living being! doesn't make predictions that can be their environment isn't a new idea Second, and most important. Love­ empirically tested). On the contrary, either). The simulation doesn't superfi­ lock and Margulis seem to be missing the Gaia seems to have done mostly nega­ cially look like biological evolution only obvious mark, as pointed out by Richard tive work, in the sense of having because the underlying genetics of the Dawkins in an early critique of the Gaia encouraged sloppy thinking about system has been subsumed in the struc­ hypothesis (back in 1983): Living organ­ what living beings are and how they ture of the equations defining the isms, as we understand rhem, are entities work, as well as what sort of system our model, but evolution occurs nonethe­ capable of much more than just metabo­ planet really is. So, please let Greek less. And it is evolution (by natural lism and homeostasis (self-regulated equi­ gods and goddesses rest in peace on selection) that is the only known mech­ librium). They are capable of evolving by Mount Olympus, and let us get back to anism that produces complex self- differential reproduction. No reproduction, developing a much-needed real science regulation in living organisms. no evolution, no living being; and the last of planetary ecology. •

26 volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER TESTING 'THE GIRL WITH X-RAY EYES'

Testing Natasha

Can a seventeen-year-old girl truly "see" inside a person's body? Ray Hyman and colleagues conducted tests to search for the truth inside The Girl with X-Ray Eyes. RAY HYMAN

ur assignment might seem straightforward. A seventeen-year-old Russian girl, Natasha Demkina, Osays she can look at people and "see" the status of their internal organs. The Discovery Channel asked Richard Wiseman, Andrew Skolnick, and me to test her claim for their television program, The Girl with X-ray Eyes. You might think that testing Natasha's claims would be routine. The test of a psychic claim, however, is rarely cut-and-dried. Most such claims do have much in common. Each also offers unique challenges. We had to conduct the test of Natasha's claim to fit the constraints of a television program. We had only a month to devise a protocol that would be acceptable to all parties. After everyone agreed to the

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 27 procedure, we had less than a week to locate a testing site in New York City and to find seven willing and suitable test subjects.'

The Claim and Its Support Monica Garnsey, director and producer of the program, told us how Natasha operates and what she claimed to do. Many news sources and reports on the Internet described her accomplishments. (This information was consistent with what wc observed when Natasha diagnosed volunteers at the Open Center in New York City the day before the test.) Garnsey e-mailed us the following information from Russia, where she was taping material for the television program:

I double-checked a few things with her last night. Since the age of ten, a few days after having a religious dream, and also having had an operation to have her appendix removed that went wrong, swabs were left in her and she had to have another operation, Natasha has claimed to be able to sec into people... . Natasha can see through clothing, but not see what someone is holding behind their back. She cannot see inside people if she shuts her eyes. Daylight is better. She does not need to talk to them to diagnose. She can also diagnose from a photograph. She usually scans people all over first, by making them stand up fully clothed and looking them up and down; delivers a general diagnosis; and then goes into more detail when the patients have discussed their concerns with her. She says she can certainly see ribs, heart, lungs, initially in general "like in an anatomy book," but can see right down to the cell level if she concentrates. She says that she can examine the whole body, but it can give her a bad headache if she docs too much. The idea of restricting the test to the chest area appeals [to her], though her claims extend further than that.

Natasha's story is like thousands of other accounts. Alleged Natasha Demkina poses for photographs after being tested by CSICOP and C5MMH for the Discovery Channel program The Girl with X-ray lyes. Her friend, Svetlana psychics and dieir supporters make claims that, if true, defy Skarbo. who acted as her translator, holds a cell phone over which they had sent the physical limitations and laws of modern science. The pro­ and received text messages to unknown parties during the test (in violation of test protocols). On the left is Barrie Cassileth. Ph.D., Chief of Integrative Medicine ponents support die reality of these claims with testimonials of Services at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, who helped to recruit subjects outstanding successes. They argue for the reality of the claim for this preliminary study. Photo credit: Andrew A. Skolnick. passionately and unreservedly. Although some proponents have had scientific training, none of die supporting evidence client's physical appearance and observable behavior; feedback comes from well-controlled scientific studies. from the client's spoken and bodily reactions; or actual para­ In the long history of psychical research, not one of these normal powers. A meaningful test would allow Natasha to claims has produced convincing scientific evidence for die show her powers and, simultaneously, control for guessing and existence of paranormal ability (see Joe Nickell's column in the use of normal sensory clues. diis issue, p. 18). A few researchers have claimed that they did Problems With Testimonial Support of Natasha's have scientific proof for a paranormal claim. Scrutiny by other Claims scientists, however, showed that the "scientific Proof' had seri­ ous flaws. Furthermore, none of these claims could be inde­ The stories told by Natasha's proponents are consistent with pendently replicated. her having X-ray vision. This does not show diat she does have The evidence supporting Natasha's abilities comes from X-ray vision because die same stories are consistent widi many selected anecdotes of reactions to her readings. No matter how odier alternatives. Two possibilities are the following: 1) her subjectively compelling, the context of such readings makes it statements have no connection with the client's condition but impossible to separate how much of die apparent success is appear to do so because of luck, selective reporting, and/or due to such possibilities as: guessing; external clues from die odier reasons diat I will discuss; or 2) her statements accurately reflect the subject's condition, but this information comes Ray Hyman is emeritus professor of psychology at the University of through normal means such as the subject's appearance and Oregon. He is a founding CSICOP Fellow and a lifelong investi­ behavior. Consider, first, the ways that her statements can gator of psychic claims. His e-mail is [email protected]. falsely appear to describe the patient's condition.

28 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Similarly, when she tells the clients something that disagrees with previous medical diagnoses, they still credit her with a hit; the clients and her support­ ers argue that she picked up on some­ thing that the medical professionals missed. We witnessed some examples of this when wc watched her giving read­ ings to volunteers at the Open Center in New York. She told one volunteer that she saw a problem with his right shoul­ der. After the reading, this volunteer told Monica that he had not previously realized something was wrong with his shoulder. Neither his previous medical examinations nor anything in his expe­ rience suggested something was wrong with his shoulder. I thought, as a result, he might be skeptical about Natasha's claim. Instead, he was impressed. He For Discovery Channel publicity photos following CSICOP-CSMMH's test. Natasha Demkina examines the seven volunteer test subjects. The subjects are wearing opaque glasses to prevent communication through eye move­ decided she had detected a problem that ment. The head test proctor. Ray Hyman, is sitting in the bottom right corner. Photo credit: Andrew A. Skolnick. neither he nor his doctors had noticed.

She Might Have No Knowledge About the Client's Possibilities of Natasha Picking Up Clues by Condition But Get Credit Anyway Non-paranormal Means Natasha has been giving readings to a steady flow of clients for more than six years. By now die number of such readings is I have described just some ways that testimonials can appear to huge. Her supporters naturally emphasize the most striking support Natasha's claim even if she is picking up no informa­ examples of apparent hits. The number of diseases and internal tion about her clients. Those possibilities would suffice to parts that could be defective is limited. Some conditions, such make such testimonials useless as evidence for her ability. The as cancer and heart problems, are more common dian others. testimonials become even more suspect when we realize how We should expect that her supporters will find some examples the circumstances of her readings allow her to pick up infor­ of "correct" diagnoses. With so many diagnoses, a certain num­ mation about her client without having X-ray vision. Natasha ber will match the client's condition just by chance. is looking directly at her client when she does her diagnosis. To evaluate a diagnostic procedure properly we need to clearly This means that we cannot rule out die possibility that she is decide what is a "hit" and what is a "miss." Most important, we picking up clues from subde (and not-so-subtle) client reac­ should set the criteria before we know the outcome. In Natasha's tions. To make matters worse, the clients begin a session by readings, no clear and objective standards were ever established. asking Natasha questions about their concerns. This provides This allows for her generally vague utterances to be retrofitted to obvious clues about their condition. I watched one reading what die client or observer knows to be true. An example of such where the client began asking Natasha about her back. This retrofitting occurred when Natasha was doing a reading in narrows considerably the number of possibilities diat Natasha London. Dr. Chris Steele, described by The Daily Mail (January needs to consider. Natasha can also gain considerable infor­ 29, 2004) as one of her champions, was observing. The newspa­ mation from verbal exchanges with the client. per quotes him as saying, "Natasha doesn't know any medical Another source of clues is how the clients react, bodi ver­ terms at die moment. WitJi one person this week she was trying bally and nonverbally, to her statements. Some of her clients say to describe a kidney stone, and her translator came up widi die that they find it unsettling when Natasha is staring at them. words, 'sand' and 'gravel' before I suggested stones. When kidney This could enhance die tendency for individuals to react to her stones start off, tiiey do look like sand." Dr. Steele gives her credit statements widi subtle, unwitting bodily movements, breathing for correcdy diagnosing kidney stones. Yet we have no idea what changes, pupil dilations, and other signs of emotional and cog- Natasha was "seeing" or what she had in mind. Dr. Steele made nitive states. Although psychological research has documented the medical diagnosis, not Natasha. how humans frequently provide unconscious clues to their cur­ Other features of Natasha's readings foster the illusion of rent thoughts and emotions, most people seem unaware of this accuracy. When she tells clients something diat agrees with possibility. The research also shows diat subtle clues can influ­ previous medical diagnoses, they credit her with a hit. ence us without our consciously realizing it.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 29 One classic case involved the German horse Clever Hans.-' her proponents whether she does or does not have a paranorm­ In the early twentieth century, Hans became a celebrity in al capacity to see into people's bodies. What we do know is Germany and throughout the world. People could ask him that the accounts that seem to support Natasha's claim are con­ questions about addition, the identity of musical pieces, about sistent with both normal and paranormal possibilities. We also foreign words, spelling, and many other topics. Hans would know that nonparanormal mechanisms can and do operate in answer by tapping his hoof or by nudging an alphabet board the real world. We do not know that paranormal ability, such as with his nose. He usually was correct. Prominent educators that claimed for Natasha, exists. So far, no one has displayed certified that he had the intelligence and competence of a thir­ such ability with scientific credibility. Given these two possible teen- or fourteen-year-old German student. Oskar Pfungst, a explanations for Natasha's apparent successes, rationality tells German psychologist, investigated Hans with exemplary thor­ us to bet on the nonparanormal one. We should demand con­ oughness. He eventually discovered that Hans was clever only vincing evidence that is scientifically acceptable before we give in having "horse sense." Typically, a questioner would focus on credence to the paranormal claim. the horse's right hoof, which Hans used to tap out the answer. When questioners focused on the hoof, they would almost The Test Protocol imperceptibly lean forward and become tense as they watched With input from Richard and me, Andrew wrote the test pro­ the horse tap out the answer. This slight leaning and tensing tocol, titled "Test Design and Procedures for Preliminary were Hans's cues to begin tapping. When Hans had tapped the Study of Natasha Demkina." The goal was to make every appropriate number of times, the questioner would uncon­ aspect of the test explicit. The protocol stated how we would sciously relax and move his or her head upwards very slightly. conduct the test and how we would interpret the results. We Often this movement was one millimeter or less. This was wanted all parties to be clear about what would and would not Hans's clue to stop tapping. be considered a "successful" outcome. What makes a scientific Pfungst then carried out experiments to confirm this find­ experiment or a test meaningful is just such an explicit com­ ing. He played the role of Hans. He would invite people to mitment to the interpretation of the outcome before we observe stand beside him and think of a number. Pfungst would then the data. This is a critical distinction between the post hoc begin tapping with his right hand. He would stop when he interpretation of testimonial evidence and the prior commit­ thought he detected a very slight bodily movement—usually a ment to specified outcomes of a meaningful test. Natasha's very slight displacement of the subject's head. These move­ defenders apparently fail to grasp this essential point. ments were extremely subtle, rarely more than a millimeter in The written protocol protects the interests of all parties. extent. Pfungst amazed his volunteers, stopping his tapping at Natasha and her supporters had the opportunity to study the the number they had in mind. document, to suggest modifications, and finally to agree or Pfungst tried this experiment with twenty-five persons disagree with its provisions. The protocol also protects the ranging in age from five years to adult. He succeeded in pick­ investigators against a variety of false accusations about how ing up cues from all but two of them. They insisted they were we conducted the test. unaware of giving him any information. Pfungst used the same We made sure to include in the protocol the statement method to divine other kinds of thoughts the subjects had in that the "test is not in any way a definitive test. Deciding the mind. The subjects again denied that they had provided any truth of Natasha's claims with comfortable certainty is too clues about what they were thinking. Other psychological simple and brief. It can only help to decide whether further experiments have confirmed these results. Some skilled per­ studies of Natasha's claimed abilities are warranted." This formers have made careers out of pretending to read minds statement is worth elaborating. Understanding what the test when, in fact, they were relying upon subtle and unwitting can and cannot do is essential. Even under ideal circum­ clues provided by their volunteers. stances this test could not clearly decide if Natasha does or Some reports supporting Natasha's claim describe outcomes does not have X-ray vision. Any scientific hypothesis—espe­ consistent with the possibility that she is picking up such clues. cially a paranormal one—cannot be confirmed or disaf­ For example, a Russian reporter says that he became a convert firmed by one test or one experiment. Scientific investiga­ to Natasha's cause when she found the exact spot on his arm tion requires a series of experiments. Each new experiment where he had fractured his wrist many years before. In another builds on the results of previous ones. The more we learn case, a reporter from a British tabloid validated Natasha's abil­ from the early experiments, the better we can understand ity when Natasha succeeded in identifying the location of the what we need to control and what we can safely ignore. If fractures she had received in an accident. Both cases seem ideal the hypothesis is implausible and/or controversial—as for picking up the sorts of dues that Pfungst found that most Natasha's claim certainly is—then the original investigators people provide without realizing they are doing so. must replicate their findings. In addition, independent What I have just written does not show that Natasha lacks investigators must also replicate the findings before they X-ray vision. We do not know from the evidence offered by gain scientific credibility.

30 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER We knew that our test could not distinguish between two Andrew and Austin saved the day by finding two replacements possibilities: (1) she can make correct matches using external at the last moment. (Andrew's separate article about certain clues; or (2) she can make correct matches using paranormal X- aspects of the tests follows mine.) ray vision. The alternatives we could control or reduce were that During the test, we seated the seven subjects in a semicircle she gets correct matches just by luck or that her correct matches facing the chair where Natasha sat. Each volunteer had an are due to those factors that make vague statements seem like hits. internal condition that should be easy to detect if Natasha's We were also aware that our test could only detect a large claim is correct. The target conditions were as follows: One effect. Natasha's claim can be considered in several contexts. patient had metal surgical staples in his chest from open heart The testimonials imply that she is highly accurate. This has surgery; one had a section of her esophagus surgically practical consequences. If clients are depending upon her for removed; one had a large section of one lung removed; one medical diagnoses, Natasha's readings should be reliable. had an artificial hip replacement; one had a missing appendix Otherwise, she can do much harm. Of course, Natasha could (we discovered afterwards that another subject also had a miss­ possess paranormal powers, but they could be weak and ing appendix, which he didn't mention when we recruited erratic. Such unreliable and weak ability would be useless for him. Natasha chose neither of these two as the one with the medical diagnosis, but would still be of theoretical interest. We missing appendix); one had a large brain tumor removed and lacked the resources and time to try to detect such a weak now has a large hole in his skull covered by a metal plate; and effect. We used all our resources to obtain seven subjects. If we the final subject had none of these target conditions. had been trying to test for a moderate or weak effect, we would During the test, when Natasha was looking at the sub­ have had to use many more subjects. Given the constraints of jects, the subjects wore sunglasses whose lenses were covered our task, this was impossible. Our test, then, was aimed at with opaque tape. This prevented the subjects from knowing detecting a large effect. We reasoned that if she possessed the when Natasha was looking at them. This also prevented reliability of diagnosis that her proponents claimed, our test would reveal this. Such an effect would encourage us to inves­ Natasha from picking up clues from their eye movements or tigate her abilities in more detail. pupillary dilations (which are a sign of emotional reaction). Before the test, I instructed and rehearsed the subjects on The outcome of the test could be from zero to seven cor­ how to behave. They were to sit as still as possible when rect matches. We set the criterion for success at five correct Natasha was in the room. If Natasha needed to observe them matches. We clearly stated this criterion in the test protocol in a standing position, I would tell Natasha to turn her back and all parties agreed to this in advance. Although Natasha's while they stood up and when they sat again. We used simi­ mother says that her daughter never makes a mistake, we did lar precautions if Natasha needed to look at them in profile. not want to demand that Natasha perform perfectly. We These precautions reduced the possibility of reactions by the wanted to give her some margin for error. Keep in mind that subjects from knowing which target condition Natasha was if she got five or more correct this would be consistent with her currently studying. We also wanted to reduce external move­ having the X-ray power that she claims. Yet it would also be ments (for example, the subject with a hip replacement consistent with the possibility that she was matching the tar­ might give herself away from her efforts to stand or to change get condition by normal means such as the appearance and the position of her body).' behavior of the subjects. The test room was large and had chairs for our seven sub­ jects, for Natasha and two interpreters. One interpreter was The Test Natasha's friend Sveta Skarbo. We allowed her in the test room Richard Wiseman, Andrew Skolnick, and I collaborated in to make Natasha feel comfortable. The other interpreter was designing the test. We arrived at a mutually satisfactory plan supplied by the Discovery Channel. Ideally, only I, as the head after exchanging several e-mails. The task of finding appropri­ proctor, Richard Wiseman as my co-investigator, Natasha and ate subjects, and coordinating the many details was left to the two interpreters, and the seven subjects should have been Andrew. He had less than one week to accomplish all this. He present during the test. The realities of television production had to do this from Amherst, more than 350 miles from New and the requests of Natasha's companions forced us to com­ York City. promise here, and in some matters of protocol. The test room Austin Dacey, executive director of the Center for also included a television crew of tJiree persons from the pro­ Inquiry-vW^WVY, obtained an excellent set of rooms for the duction company (Shine, Ltd.); Austin Dacey, who was video­ test at the City College of New York and helped recruit several taping die proceedings for CSICOP; Joe Nickell as an subjects. Dr. Barrie Casselith, Chief of Integrative Medicine observer; a still photographer from the Discovery Channel; Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, helped us and Will Stewart, a British journalist living in Russia who was with the daunting task of assembling seven appropriate and acting as a representative for Natasha. Except for the subjects willing subjects. On the morning of the day of the test we (and Austin Dacey), everyone in the test room, including learned that two of the subjects had withdrawn. Again, myself, was blind to the condition of each subject.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/Jure 2005 31 A small room, attached to rear of the test room, was used for briefing Natasha. We could retreat to this room when we wanted to discuss mat­ ters out of sight and hearing of the subjects. Because Andrew was in charge of recruiting the subjects and was not completely blind to their con­ ditions, he stayed out of the testing room. He remained in the briefing room during the entire test (which lasted more than four hours). We used this room to brief Natasha before each of the six required matches (once she had made six matches, the seventh was determined by default). Before each trial Andrew gave her a clear description, along with images and diagrams, Ot the target condition that Natasha Demkina stands between her friend Svetlana Skarbo (who served as her translator instead of the one hired she was to match to a subject. We also by Discovery Channel) and Richard Wiseman, who helped to design and conduct the CSICOP-CSMMH test. Photo discussed any of Natasha's questions or credit: Andrew A. Skolnick each match. She took one hour to make the first match— concerns in this room. which was to find the subject who had a large section of the Andrew and I met with Natasha in this room before the top of her left lung surgically removed. She required more test to review the procedure and to remind her about the than four hours to complete the matches of conditions to the details of the protocol. She had agreed to this protocol, seven subjects. Throughout this process I repeatedly asked her which Monica had shown her five days previously. We if she was comfortable and if we could do anything to make reviewed each condition that we would ask her to detect. the process more agreeable to her. She could ask for a break in She expressed concerns about the removed appendix and the the proceedings whenever she wished. Her mother had resected esophagus. She was worried that if the appendix decided to remain outside both the test and briefing rooms had been removed long enough ago it might have grown because she wanted to be with Natasha's younger sister. back. Andrew assured her that appendices do not grow back. Midway through the proceedings, Natasha told us she would Her concern about the resected esophagus was that individ­ feel better if her mother could be in the briefing room. 1 uals might normally differ in the length of their esophagus immediately agreed to her request.' and this could mislead her. Andrew told her that instead of the length she should look for the scar that completely The Outcome encircled the place where the two ends of the resected esophagus had been surgically joined. Natasha succeeded in correctly matching four target The test consisted of six trials. On each trial Andrew gave conditions out of a possible seven. Our protocol Natasha a test card that clearly described, in Russian and required that Natasha get five or more correct matches English, the condition she was to match to a subject. The card to "pass" our test. contained an illustration of the target organ or condition. Understandably, Natasha's supporters were disappointed. Andrew also showed her relevant illustrations from an They expressed their misgivings about the test on the televi­ anatomy text. When she was satisfied, I accompanied Natasha sion documentary, in media interviews, on Web sites, and to the test room, where she sat between the two interpreters through e-mails. They accused the testers of bias and of delib­ and equidistant from each subject. After Natasha had studied erately manipulating the procedure to prevent Natasha from the subjects for the given condition, she chose the subject she succeeding. Natasha has complained that if she had gotten five believed had the specified condition. She would circle the sub­ correct she would have been a success. Isn't four close enough? ject's number on the test card and both of us would sign the Our answer is that five was the minimum score that every­ card. We then returned to the back room to prepare for the one agreed upon. It was also the minimum score that would next condition and trial. convince us of a possible ability to diagnose subjects with suf­ We wanted to make the test as comfortable and nonstress- ficient reliability to be useful. We designed our test to detect a ful for Natasha as possible. I made sure not to rush or pres- large effect. We were looking for something that would distin- sure her in any way. I gave her all the time she wanted to make guish Natasha's claims from many similar ones. We wanted a

32 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER good reason to justify using the additional time and resources ball cap as the one who had the metal plate in his head. to investigate her ability further. Conceivably, she picked this subject because one might assume Although Natasha's score did not meet our criterion for (falsely in this case) that the subject was trying to cover a scar "success," it is possible that she can pick up information about on his head. We should also emphasize that her failure to cor- the subject's condition. Some of her choices might show some recdy match the subject with the metal plate in his head further accuracy on her part, although of a low level. If this is true, her argues against any fledgling paranormal powers. If she truly can correct matches could be the result of three possibilities: see into bodies, she should have easily detected the large area of 1. She gathered some information paranormally. That is. she missing skull along with the metal plate covering the hole. can see into people's bodies, but impcrfecdy. Our test included five subjects for whom external clues 2. She gathered information by deliberately exploiting available were available concerning their internal condition. The clues dues such as outward appearances and behavior of the subjects. correctly pointed to the true target condition for four subjects. 3. She obtained information unconsciously from available The external clue for the fifth subject falsely pointed to the clues. To me, this is the most likely explanation, other than chance or in addition to chance. Much recent work in psy­ hole in the skull. In each of these five cases Natasha made her chology demonstrates implicit learning: how people uncon­ choice consistent with how the external clue was pointing. sciously learn to exploit a variety of clues, often subde ones. Because a single test, even one done undet ideal conditions, Both inherent and unforeseen limitations of our test pro­ cannot setde a paranormal claim, we conceived our test as the vided possible clues to the target conditions for some subjects. first stage of a potential series. The first stage would not nec­ I already discussed the daunting task of finding seven appro­ essarily rule out nonparanormal alternatives. If Natasha could priate subjects. We had to settle for a less than optimal set of pass the first stage, this would justify continuing onto the next subjects. These subjects differed sufficiently in outward stage. If she passed that stage, then we would continue study­ appearance to provide possible clues about their conditions. ing her claim. On the other hand, if she failed at any of the Anotlier problem occurred through two violations of the test early stages, this would end our interest in her claim. protocol. Together these problems created the possibility for identifying the target conditions—by external, normal Keep in mind that the burden of proof belongs to the par­ means—for the following four subjects: ties making an extraordinary claim. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. Our test had its limitations. None 1) The "control" subject, the one who had no internal medical of these limitations, however, worked against Natasha's claim. condition, was obviously the youngest of the group. He also If anything, they may have artificially enhanced her score. Our looked in good physical condition and appeared much health­ task was not to prove that Natasha does not have X-ray vision. ier. He was a good candidate for the person with no defects. Rather, Natasha and her supporters had the responsibility to 2) The subject with the staples in his chest (because of major show us that she could perform well enough to deserve further heart surgery) was male, the oldest of the group and looked the least healthy. He was an obvious choice for the person scientific investigation. This they failed to do. with the staples in his chest. 3) A breach of protocol occurred on the first trial. Natasha Acknowledgments posed a question and her interpreter translated it aloud in I thank Richard Wiseman (University of Hertfordshire) and Andrew front of the subjects. The question, contrary to our proto­ Skolnick (Commission for Scientific Medicine and Mental Health) col, allowed the subjects to know that Natasha was looking for their many constructive criticisms to the earlier drafts of this for the subject with part of her lung removed. Here it was paper. Richard convinced me to eliminate over half the material I had possible that, knowing which condition Natasha was look­ intended to include. This was a great improvement. ing for, the subject with the missing lung might have given herself away through bodily reaction. Notes 4) After the test was over, I learned that Natasha and her com­ I. Wc debated about how to refer to the seven volunteers who had conditions panions, because of an apparent misunderstanding, had which Natasha had to detect. Each of the candidate terms such as volunteer, par­ arrived at the test site before we had expected them. They ticipant, patient, or client seemed ambiguous or not quite correct. Although not waited outside the test building where they reportedly completely satisfactory, we decided to refer to these individuals as subjects. observed at least two of the test subjects climb the long lPfungst. O. 1911. OeixrHam. New York Henry Holt & Co. Abo sceVogt.LZ.. flight of stairs and enter the test building. This breach of and Hyman. R. 2000. Water Witching USA Chicago: University of Chicago Press. protocol may have provided them clues about which sub­ 3. Here is another compromise wc had to make in the test. Ideally, every­ jects did or did not have the artificial hip. one in the test situation should be blind as to the true target condition for each subject. In our case, the subjects were not blind to their own conditions. We do not know if Natasha took advantage of the clues I've Because the subjects had to be in the test room and Natasha had to study them visually, the test lacked this blindness. The use of the opaque sunglasses hope­ described in the previous four paragraphs. However, it is sug­ fully kept the subjects blind as to which target condition Natasha was looking gestive that these were just the four subjects for whom Natasha for on a given trial, but this is not completely satisfactory. achieved her correct matches. The probability that she was rely­ 4. At the Stan of the test some initial confusion existed as to who would ing upon nonparanomal clues increases when we consider her be allowed into the test and briefing rooms. This was quickly corrected and Natasha's mother and Will Stewart were given the option of staying in one of misses. She wrongly picked the subject who was wearing a base­ these rooms. •

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 33 Natasha Demkina The Girl with Normal Eyes

Many people in Russia and the United Kingdom believe a teenage girl can identify diseases in patients better than their physicians. Investigators who tested the medical psychic for a Discovery Channel program don't agree.

ANDREW A. SKOLNICK

ne hundred ten years ago, German physicist Wilhelm Roentgen announced the discovery of an Oinvisible form of radiation that could make pho­ tographs of bones and organs inside a living human body. At first, many scientists called the discovery of mysterious "X-rays" a hoax, but when the skeptics put Roentgens claims to the test, they were quickly convinced about one of the greatest discoveries in science and medicine. Indeed, just six years after his discovery, Roentgen was awarded the first Nobel Prize in physics. Now comes a teenage girl from Saransk, Russia, who claims to have X-ray-like vision that lets her see inside hum­ an bodies. And she uses this vision to make medical

34 Volume 29, Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER After the CSICOP-CSMMH test of Natasha Demkina, a Discovery Channel photographer takes publicity shots for The Girl with X-ray Eyes. The program, already broadcast several times in Europe and Asia, has never been shown in North America. The author believes the program may be considered too skeptical for a more credulous American audience. Photo credit Andrew A. Skolnick diagnoses that, she claims, are often more accurate than those of ranted further study. (Hyman's accompanying article, "Testing doctors. Widely hailed in Russia as "die girl wirii X-ray eyes," Natasha," is the report of those tests.) seventeen-year-old Natasha Demkina has a growing number of Examining the claims of medical psychics like Natasha patients, doctors, journalists, and others who are convinced her Demkina presents unique difficulties beyond the usual problems powers are real.1-2 That following is proving lucrative for Natasha involved in testing dowsers, mind readers, and most other para­ and her family. The young psychic reportedly charged about normal claimants. For example, we needed to consider the logis­ $13 per reading and provided about ten readings each weekday tical, legal, and ethical concerns regarding the privacy of subjects' night. That income, about $2,600 a month, is more rJian forty medical information. Barrie Cassileth, chief of Integrative rimes the average monthly income of government workers Medicine Service and rhe Laurance S. Rockefeller Chair in in Saransk. Integrative Medicine at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer In March 2004, Monica Garnsey, the producer-director of a Center, was willing to help us recruit volunteer subjects through Discovery Channel documentary on Natasha, asked the rhe Center. However, the Center declined involvement in the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of die Paranormal (CSICOP) to scientifically test the young woman's Andrew A. Skolnick is the executive director of the Center for claims for die program. Because Natasha's paranormal claims Inquiry's Commission for Scientific Medicine and Mental Health. involved medical diagnoses, I was asked to join CSICOP fellows An award-winning medical journalist, Skolnick worked for nearly Ray Hyman and Richard Wiseman in designing an appropriate nine years as an associate editor of the Journal of rhe American preliminary test, to see if the medical psychic's abilities war­ Medical Association. E-mail: [email protected].

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 35 CSICOP and CSMMH Preliminary Test of Natasha Demkina documentary, so Cassileth could Natasha claims she can see

only assist us unofficially by rtii. wbfcvltMdhnufbcTippendiiwrsKAUy removed. The appcnduaiimill (ingci- everything inside of peoples recruiting four of the seven vol­ srw lufae attached toib e Urge iraeaeiiK. new wfeere u jemi the *nalt Inteatine. bodies down to the cellular unteers we needed from her per­ Ruman yfi+0 TB^'-I^i readings are 100 percent accu­ We wanted a test that would rate. So the test—which The wbjoct vnft thu rnedxai cooAuon u numba (ekek ihe correct *umbw): prevent Natasha from making required her to match at least >- 4IU44, diagnoses that could not be dis­ five of the target medical condi­ proved, as is her usual practice. tions to the correct subjects— So we settled on a simple test should have been very easy com­ design that required Natasha to pared with her normal readings. Sign your name find already established med­ She didn't have to scan entire ical abnormalities in the test bodies looking for unknown subjects. This not only elimi­ lest proctor • Signature: conditions. She was told exactly nated the problem of her giving what to look for and exactly us a long list of health prob­ Dale: M«y I, 2004 - La.i. tJUH. Act.Hr. where to look. Yet it took her Russian: lems that cannot be disproved, more than four hours to com­ it eliminated the problem of plete the test and, inexplicably, subjects trying to force < she took an hour to examine the Natasha's vague comments to seven subjects before deciding fit their existing problems. And which one was missing a large it prevented die potential harm pan of her left lung! She guessed diat could result from subjects that one correcdy, but why being frightened into undergo­ This is one of the six test cards that were used to assess Natasha's ability to see would anyone who claims to be ing unnecessary and invasive abnormalities within the subjects' bodies. In English and in Russian, the card able to see "every cell" inside a directed Natasha to identify the number of the subject who doesn't have an medical tests to rule out dis­ appendix. Natasha answered subject number 2—a woman who still has her person take an hour to decide eases that Natasha claims to see. appendix. Natasha protested during the test that appendixes can grow back which person was missing a large after an appendectomy. When told this isn't possible, she insisted that they do Such a calamity happened to grow back in Russia. Photo credit: Andrew A. Skolnick portion of one lung? Dr. Christopher Steele, the host Natasha matched only four of a medical television show in the United Kingdom, who in of the conditions correctly—a score that everyone prior to the 2004 invited Natasha on his show to provide "medical readings." test had agreed would not justify further testing. Natasha's most When she read Steele, she said she saw somediing wrong with his dramatic misdiagnosis was her failure to see a large metal plate gall bladder and that he had kidney stones and an enlarged liver covering a missing section of skull in a man who had a large and pancreas. The physician rushed off to have a battery of expen­ brain tumor removed. Instead, she indicated that she "saw" a sive and invasive clinical tests—which found nothing wrong with metal plate and missing skull section in a man who had his him.1 In addition to being exposed to unnecessary diagnostic radi­ appendix removed but a normal skull. ation, he had a colonoscopy, which is not without risks. Studies There was an error in our test protocol, which could have have found that .2 percent (two tenths of one percent) or more of been much more embarrassing for us, had Natasha had the patients who undergo colonoscopic screening suffer a bowel per­ power to see it. Although our test design'1 required no more than foration, which can lead to life-threatening infection and the need one subject to have any of the target medical conditions, we dis­ for surgery.4'' covered after the test was over that the man who had a metal We wanted to conduct a blinded test. Natasha claims to see plate in his head also had undergone an appendectomy. He had through peoples clothing, yet she says she cannot see through a fab­ forgotten to mention this when he was recruited but brought it ric screen, which we wanted to use to prevent her from seeing the up after the test because a missing appendix had been one of the test subjects. We found this unexplained contradiction curious— test target conditions. This mistake gave Natasha twice the and frustrating: Any test she would agree to would have to allow her chance of correctly guessing which subject was missing his or to study the test subjects using her normal senses. As Hyman points her appendix. Despite having twice the odds of being correct, out, this study flaw alone could provide an astute person powerful she still chose a subject with an intact appendix. dues about a person's health problems. It would be less of a prob­ After the test, Natasha asked if she could give me a medical lem if we were able to recruit subjects who were physically and reading in the hope of convincing me that her powers are real. demographically similar. Unfortunately, we had great difficulty With CSICOP's Senior Research Fellow Joe Nickell taking recruiting subjects for the test and had to settle for several people notes, I agreed. Her reading, in which she scanned me from with characteristics that suggested their target conditions. head to toes while describing the abnormalities she saw, took

36 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER about ten minutes. Few of my the man's lungs, she drew a pic­ organs passed the inspection: ture. With the help of Natasha's My neck vertebrae were too drawing, the man got a referral tight, too close. The bronchial to a doctor in Moscow, who tubes of my lungs had phlegm claimed to see die same diing causing me to cough. The through her microscope and muscle on the left side of my that the drawing is indicative of heart is a bit weak and the an inflammatory disease lesion valve closes late. The mucosa called sarcoidosis granuloma. of my stomach is abnormal. A That's a remarkable confirma­ segment of my liver was tion of the young psychic's enlarged and I was suffering powers—at least for viewers poor bile circulation. The who don't have a clue what sar­ head of my pancreas is coidosis granulomas look like. increased and abnormally It didn't look like any dark (although not seriously). pathological finding I've seen, My duodenum has a little so I sent an image of the draw­ scar. My prostate gland has a Natasha Demkina supporters widely cite this "diagnostic' drawing of a "sarcoido­ ing to Yale Rosen, M.D., sis granuloma" as evidence of her remarkable "X-ray" vision. Yale Rosen, M.D., a nodule and is inflamed. My leading expert on sarcoidosis granuloma, however, disagrees. Frame from the Professor of Pathology at right kidney has "sand," while Discovery Channel program The Girl with X-ray Eyes. O2004 Discovery Channel SUNY Downstate Medical my left kidney's urethra is Center, a leading expert on sar­ enlarged. In other words, I should forget about ever again sign­ coidosis granuloma, whose Atlas of Granulomatous Diseases is ing an organ donor card. widely used in the training of pathologists." Here is Dr. Rosen's Neither my physician nor I are aware of any of these prob­ opinion of Demkina's drawing: lems. Nevertheless, Natasha and her supporters claim she sees Try as I might I can sec no resemblance whatsoever of this draw­ what doctors and tJieir tests often miss. The only way 1 could ing to a granuloma or to any other microscopic pathologic find­ prove her wrong would be to submit to an autopsy—which I'm ing that I know of. If I were presented with this drawing and no not quite ready to do. background history I would guess that it was made by a 4—6 I believe Natasha may have been making some bad guesses year old child who was trying to depict a human-like head with four appendages (? arms and legs) attached. If Ms. Demkina is based on non-paranormal observations. While die test was claiming that a physician made a diagnosis of sarcoidosis based ongoing, I swallowed some water down my wind pipe, which upon this drawing I would say that that's simply unbelievable. triggered a loud fit of coughing. It was so loud that someone had to close die briefing room door. Natasha apparently misjudged We've asked the producer/director several times when the the cause of my coughing. My shoulders and neck were sore and documentary may be broadcast in the United States. We have tired from lugging around my luggage and a heavy camera bag. not received an answer. I am afraid that Discovery Channel may She apparently misread my drooping posture as a sign of a spinal consider the program too skeptical for the American audience. I problem. And earlier, I had complained to the Russian transla­ hope I will be proven wrong. tor that I had a headache (from stress and lack of sleep). I sus­ Notes pect that information may have been passed on to Natasha, who 1. Moniche, Igor. 2004. X-ray girl sees right through Sun man. The Sun. wrongly attributed die problem to narrowed blood vessels in my Available ai wvw.ssiori-5.co.uk/word_anides/miscyxray_cyes.html. neck. Even more telling was what Natasha didn't "see." She 2. Hagan. Lucy. 2004. Girl "sees" broken bones. The Sun. Available at failed to point out any of my confirmed health problems, which http://groups.nisn.com/Mindialk/itspossible.msnw. include hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, recent colon 3. TV doctor in health scare after meeting "X-ray vision" girl. 2004. Ananova. Available at www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_860742.html? surgery, nasal polyps, a very narrow pharynx, and sleep apnea. mcnu=nrws.scicnceanddiscovery. She also didn't see die calcified plaque in two of my coronary 4. Kavic S.M. and M.D. Brasson. 2001. Complications of endoscopy. arteries that was documented by spiral CT scan. American Journal of Surgery. April; 181 (4):319—32. 5. Anderson, M.L et al. 2000. Endoscopic perforation of the colon: lessons The Discovery Channel program, The Girl with X-ray Eyes, has from a 10-year study. American Journal of Gastroenterology December, already been broadcast several times over the past six mondis in 95(12):3418-22. 6. Test Design and Procedures for Preliminary Study of Natasha Donkiru. 2004. Europe and Asia," but has not been broadcast in North America. CSICOP and CSMMH. Available at www.dcmkina/demkina.rxotocols.doc The program highlights one of Natasha's most impressive diag­ 7. The Girl with X-ray Bps. 2004. The Human Files series. Discovery noses, involving a man who says he had been treated for tubercu­ Channel. Program description available at www.discoverychanncl.co.uk/ humanfiles/lcjturc2.shtml. losis for a year yet hadn't gotten any better. In desperation, he 8. Rosen, Yale. Atlas of Granulomatous Diseases. Available at www. turned to Natasha for help. Unable to describe what she saw in granuloma.homcsTead.com. D

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 37 Psychic Swindlers

An investigative television reporter looking into a shady psychic uncovers a dangerous underworld of fraud and scams. AMY DAVIS

s an investigative television reporter in San Antonio, I am bombarded on a daily basis by questions, faxes, Ae-mails, and phone calls. Everyone has a problem, and they all want me to help solve it. Shoddy contractors, sketchy sales pitches, get-rich quick schemes. Eventually, they all run together in a maelstrom of malfeasance. But a call to our news desk in February 2004 piqued my interest, with its claims of curses and clans, psychics and scams. A phone call from a panicked mom and dad first turned me on to the Evans clan. Terry Trotter wanted help when she called our station. Her twenty-one-year-old daughter, Shame Smith, had just confessed she'd taken out cash- advance loans and department-store credit to the tune of

38 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER $25,000 and turned it all over to a psychic by the name of was Jennifer Evans) could break the spell. "Anybody I truly loved "Miss Brooks." dearly would die from a horrible disease," Smith said. "I got all By the time Shante told her parents and the police what nervous and worried, just like anybody would if somebody told had happened, she was drowning in debt and ducking bill col­ you someone who you love was gonna be dying of cancer." lectors at every turn. "I didn't know what else to do; and I Once the psychic succeeded in scaring Shante, she quickly couldn't tell anybody, or Miss Brooks would say, 'If you tell offered a solution. She ordered Shante to immediately with­ anybody, I could die.'" draw all of the money from her bank account and bring it Naturally skeptical of anyone who would willingly give a back. Within minutes, Smith returned with $400. Evans told perfect stranger thousands of dollars, I was hesitant to take on her she would be in touch. the assignment. Even if the psychic had used half-truths and Less than 24 hours later, Smith woke up to her ringing cell intimidation to get the money, the headline forming in my phone. Evans told her to get up; the two had lots of work to mind didn't strike me as newsworthy or a revelation by any­ do if they wanted to reverse the fate of Shante's true love. one's standards. "Psychic Swindles Sucker" could share the Evans's first instructions were easy enough. "You need to get all same page as "Pickpocket Takes Wallet." of your credit cards and get your limits raised as high as you 1 pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind for later can." Not satisfied with the few cards Shante already had in consideration and agreed to interview Smith. My first question her wallet, Evans sent her to the mall to fill out applications. was the most obvious. What in the world would convince her In just one day, Saks, Sears, and Zales all extended credit to the to give a psychic so much money? college coed. Smith said Evans called her cell phone constantly. A naive college sophomore. Smith struck me as the type of "She's like, 'When you get to each store, call me when you get student who spends more time studying what clothes she'll wear there, and let me know what they approved you for.'" Under to class than the subjects she signs up to study. Like many girls the psychic's direction, Smith purchased gift cards in the full her age, she was impressionable, boy-crazy, and wanted to be amount of her credit line, and handed them over. liked. Smith told me she and some girlfriends had recendy talked The plan, as relayed by Evans to Smith, was to lavishly dress about going to see a palm reader for fun; so when she found a two life-size Brazilian statues. The sculptures supposedly sym­ flyer for "The Psychic Spiritualist" tucked under her windshield bolized Smith and her soon-to-be lover. Adorning the effigies wiper at a shopping-mall parking lot, she thought it must have with the best clothing and accessories would mean Smith been a sign. The superstitious student called the number on the could expect the same luxuries in her own life. Even three card that day and knocked on Miss Brooks's door the next. months later, flat broke and no closer to the boy she gave so "I thought 1 was gonna pay $35. She was gonna tell me a lit­ much for, Smith still thought Evans might come through for tle bit of information; and then I was gonna be on my merry Hi­ her. Smith's mother believes her daughter was easily duped de way," Smith recounted. But that's not how it happened. In because the smooth-talking psychic preyed on her religious convictions, lighting votive candles and speaking of angels that could help her case. "When you talk about churches and God and blessings, that creates trust. You want to believe in some­ one because you know that He is real."

Getting the Story Armed with one side of a possible story, I had to decide how best to get the other side. Simply confronting Evans with Smith's accusations would give the psychic an opportunity to say any­ thing, leaving me with no real way to evaluate her responses. I needed a firsthand account of Evans's psychic talent and tactics. We needed to get her spiel on camera, but first we needed a vol­ unteer victim. In television news, these adventurous assignments are usually doled out to producers. They're smart, they under­ Jennifer Evans's husband Tommy Evans hides behind groceries when confronted by stand the legalities of using hidden cameras, and because they're the author about theft allegations. not on-air, they aren't recognized as station employees. Our that first visit, Smith figuratively showed her cards before Evans Special Projects producer offered to take a camera hidden in a had a chance to literally read them. Smith spilled her guts, purse. We gave her $40 and a blank tape for what we thought revealing she was smitten with a boy on campus. The girl would be the first of several visits with die accused. Even my wanted Miss Brooks to tell her if she had a future with her crush. The answer wasn't simple. Yes, Shante would win the heart of Amy Davis is an investigative reporter for WOAI- TV, the NBC affil­ her beau. But Miss Brooks ominously disclosed that the man iate in San Antonio, Texas. Her in-depth reports on racial discrimi­ would die of cancer if Shante didn't do something soon. nation, nursing home abuse, and government waste have prompted Smith said the brazen crystal-ball reader convinced her she was the Justice Department, the North Carolina State Legislature, and cursed; and only Miss Brooks (whose real name we later learned the Texas Comptroller to effect change.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 39 news director doubted die psychic would pounce on our pro­ Evans used the cancer-curse fortune on many customers, ducer's first appointment. We all suspected Evans would want to and our producer was no exception. Evans said an old enemy feel out her new prey and gain her victim's trust before she tried paid someone to cast a spell on my coworker. "Sweetie, what's to get any money. We were wrong. What our producer captured on you is so serious. She put for you not to lose your soul mate on tape in just one session was all we needed to convince us to another woman, but for you to lose him to some type of Evans wasn't just selling fortunes, she was stealing them. sickness or colon cancer." Evans's shop, a storefront pancd with dark-tinted glass and The producer was shocked. "Colon cancer?" with a huge sign reading "The Psychic Spiritualist," doubled as "Yeah," nodded Evans, her lips curled in a knowing purse. her home. When she unlocked the door to greet our producer "She doesn't want you to be happy. She does not want you to for their 10 A.M. appointment, she was still wearing her pajamas. be content. She wants to see you sad. She wants to see you Small and slender, without a touch of makeup, the brunette weep. 'Cause she could never be happy ... so she wants to could have easily passed for a teenager. But her speech exuded make you miserable. You always had everything she wanted. confidence, and her tone was reassuring and authoritative. Morals, true love, that charisma . . . you know. She's wicked. "What I would like you to do, sweetie, is cut the cards one She's jealous. You should know that." time and make one wish when you cut the cards." About halfway through the session, Evans revealed the pro­ The producer truthfully confided, "I wish that my husband ducer's nemesis also put a curse on her that would cause her to and I will buy a house here in San Antonio." never have as much money as she would like. This conve­ Then Evans cut to die chase. "It'll be $35 up front for the niently spurred a line of questioning that would make even a reading," then promptly added—after she had the producer's used-car salesman blush. Evans looked up from a tarot card two twenties in her hand—"I don't have change. Is that okay?" and said, "It's also telling me you've been trying to save up for Assuming it would have to be, our producer nodded her something. But if you really want to be honest, tell me. You head in agreement; both women were working to gain each got to talk to me. What do you want?" other's trust. The next line of conversation confirmed Evans "To go on a trip to Ireland," admitted the producer. not only deceives her customers about their own futures, she Evans pressed her. "How much do you need?" concocts tall tales of her own travels and adventures. "I don't know ... a couple of thousand or two." "I'm not even from here," offered the psychic. "I'm from Moving on, but tying it all together as if she needed to Canada. I lived in Brazil for fifteen years, New York for ten, know, Evans continued. "Okay ... do you owe any money on Chicago, California when I became the celebrity psychic. And any credit cards or anything like that?" for the last five years, I've been here." "Some ... but we're paying them off"," replied the producer. By her account, the psychic would be at least thirty, but Evans's "How much do you owe?" driver's license reveals she is only twenty-three. A lie like mat is "Several thousand." easy to disprove widi documents, but Detective Ray Patterson of "Okay . . . what else do you owe on? What's a major debt die Bexar County Sheriffs Department says it doesn't always you want to get rid of?" All of a sudden jumping back into her work that way. "The other stuff is so intangible," he explains. "If heroine roll, Evans said, "Tell me what's a major debt you want I say I'm going to cure cancer for you, and you don't get cancer. to get rid of cause I'll help you get rid of it." "Cars—car debt—and credit cards," the producer ratded off her financial portrait. "We have about diree credit cards. They're not really high or whatever. But we'd like to pay diem off." "Okay ... how much would you say you owe on each one?" "Um . .. around two thousand .. . twenty-five hundred for each." "What was your limits on each one?" "Um, our limit on die card ... I diink a lot higher rhan mat." Unabashed, the psychic then wanted to know about the producer's checking and savings accounts, even how much she expected to get back in taxes. She finally concluded her inter­ rogation by making a promise. "Whatever's in checking, what- ever's in savings, is gonna quadruple for you in five days after I do this. I'm gonna walk you dirough everydiing so you understand. What's the amount in checking and what's the amount in savings?" how can you prove otherwise?" Patterson said Shame's experience "Umm ... I have about five diousand dollars, and it's only was familiar "They targeted somebody who was weak-willed and in one account." extorted money from her. I just think it was a giri tfrat came in Evans urged our producer to rush to die bank immediately, diat was at a low point in her life, and was looking for some type withdraw all of her money, and return with it as quickly as pos­ of direction; and Jennifer Evans took advantage of it." sible. The producer did leave, but she never went back to Evan's

40 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER shop. At this point, she was more than ready to end her involvement in our investigation. Evans had taken her cell number; and when the producer didn't return within ten min­ utes, the soothsayer started dialing nonstop. Her voice-mail messages went from sweet to pleading to threatening. After the last beep, Evans said she had already opened the case; if the pro­ ducer didn't come back ro finish what she'd started, she could die. The producer is still very much alive. While she admits she doesn't want to ever face Evans again, she says it's the woman's menacing vibe and very real propensity for criminal behavior that frighten her more than any voodoo hocus-pocus. As I did more research, I found a nefarious streak running throughout her family's lineage. Members of the Evans clan don't only pose as palm readers, they arc involved in a long list of shady activi­ ties. When Detective Patterson began investigating Jennifer Nicky Evans, Jennifer's uncle, walks out of his own San Antonio psychic shop. Evans and her family, he found hundreds of social security agent confided to me that the San Antonio office simply numbers and names linked to just a handful of the family doesn't have the resources required to devote to sorting members. "There appears to be a lot of names floating around. through the multiple aliases, business fronts, and fraud. At the It seems like their practice is . . . they'll assume alias names, they'll change a few numbers in their Social Security number local level, manpower is usually shifted to more tangible and pull a scam. And then after that's all done, they'll move on crimes like property theft and murders. to a different name, different Social and continue on." But most veteran officers know the self-proclaimed clan of Gypsies by name, and they all have their own personal accounts of bizarre encounters with them. Some people swear The Evans Family that the clan has state and local officers on their payroll. While In a modest Van Nuys, California, neighborhood, far from San I haven't been able to confirm this rumor, I don't doubt it. It Antonio, an elderly man slowly hobbled to his front door, bal­ would certainly explain why there are so many crimes reported ancing his frail figure on a sturdy wooden cane. The knock but so few prosecuted. I spoke to investigators who helped me annoyed the nearly ninety-year-old man, until he looked out­ absorb as much information as possible before my face-to-face side. A Hispanic-looking woman in her late forties told him with any of the family members, knowing they would she worked as a home-health nurse, and had been sent by undoubtedly use any ignorance of mine to their advantage. Medicare to look after him and his bedridden wife. For two weeks, this unexpected miracle of a maid washed and cooked. Confronting the Con Artist Then she cleaned out the couple's life savings. When I pulled up to Evans's storefront, her husband was just Federal investigators never figured out how this nefarious getting out of his Lincoln Navigator with groceries in hand. As nurse found die elderly couple or how she convinced AARP I introduced myself, our photographer recording rhe entire and Vanguard to cut checks for the entire amount in their exchange, Mr. Evans shielded his face with his bags. Jennifer retirement accounts. The mysterious woman vanished as opened the door to let him in. quickly as she appeared, but detectives did trace the checks to "I'm coming to ask you about a girl who says you took a bank in San Antonio, where they'd been deposited by a man $25,000 from her," I blurted out before she could close the door. named Nicky Evans. Nicky is Jennifer's uncle by marriage; and She denied the accusation. "It's all lies. I'm a psychic. even though many stories like the Van Nuys scheme are con­ People can say whatever they want about me," shouted nected to his name, his record is clean. When police began Miss Evans. "Right," her husband jumped in. "They can questioning Nicky Evans, a pillowcase stuffed with say I bought a Rolls Royce, too. Do you see a Rolls Royce $179,000—the exact amount taken from the California cou­ over here?" ple's accounts—turned up on the doorstep of the district attor­ After hurling several insults and threats laced with profanity, ney's office. No charges were filed. rhe pair slammed the door. I tried repeatedly to talk to them The cross-country-con case was just one of many relayed to without success. But my efforts didn't stop there. There are me by local investigators when I began asking around about seven psychic shops in San Antonio owned by Evans family the infamous yet mysterious Evans family of San Antonio. members, but none were willing to talk to us about their psy­ Other common trades in the family are driveway paving, roof­ chic abilities or address the complaints of fraud against them. ing, and remodeling, which cops say are sometimes fronts, One irate anonymous caller claimed she was a member of providing the Evans family a way inside to case people's the clan, adding, "Why are you going after us Gypsies? Is it homes. Jennifer Evans's husband has been busted for insurance because we drive brand-new cars and you don't? Because you fraud at least twice. Many times when victims try to file com­ have to work for yours?" plaints against members of die Evans clan with police they're Jennifers mother-in-law operates another psychic business. told they are dealing with a civil, not criminal, matter. An FBI When I called her, she told me she'd been meaning to get in

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 41 touch with me. She said she needed to warn me that she saw Schattmann says in some of the cases, victims were reas­ some "pretty scary things" in her cards. "Miss Davis, you sured that their money would benefit a church or religious should know, if you don't stop messing around with these psy­ organization, although no such affiliation was ever proved. chics, you're going to get hurt." Jennifer Evans used the same tactic in San Antonio with The threats certainly didn't stop me from proceeding with Shante Smith, convincing the young woman that she owed a die story, but the Evans's intimidation campaign did keep oth­ debt to a church that was helping with "her case." Evans told ers from coming forward. One man who'd been shot by Smith to order a big-screen television from a major electronics Jennifer's father-in-law in the early 1980s could certainly tes­ store and have it delivered to a church in Piano. But upon fur­ tify to the family's tendency toward violence. When I tried to ther investigation, we discovered there is a home at the address track him down, 1 discovered he moved away from San Evans gave to Smith. At the time the store delivered the TV, Antonio shortly after the shooting. I left several voice-mail Evans's own mother was renting the house. messages for the man but got no response until one day when "It fit a pattern of theft. It looked like she'd been either I checked my e-mail. This is the message I found in my in-box: coerced or threatened into doing something," said Detective If your (sic) the one asking about (the man shot by Steve Evans) Patterson. That one delivery allowed prosecutors to charge just stop, he got screwed in the deal and they tried to kill him Evans with theft by deception. more than once and he just wants to be left alone, if you dig it "Hopefully, her life has been turned upside down, just like up again your name will be added to there (sic) hit list, the guy she turned my life upside down within three months," said deserves some peace, your bio sounds nice, looking for justice Smith after learning deputies had arrested Evans. and all but you must leave this one alone, thx. a friend Police arrested Jennifer Evans outside a San Antonio post The Police Step In office on January 24, 2005- While preparing for her upcoming trial, prosecutors with the Bexar County District Attorney's Two weeks after our story aired, deputies arrested Jennifer office asked U.S. Postal Inspectors to screen the psychic's mail. Evans as she turned on the glowing neon "open" sign in the To date, they've identified five more victims who have mailed front window of her home. Since that time, over a dozen other Evans nearly $80,000. Inspector Ed Moreno said Evans was victims have come forward. A school teacher who refinanced placing ads in West Coast yellow pages advertising psychic her home lost $50,000; another woman gave Evans up to phone lines. For an initial $150, she tells callers she will begin $15,000 and even bought her a kitchen stove. praying for their cause. Other promises and miracles would cost a greater amount, usually thousands of dollars. Evans was picking up a $25,000 check mailed to her post office box the day she was arrested. Officers say she gave them a fake name and date of birth. Nine of her alleged victims are claiming a total of $230,000 was stolen from them. Prosecutors have now backed away from their offers of a plea deal and say they have filed Evans's case as a first degree felony. Evans is currently on house arrest awaiting an April 11 trial date. "If the case just goes away, we lose the ability to track her," says Patterson, now at the mercy of prosecutors. The seasoned investi­ gator confessed that his sergeant never would have assigned him the case if it weren't for pressure from our broadcast. Response from our story gave the district attorney's office a list of about a

Jennifer Evans covers her face while being arrested for theft by deception. dozen victims. As people called me with similar stories of how they'd been swindled, I passed them on to prosecutors. Most had To Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Schattman, the most not called police to report the theft; those who had hadn't gotten interesting part of it all is that the victims self-select. Most far. Complaints against soothsayers get lost among reports of often, those who lose the most have the least to give. property theft, robbery, and other routine crimes. Widowers, the terminally ill, people who've hit rock bottom Some officers actually refuse to take such reports or at least and exhausted all the traditional sources of help. "They were strongly discourage victims from reporting the offenses. remorseless con artists," Schattman says of the seven Evans Another college student ripped off by Evans told me she will family members he prosecuted in the Dallas-Fort Worth never forget what cops told her. "They laughed at me. They area four years ago. "The people we convicted crossed the were just like, 'Oh, you're just going to have to chalk it up to line, and they did it repeatedly." Seven members of the experience because you're not getting your money back. Evans family were convicted of mail fraud and aiding and There's nothing we can do,'" she recalls. abetting for using the mail as a part of the psychic scams. But since Detective Patterson invested so much rime and The victims included lawyers, accountants, and doctors, energy in the case, he wants to see Evans prosecuted. A convic­ many of whom did not want to cooperate with the investi­ tion might send a message to psychics and soothsayers who prey gation out of embarrassment. on the hopeful and vulnerable. LJ

42 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Getting the Monkey off Darwin's Back Four Common Myths About Evolution

Evolution is poorly characterized by certain commonly used phrases. Properly communicating how evolution works requires careful attention to language and metaphor. CHARLES SULLIVAN and CAMERON McPHERSON SMITH

early 150 years after Charles Darwin published On The Origin of Species, the theory of evolution is still Nwidely misunderstood by the general public. Evolution isn't a fringe theory, and it's not difficult to under­ stand, yet recent surveys reveal that roughly half of Americans believe that humans were created in their present form 10,000 years ago (Brooks 2001, CBS 2004). The same number reject the concept tJiat humans developed from ear­ lier species of animals (National Science Board 2000). But the evidence is clear that no species, including humans, simply "popped up." Each life form has an evolutionary history, and those histories are intricately

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 43 intertwined. If we don't understand that complex evolu­ evolution is not obtained by labo­ tion, we will make poor decisions about our future and ratory experiments, as in chem­ that of other species. Should we genetically istry and physics, the same can modify humans? How about our food also be said for geology and crops? What effects will global warm in cosmology. have on human biology? None of A geologist cannot travel back these questions, nor many others in time to observe first hand the of immediate concern to human­ formation of Earth's crust, and ity, can be usefully addressed a cosmologist cannot witness unless we understand the evo­ the collapsing of a star into a lutionary process. black hole, but this doesn't In examining how evolu­ mean diat scientific theories tion is portrayed in die mass about the nature of these media, we found many prob­ phenomena are simply lems; chief among diem was unsubstantiated guesses. the use of inaccurate expres­ Some scientific theories do a sions. In this article we examine better job of accounting for the commonly-used phrases the facts than others, and in "evolution is only a theory," biology there is no competing "the ladder of progress," scientific theory with more "missing links," and "only the explanatory power than evolution. strong survive." Biologist Theodosius Dobzhansky put it These expressions are mis­ best when he said, "Nothing in biology leading at best, and simply makes sense except in the light of evolution." wrong at worst. Most of these phrases have ancient roots, describing biology as it was under­ stood centuries ago. They While it's true that much of lead to a distorted picture of what the evidence for evolution is not obtained evolution is and how it works. by laboratory experiments, as in chemistry Evolution Is Only a Theory and physics, the same can also be said Have you ever heard people challenge evo­ lution by claiming that "it's only a theory?" for geology and cosmology. The Cobb County School District in Georgia did just that when it sought to put stickers on high school biology textbooks stating that, "Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the Many people confuse evolutionary theory with origins of living things."1 The problem with this claim rests Lamarckism, named for the French naturalist Jean-Baptiste with two different uses of the word theory. In popular usage Lamarck (1744-1829). In one sense Lamarck was an evolu­ the word refers to an unsubstantiated guess or assumption, as tionist in that he favored the view that new species had evolved when someone theorizes that a light moving across the night from ancestral species, but he was mistaken about the mecha­ sky must be an alien spaceship. When scientists use the word nism by which species change, and about the time required for theory, however, they're referring to a logical, tested, well-sup­ these changes. Lamarck thought that the mechanism for bio­ ported explanation for a great variety of facts.2 In this sense the logical change was the transmission to the next generation of theory of evolution is as well supported as the theory of grav­ characteristics acquired during the life span of an individual His itation or other explanatory models in fields such as chemistry most famous example is that of the giraffe. According to or physics. While it's true that much of the evidence for Lamarck, the giraffe's ancestors had shorter necks, and they would stretch their necks to reach higher foliage in trees. Their Cameron McPherson Smith has a doctorate in archaeology and descendants then inherited longer necks because the charac­ teaches at Portland State University's Department of Anthropology in teristics of these newly stretched necks of the parents were Portland, Oregon. Charles Sullivan has masters degrees in both phi­ passed down to their offspring. Moreover, Lamarck thought losophy and English and teaches writing at Portland Community that the evolution of a new species could occur within a few College in Portland Oregon. The authors are currently writing a generations or even one. His position was reasonable for its book on the top ten myths about evolution. time, yet it happens to be incorrect.

44 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER But acquired characteristics are not passed on.' If you lose The Ladder of Progress your arm in an accident, your offspring will not be born with a The word evolution is sometimes used to mean progress. People missing arm. If you lift weights to gain muscle mass, you will speak of moral evolution when discussing certain cultural not transmit larger muscles to your offspring. Jews have been changes tfiat have been for the better, such as the increased practicing circumcision for hundreds of generations, yet tfierc is recognition of die rights of women. Or ffiey speak of techno­ no evidence that this acquired feature is biologically inherited. logical evolution when comparing present-day technology with The position of modern evolutionary theory (Neo- that of ancient hunter-gatherers. This sense of die word evolu­ 4 Darwinism ) is that some ancestors of giraffes acquired slightly tion implies a progressive development toward better or more longer necks through random mutation. These animals could advanced stages. It is diis non-biological sense of evolution that eat food that was a little out of reach of others of their species, influences people to diink of biological evolution as involving and so they tended to be healthier, to live longer, and have a ladder-like progress from lower to higher stages. better chance than their fellows at mating and passing on to The idea of an evolutionary ladder of progress has its roots the next generation their genes for longer necks. Many such in Classical Greek and Medieval European concepts about the incremental changes over a long period of time are required for nature of the universe. The most common manifestation is a new species—or a neck as long as a giraffe's—to arise. known as the Great Chain of Being, which was most influen­ The evolution of giraffes or other life forms should not be tial in Europe from the fifteenth through the eighteenth cen­ thought of as a singular process. There are at least three inde­ turies. The basic idea of the Great Chain of Being is that God pendent processes that, when taken together, form our idea of and his creation form a hierarchy which is ordered from the evolution. These are replication, variation, and selection. least perfect things or beings at the bottom of the chain to the Replication is essentially reproduction. Variation refers to the most perfect at the top, namely, God himself. Simply put, the random changes—typically mutations—arising in offspring, ranking from bottom to top is as follows: rocks or minerals, making them different from their parents. Selection refers to plants, animals, man, angels, God. the process whereby those individuals best adapted to their environment tend to be the ones that survive, passing on their The Great Chain of Being scheme wasn't designed with genes. These three processes occur every day in nature, and it evolution in mind since the prevailing idea of the time was is their cumulative effect that we call evolution. that God made all existing species, in their modern forms, long ago. The Great Chain of Being is best described as a method of classification. This idea began to lose support before the Darwinian revolu­ tion, but Darwin's ideas and their refine­ ment ultimately broke the links of the Evolution is indeed a theory, Great Chain of Being. The modern biological understanding but it's a theory with a lot of evidence on its side, of evolution does not involve progress in and with more explanatory power than any the sense of a natural upward goal toward which life is striving.' Generic mutations competing theory in biology. arise randomly.

If an entirely new scientific theory with more explanatory power is formulated, then Neo- Darwinism will have to be swept aside just as Lamarckism was. Creationism and Intelligent Design don't qualify as competing scientific theories because they're not scientific. They don't offer natural expla­ nations for biological phenomena, but rather super­ natural explanations which cannot be tested scientif­ ically. Neo-Darwinism offers a natural explanation to account for the facts of evolution, and rejects supernat­ ural explanations. When discussing the theory of evolution it's important to realize why it's misleading to say that evolution is only a the­ ory. Evolution is indeed a tlicory, but it's a theory with a lot of evidence on its side, and with more explanatory power than any competing theory in biology.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 45 A study of the DNA of Darwin's finches on the Galapagos The problem lies in a false metaphor. When we say "missing Islands (Petren et al. 1999) provides a good example of why the link," we invoke a metaphorical chain, a set of links that stretch idea of progress makes no sense in evolution. The study's find­ far back in time. Each link represents a single species, a single ings suggest that the first finches to arrive on the islands were variety of life. Because each link is connected to two other links, the Warbler finches {Certhidea olivacea), whose pointy beaks each is intimately connected to past and future forms. Break one made them good insect eaters. A number of other finches link, and the pieces of the chain can be separated, and relation­ evolved later from the Warbler finches. One of these is the ships lost. But find a lost link, and you can rebuild the chain, Geospiza ground finch, whose broad beak is good for crushing reconnect separated lengths. One potent reason for the attrac­ seeds, and another is the Camarhynchus tree finch with its blunt tiveness of this metaphor is that it allows for the drama of the beak which is well adapted for tearing vegetation. quest, the search for that elusive missing link. Even though the seed-eating and vegetation-eating finches But the metaphor is as misleading as it is attractive. The evolved from insect-eating finches, the former are not "more concept that each species is a link in a great chain of life forms evolved" than the latter, or "higher" on some evolutionary lad­ was largely developed in the typological age of biology, when der. Since finch evolution on the Galapagos Islands was driven species "fixity" (the idea that species were unchanging) was the primarily by diet, the ground finches simply became better dominant paradigm. Both John Ray (1627-1705) and adapted at making a living on seeds, the tree finches on vege­ Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1797), the architects of biological tation, and the Warbler finches on insects. If seeds were to classification (neither of whom believed in evolution), were become scarce on the Galapagos Islands, it's conceivable that concerned with describing the order of living species, an order the seed-eating finches—which are a more recent species— they each believed was laid out by God (Ray suggested that the could become extinct, while the insect-eating finches—which divinely specified function of biting insects was to plague the have been around much longer—would continue to thrive. wicked). But while the links of a chain are discrete, unchang­ The concepts of "higher" and "lower" do not apply to the ing, and easily defined, groups of life forms are not.'' We gen­ Galapagos finches or anywhere else in evolution. It is fitness or erally define a species as some interbreeding group that cannot, adaptability relative to the environment that matters. Species or does not, productively breed with another group. But since cannot foretell the future in order to adapt themselves deliber­ species are not fixed (they change through time), it can be dif­ ately to environmental changes, and if the environment ficult to be sure where one species ends and another begins. changes drastically, those adaptations that were once favorable For these reasons, many modern biologists prefer a continuum may turn out to be unfavorable. metaphor, in which shades of one life form grade into Even though biologists reject the Great Chain of Being or another." Life is not arranged as links, but as shades. The any similar ladder-of-progress explanation of evolution, the metaphorical chain is far less substantial than it sounds. idea still persists in popular culture. A more accurate analogy Thus the chain metaphor is wrong. It doesn't accurately would be that of a bush that branches in many directions. If represent biology as we know it today, but as it was understood we think of evolution over time in this way, we're less likely to over four centuries ago. The myth persists berauw of conve­ be confused by notions of progress because the branches of a nience; it is easier to think of species as types, with discrete bush can grow in various directions in three dimensions, and qualities, than as grades between one species and another. In new branches can sprout off of older branches without imply­ school, we learn the specific characteristics of plants and ani­ ing that those farther from the trunk are better or more mals; this alone is not a problem, except that we are not often advanced than those closer to the trunk. A more recent branch that has split off from an earlier branch—like a species that has evolved from an ancestral species—does not indicate greater progress or advancement. Rather, it is simply a new and different growth on the bush, or more specifically, a new species that is sufficiendy adapted to its envi­ ronment to survive.

The Missing Link "Fossils May be Humans' Missing Link" reported the Washington Post on April 22, 1999. The story states that fossils discovered in Ethiopia "... may well be the long-sought immediate predecessor of human beings." But almost fifty yean earlier, paleontologist Robert Broom published Finding the Missing Link (1950), about his discovery of fossil "ape men" in South African caves. And since 1950, reports of the discovery of "missing links" have been con­ tinuous. What's going on? How is it that the "missing link" has been discovered repeatedly?

46 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER exposed to the main ramification of evolution: that those char­ of problems any organism must face in life. Perhaps direct com­ acteristics will change through time. petition with odier individuals is one, but every day individuals Clearly, both the Post article and Broom's book describe die are kicked from one arena to die next. If the river dries up, you're discovery of australopithecenes, African hominids8 that lived now in the Arena of Water Conservation. If die temperature well over three million years ago. Australopithecenes walked suddenly drops, you're pushed into die Arena of Heat upright, like modern humans, but they had large, chimp-like Conservation. If die properties of die vegetation you eat begin teeth, and smallish, chimp-likc brains. Australopithecenes to change, you're now in the Arena of Metabolic Versatility. made rudimentary stone tools that are more complex than any In short, survival is much more complex than is implied by chimpanzee's termite-mound probe stick, but far less complex the single-arena concept of combat between individuals. Life than the symmetrical tools made by early members of our forms struggle against a wide array of factors, and often against genus. Homo. In terms of anatomy and behavior, some aus­ more than one factor at a time. In biology, diese factors are tralopithecenes really do appear to be "half human." known as selective pressures. Additionally, it's widely believed that early Homo descended Selective pressures also change. A certain selective pressure from some variety of late australopithecenc. Broom was right can be particularly hard-pressing for a period, shaping the after all, but so was the Post, a "missing link" has indeed been course of evolution, but later diat pressure may ease, and found. It is Australopithecus. But there were many varieties of another concern becomes primary. And since the environment Australopithecus, as well as Homo, and diere is no obvious place is always changing, no species can ever be sure what selective to draw a discrete line separating a shade of late pressures it will have to cope with tomorrow. Indeed, such con­ Austrabpithecus from an early grade of Homo. Therefore, it's more accurate to say that we have found some "grade" or scious anticipation of the future is precluded for most species "shade," rather than "die missing link.'"' (could deer have anticipated die invention of guns?), and evo­ lution is entirely reactive, shaping species according to past and We can curb me false metaphor by changing our wording. In present environments, but never "looking" into die future.'" classes, in textbooks, in discussions wirJi our students, and in press We humans, and all life forms, exist and struggle not in any releases (die critical connection between academia and die general single arena, but in an immense web of selective pressures diat is public), we have to Stan saying that we're looking for a missing incomprehensibly complex and ever-changing. Survival is much link, radier than //v missing link. Better yet, we should replace the more involved dian simply beating down your immediate peers. "missing link" stock phrase with somediing more accurate.

Only the Strong Survive Around a million years ago, an ape so large that it's now known as Gigantopithecus roamed the bamboo forests of South Asia. Standing nine feet tall, weighing from 600 to 1,000 pounds, and with a bamboo-crushing jaw the size of a mailbox, this was a truly strong creature. But today, all that remains of Gigantopithecus are a few fossil teeth and jawbones, quietly rest­ ing in museum vaults. If only the strong survive, how did early Homo—protohu- man bipeds that were in the same area at the same time, and were less than half the size of Gigantopithecus—survive? Wouldn't any clash between these creatures result in die strap­ ping uber-ape annihilating the competition? Yesterday's giants can be today's museum specimens. If only the strong survive, though, how is this possible? Indeed, how is it that humans are now ascendant on Earth, but, when stripped of tools and culture, we arc among die most helpless of animals? The answer, of course, is that strength can be measured in many ways. Brawn is one measure; brain is another. But this distinction is often lost in popular culture. When we say "the strong," or even "die fittest," most people immediately think of competition between individuals. These individuals, we imag­ ine, are pitted against one another in some evolutionary arena, where they fight for survival and mates. The strongest survive, pass on dieir genes, and propagate dieir lineage. The loser, and its entire lineage, goes extinct. But diis notion of single combat in a single arena of compe­ tition is too simple. In reality, diere arc dozens of arenas, dozens

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 47 Why does the single-combatant, evolutionary arena myth are outwardly very different, they can mate to create tigons or ligers. Since persist? The answer is probably deeply intertwined witli renais­ such hybrids were never found in nature, however, it is known that lion and tiger did not interbreed naturally. Thus, genetically, lion and tiger can be clas­ sance values of individualism too complex to examine here" sified as one species, but behaviorally, they differed enough to be considered but it is clearly related to nineteenth-century Social Darwinism. separate species by biologists, and in nature this difference was maintained by the animals themselves (Wilson 1977:7). Social Darwinists grafted Darwin's basic ideas about biological 8. Hominids arc large primates that walk upright. Those of the genus evolution to human society and economy. To them, progress Australopithecus (which predate the human lineage Homo) are referred to as could only be made by eliminating imperfections from human­ australopithcccncs. They appear over 4 million years ago. Many hominid vari­ ity, and this was best done by competition. That competition, eties have existed, but Homo sapiens sapiens is the only living hominid. 9. The link metaphor also suggests that any given species is represented by neady summarized by Herbert Spencer's term "survival of die only one chain, as when we sec a diagram of hominids. first knuckle-walking, fittest," was taken to mean the competition between individu­ then hunched over in a half-stand, then upright as modern man. This depic­ als. It is significant that today's reality-TV programs are steeped tion docs not show several other bipedal hominid varieties to which we are related, such as the robust australopiuSeccncs (appearing over 4 million years in this metaphor, in which the concept of survival via ruthless ago, disappearing about I million years ago) or the Neanderthals (who appear individual competition is paramount. around 300,000 years ago and are extinct by c.30,000 years ago). The depic­ tion suggests that there was one, unbroken chain, from quadruped to biped, The best way to curb this myth is to teach that brute but actually there have been bipeds that have gone extinct (as well as strength does not guarantee long-term success. In fact, no sin­ quadrupeds that exist today). gle characteristic does. More importantly, we need to describe 10. Humanity, of course, is uniquely proactive. We can imagine the why there is no single key to long-term success, because we future, and we prepare for it by controlling our evolution with all sorts of social and biological methods. Social methods include complex kinship and never know how our selective environment is going to change. marriage rules that ensure gene flow among different populations. Biological For humanity, then, the only hope for success, for survival, is methods include mass vaccination programs against polio and smallpox. in remaining flexible and adaptive. Real strength is in adapt­ 11. Sec for example Shanahan (2004), an interesting comment in Commager (1965:82-83). and Butterfield (1965:222-246). ability, which comes from genetic and cognitive variation. 12. We suggest that this view of humanity contributes to wasteful use of resources; for example, humanity has chronically overfished nearly every fish­ Conclusion ery ever discovered; sec Jackson et al. (2001). 13. It's not sufficient to constandy explain away old, inaccurate expres­ A picture of evolution based on the common myths we've out­ sions: we must develop new ones. What is the use in keeping old metaphors lined is a mosaic of confusion. It's very important to remedy or phrases that do not point to reality? Por example, we may say "The Bush of Evolution" or "The Labyrinth of Evolution,' rather than 'The Ladder of this confusion, because how we think of ourselves, and every Evolution." A good way to find such new metaphors may be to create a Web other species on Earth, is directly related to how we under­ site where anyone could suggest them, and, after a time, select new ones to stand evolution. We can either see ourselves as separated from start incorporating into our common speech. Perhaps poets, being familiar a natural world that simply serves as a theater for our evolu­ with the power of image and metaphor, could be helpful. tion," or as one of many coevolving species of life on Earth. The former view is more likely to persist if we continue to References describe evolution using obsolete or faulty expressions. The Brooks, D.J. 2001. Substantial numbers of Americans continue to doubt evolution as explanation for origins of humans. The Gallup latter view, which is accurate, will be promoted by a better use Organization. Available online at www.gallup.com/poll/contcnt/ of language, and by acknowledging what we have learned login.aspx?ci= 1942. about biology in the past 150 years.13 Broom, R. 1950. Finding the Missing Link. London: Watts & Co. Butterfield, H. 1965. The Origins of Modern Science. New York: MacMillan. Solutions for conveying this accurate view must include CBS News Polls. 2004. Creationism trumps evolution. CBSNEWS.com. more careful use of language and metaphor to explain exactly Available online at www.cbsncws.com/storics/2004/ll/22/opinion/ what evolution is, and how it happens. polls/main657083.shtml. Commager. H.S. 1965. The Nature and Study of History. Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. Merrill Books. Notes Dobzhansky, Theodosius. 1973. Nothing in biology makes sense except in the 1. The entire disclaimer reads: "This textbook contains material on evolu­ light of evolution. The American Biology Teacher 35:125-129. tion. Evolution is a tiieory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This Jackson, J., M. Kirby. W Berger. K. Bjorndal, L. Botsford. et al. 2001. material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully, and crit­ Historical overfishing and the recent collapse of coastal ecosystems. ically considered." This led to a lawsuit, Selman v. Cobb County School District. 5cK7i«297:629--37. On January 13, 2005. a federal judge found this policy unconstitutional. Lin, Q., Q. Chen, L. Lin, and J. Zhou. 2004. The Promoter Targeting 2. See, for example, "What's Wrong with 'Theory not Fact' Resolutions." Sequence mediates epigenetically heritable transcription memory. Genes & National Center for Science Education. 7 December 2000. Available at Development 18: 2639-2651. www.ncseweb.org/resources/anicles/8643_whais_wrong_with_thcory_noi Mallet, J. 1995. A species definition for die modern synthesis. Trends in 12_7_2000._sp. Ecology and Evolution 10:294-299. 3. However, a recent study on fruitflies suggests that some genetic instruc­ National Science Board. 2000. Science and Engineering Indicators. tions that are not encoded in the DNA may be passed on to offspring by way Washington, D.C. US Government Printing Office. Available online at of material encompassing the DNA (Lin et al. 2004). www.nsf.gov/sbc/srs/scind/pdf/c8/c08.pdf. 4. Developed in die 1930s. Neo-Darwinism (also called the Modern Petren. K., B.R. Grant, and P.R. Grant. 1999. A phytogeny of Darwin's Synthesis) integrates Darwin's theory of natural selection with the theory of finches based on microsatellite DNA length variation. Proceedings of the genetic inheritance first proposed by Gregor Mendel and subsequently refined Royal Society of London B266: 321-329. by later biologists. Shanahan, T. 2004. The Evolution of Darwinism: Selection. Adaptation and 5. Biologists disagree about whether there is an evolutionary tendency Progress in Evolutionary Biology. New York: Cambridge University Press. toward complexity, primarily because there is no consensus on how complex­ Strickberger, M.W 1985. Genetics. New York: Macmillan. ity should be defined and measured. Suplee, C. 1999. Fossil find may be that of humans' immediate predecessor. 6. The species concept is introduced in Strickberger (1985:747-756), but The Washington Post, April 23. pp. A3. Al 1. also see Mallet (1995) for the need to review how we define species. Wilson, E.O. 1977. Sociobiology. Harvard. Massachusetts: The Belknap Press 7. Lions and tigers once coexisted naturally in India, and although they of Harvard University Press. D

48 volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER The Psychologist, the Philosopher, and the Librarian The Information-literacy Version of CRITIC

The information-literacy version of CRITIC expands upon Wayne R. Bartz's development of that acronym. This step-by-step method for introductory critical thinking is reinforced by an exercise inspired by Bertrand Russell. BRAD MATTHIES

n my role as an academic librarian, I am frequently asked by faculty members to teach information-literacy skills Ito their students. Broadly defined, an information-liter­ ate person knows when information is needed and also has the ability to "locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information" (Association of College and Research Libraries 1989). The notion of creating lifelong learners who have the ability to think critically about all manner of information is central to the philosophy of information literacy (Associa­ tion of College and Research Libraries 2000). An informa­ tion-literate person has acquired a skill set which allows him to continue learning throughout his lifetime. During the fall of 2002, my colleague and I designed a

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 49 The Information-literacy Version of CRITIC Claim? Role of the claimant? Information backing the claim? Testing? Independent verification? Conclusion? (Note: Our last three words vary slightly from Bartz's original acronym.)

Claim What is your source saying? Is the source's claim both timely and relevant to your par­ ticular question or thesis? Has the source presented the claim in a clear and reasonable manner, or is there evidence of motivationally biased language? If the source is overtly biased or totally unintelligible, you should reconsider Information backing 1 * ^~- using it to support your paper or diesis. Role of die Claimant Testing Is the author of the information clearly identifiable? If so, can his or her credibility be established? Also, based on your prior examination of the claim, is there any rea­ Independent verification son to suspect bias on the part of the author? This may include political, religious, philosophical, cultural, and Conclusion financial biases. For example, could a concern for profits and sales cause the C.E.O. of an automotive company to state that her company makes the most reliable cars in the series of library-instruction sessions for a newly developed world? If you suspect bias or a lack of credibility, this does freshman course. Among the many requirements for this par­ not automatically invalidate the information. Rather, it ticular course was an emphasis on helping students to think means that you will have to place more emphasis on the critically about information. In effect, we needed to provide other steps of CRITIC before you can make a decision on the students wirh a basic set of information-literacy skills. this source. Aside from being a librarian, I also consider myself to be a "rational skeptic" (Shermer 1989, 17), and on more than once Information Backing the Claim occasion, 1 have been known to practice philosophy and sci­ What information does the source present to back the claim? ence without a license. It was while developing the evaluation Is it information that can be verified, or does this source rely component of our sessions that I happened to read an article on testimony or anecdotal evidence? If this source presents by Wayne R. Bartz, published in the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER original research, does the source explain how the author gath­ (September/October 2002). Calling his methodology an ered die data? If the source is an article, does it cite references acronym, CRITIC, Bartz described a simple mnemonic and are they credible? If the source is a journal article, is die method that he successfully used to teach beginning psychol­ journal peer-reviewed? Finally, you should always remember ogy students the scientific method. the skeptic's rule: extraordinary claims require extraordinary My colleague and I adapted Bartz's work and created what evidence. I like to call the information-literacy version of CRITIC. Our Consider diese examples: acronym' is a step-by-step process that helps students to eval­ uate and select credible sources based on die available facts. Example 1: The reason that Brand X's car is more reliable tiian Like Bartz, we have incorporated elements of die scientific similar cars in its class is diat Brand X uses a computer-auto­ mated assembly line. method into our acronym; however, being librarians, we also Example 2: The reason that Brand X's car is more reliable than relied on our expertise in source evaluation, source selection, similar cars in its class is that Brand X utilizes secret, alien and information literacy. What follows is our adaptation of technology that only that company is privy to. Bartz's original idea. Example 1 presents a reasonable claim that could be backed up Brad Matthies, M.L.S., is a reference and instruction librarian at with ordinary evidence. On the other hand, example 2 presents Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. He can be reached at an incredible claim that would require some extraordinary evi­ bmatthie@butler. edu. dence to prove.

50 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER tion. Russell writes: "If there is to be toleration in the world, How might you test die claim your source is making? Conduct one of the things taught in schools must be the habit of weigh­ your own qualitative or quantitative research (e.g., marketing ing evidence, and the practice of not giving full assent to research, statistical analysis, design a research study, etc.). propositions which there is no reason to believe true" (Russell Example: 1928, 169-170). Following this observation, Russell goes on to describe one such exercise that would do exactly that. He Claim: All business majors are Republicans. proposes that to teach the value of skepticism, students should Possible test: A survey measuring the political preferences of all be encouraged to study a controversial issue that is well-cov­ business majors may support or disprove this claim. ered in the media. Naturally, some of this media coverage is It may not always be possible or practical for you to con­ biased. Thus, he reasoned, by exposing diem to the bias early duct a detailed analysis of the information or to carry out on, students could be taught to infer what really happened. actual testing. If this happens to be the case, can you devise a According to Russell, teaching this type of skepticism "would possible way to test the claim? If a claim cannot be tested, then make the children in later life immune from those appeals to that claim should not be taken seriously. idealism by which decent people are induced to further the schemes of scoundrels." Independent Verification So, with Russell's eloquently simple idea as my inspiration, Has another reputable information source evaluated the claims we designed a similar activity that we could use to reinforce the source is making? Does this source support or refute the CRITIC. In our exercise, students are divided into groups and original claim? After conducting a review of the literature, given a preselected source. Using the information-literacy ver­ what do the experts have to say about die claim? Are the sion of CRITIC, each group is required to evaluate its source experts basing their opinions on detailed analysis and testing, for credibility. The overall goal is to report to the class on or are they just presenting opinions widi little or no evidence? whether the group's source should be used to support the topic Moreover, are the experts truly experts on the topic, or are they of a fictitious paper. Naturally, the key to making this activity presenting opinions about a topic they are not qualified to dis­ work is for the instructor or librarian to select a topic that is cuss? This step may also include speaking to professors, librar­ widely covered and controversial. For example, one fictitious ians, or someone in the relevant business or industry. If you topic we often use is a paper that investigates Wal-Mart's find that numerous experts confirm the original claim your "Made in the U.S.A." campaign, which was used in the late source is making, dien it is probably true. If numerous experts 1980s. Despite Wal-Mart's claims to the contrary, many of dispute the original claim, then the original claim is probably Wal-Mart's products were—and continue to be—made over­ false. If you find that the experts do not agree, then the claim seas. Moreover, there is what could be best described as a sub­ that your source is making is, at best, inconclusive. Sometimes, culture of anti-Wal-Mart activists who generate a prolific the experts will conclude that there is not enough information amount of anti-Wal-Mart literature. Some of this literature is to reach a consensus either way. In this instance, you should true, some is biased, some is apparently false, and all of it is suspend your judgment until you can find more information.'' suited for this exercise—especially when it is compared to sim­ ilar, credible sources. Conclusion Yet the question remains: does our exercise3 foster critical What is your conclusion about the source? Taking into thinking? My colleague and I purposely designed this activity account the first five steps of CRITIC which apply to your around active learning techniques, and we incorporated ele­ source, make a judgment: Should this source be used in a ments of constructivist learning pedagogy.' These strategies paper or report? Information evaluation can be very subjective, allow the instructor to observe learning as it happens; so, while so it is important to consider all of the ascertainable facts. our observations are admittedly anecdotal and potentially Remember that the first five steps of CRITIC need to be biased, we have concluded thus far that CRITIC does indeed looked at as a whole before you can make a final decision work/ In fact, from a pragmatic point of view, even if the stu­ about your source. Also, not all information sources can be dents do not remember all of the component steps of examined using each of the five steps. In this case, you should CRITIC, they do walk away from our workshop with the real­ then consider the steps that do apply to your particular source. ization that information can be easily manipulated. This, of Finally, you should always be prepared for undiscovered infor­ course, is the main thrust of Russell's simple idea and likely mation that may later invalidate your source. why the exercise is so effective. Many of the instructors we work with often create addi­ CRITIC in the Classroom tional class assignments that require their students to use We developed our version of CRITIC, but still needed an CRITIC (e.g., using CRITIC to evaluate sources in a final exercise to foster student learning and impress upon students project, questions about CRITIC on a quiz, etc.). After pre­ the importance of why they should critically evaluate all infor­ senting the acronym and exercise at a recent library instruction mation. Being a bibliophile and a skeptic, I decided to consult conference, we received many positive comments from our the skeptical literature for an idea. I found myself rereading peers, including frequent references to the exercise itself. So far Bertrand Russell's Sceptical Essays, which soon led me to a solu­ members of the academy seem to be enamored with Russell's

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 51 idea. Of course, it is likely that Russell would not be surprised. Acknowledgments In fact, were Russell alive today, I suspect that he would sar­ I would like to thank my colleague and fellow collaborator, Jonathan donically shake his head at the wealth of misinformation, con­ Helmke, Access Services Librarian at Butler University. Were it not fusion, and outright quackery that abounds in the information for his willingness to try something new, the information-literacy ver­ age. Such examples as the Sokal Hoax, which challenge die sion of CRITIC might not have been a success. infallibility of scholarly publications (Sokal 2000), the forged Notes burial box of James, brother of Jesus, the New York Times pla­ 1. Schick and Vaughn developed a similar acronym called die SEARCH giarism case (Adler 2003), and the Raelian fiasco (Mirsky formula. See Theodore Schick. Jr., and Lewis Vaughn. How to Think About 2003) would only serve to bolster Russell's skeptical mission of Weird Things: Critical Thinking for a New Age (New York: McGraw-Hill, outreach and education. 2002). 252-257. 2. Our guidelines for considering expert testimony were adapted from Bertrand Russell's famous maxim on expert testimony. See Bertrand Russell. Skeptical Essays (New York: W.W. Norton & Company. Inc., 1928), 12-13. 3. For a detailed explanation of die acronym CRITIC and the CRITIC exercise, please see Brad Skeptics should seek out an Matthies and Jonathan Helmke, "Using die CRITIC Acronym to Teach Information Evaluation," in often-overlooked Library Instruction: Restating the Need, Refocusing the Response: Selected Papers Presented at the Thirty-second partner in academia: the librarian. National LOEX Library Instruction Conference held in Ypsilanti, Michigan May 6 to May 8 2004, ed. D.B. By the very nature of their profession, Thomas, R. Baier, E. Own, and T. Valko, Ann Arbor, librarians are constantly organizing, evaluating, Michigan: Pierian Press, forthcoming). Sec also http://blue.buder.edu/-bmatthie/locx04.html. and selecting all formats of 4. Our exercise is not constructivist learning in the purest sense of die idea. However, constructivism did information to support the cause of influence its development, and elements of construc­ tivism arc apparent. For more information about con­ education and information literacy. structivist pedagogy, see Susan E. Cooperstein and Elizabeth Kocevar-Weidinger, Beyond Active Learning: A Constructivist Approach to Learning, Reference Services Review, 32 (2) (2004): 141-148. 5. We plan to test the acronym and exercise by conducting an assessment of learning outcomes. However, such a project is still in the early stages of discussion. In conclusion, I issue a two-part challenge to all educators 6. Although he never specifically used the term, it is notable that many of in the skeptical community. First, I challenge all skeptics to Russell's writings foreshadowed latter work in education that would eventually teach basic skepticism whenever and wherever they can and to be called critical thinking. For an excellent overview of a Russellian approach to critical thinking, see the work done by William Hare which was later sum­ whomever will listen. Moreover, do not be afraid to teach out­ marized by Hager: "Bertrand Russell on Critical Thinking," in The Journal of side of academia and do not be dissuaded by colleagues who Thought, 36 (2001): 7-16; and Paul Hager, "Russell's Conception of Critical might criticize your efforts. Despite being admonished by his Thinking: Its Scopes and Limits," Inquiry: Critical Thinking across the Disciplines, 20 (2) (Winter 2001): 11-19. peers (Lieber 2004, 12—13), Russell still took the time to make 6 philosophy and critical thinking presentable to the layperson. References So, let Bertrand Russell serve as your inspiration! Adler, Renata. 2003. The porch overlooks no such thing. American Spectator Pan two of my challenge is for all skeptics in education to 36 (5): 14-22. seek out an often-overlooked skeptical partner in academia: American Library Association. 2000. The freedom to read statement. Available at www.ala.org/ala/oif/statcmcntspols/ftrsiatcmcnt/frccdom- the librarian. By the very nature of their profession, librarians rcadstaicmcnt.htm. are constantly organizing, evaluating, and selecting all formats Association of College and Research Libraries. 1989. Presidential Committee of information to support the educational enterprise. on Information Literacy: Final Report. Available a( www.ala.org/ala/acrl/ acrlpubs/whitepapcrs/prcsidential.htm. Moreover, being staunch proponents of democracy and the . 2000. Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher freedom to read, they are likely to not shy away from many of Education- Available at www.ala.org/aIa/acrl/acrlstandards/information the controversial issues that skeptics often become embroiled literacycompetency.htm. - 2001. Objectives for Information Literacy Instruction: A Model in (American Library Association 2000), and they certainly are Statement for Academic Librarians. Available at www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrl willing to collaborate with anyone who is willing to further the standards/objectivesinformation.htm. cause of information literacy (Association of College and Bartz. Wayne R 2002. Teaching skepticism via the CRITIC acronym and the Research Libraries 2001). Skeptical Inquirer. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 26 (5): 42-44. Lieber. Justin. 2004. Russell and Wittgenstein: A study in civility and arro­ Whether labeled skepticism, critical thinking, or informa­ gance. The Bertrand Russell Society Quarterly (May, 122): 11-22. tion literacy, these merJiods need to be widely taught. Indeed, Mirsky. Steve. 2003. The Rael thing. Scientific American 288 (3): 110. were skepticism taught on a wider scale, perhaps Russell's Russell. Bertrand. 1928. Sceptical Essays. New York: W W. Norton. Inc. Shermer, Michael. 1989. A skeptical manifesto. Skeptic I (1): 15-21. dream could come true and, collectively, we would finally "rev­ Sokal, Alan D. 2000. The Sokal Hoax: The Sham that Shook the Academy. olutionise human life" (Russell 1928, 13). Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press.

52 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER REVIEWS

Bad Science, Bad Fiction, and an Agenda CHRIS MOONEY

State of Fear. By Michael Crichton. HarperCollins, New York, 2004. ISBN 0-0662-1413-0. 603 pp. Hardcover, $27.95.

ichael Crichton's latest book, who likes to bring lawyers and hot babes State of Fear, is a novel in along on his adventures. Kenner seems a name only. More accurately MICHAEL composite of Richard Lindzen, the M famed MIT prof and global warming described, it's a work of thinly disguised political commentary, in which a wildly "skeptic," John Graham, who headed implausible plot—ecoterrorists supplant the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis Al Qaeda as the leading global menace, before joining the Bush administration, unveiling dastardly weather modifica­ and Vin Diesel. In essence, Kenner's tion schemes to convince the public of a character serves as a vessel into which nonexistent global warming threat— Crichton can pour his agenda-driven serves as an excuse for a string of reading of the scientific evidence. Here's Socratic-style dialogues about climate an example of how Kenner talks: science. Since Crichton's characters There are one hundred sixty thousand repeatedly find themselves jetting across STATE of FEAR glaciers in the world, Ted. About the globe to stop the latest ecoterrorist sixty-seven thousand have been inventoried but only a few have been menace (blowing off parts of Antarctica, studied with care. There is mass bal­ unleashing a tsunami, and so on), they ance data extending five years or more have plenty of time in transit to ques­ for only seventy-nine glaciers in the tion the reality of human-caused global beliefs all hinge on the notion that Earth entire world. So, how can you say they're all melting? warming. The plot contrivance of a is wanning significantly, that this has resulted at least in part from human pending climate-change lawsuit (aban­ Try reading that aloud and then ask activities, and that the consequences doned once its proponents realize they yourself whether real people, even real have begun to make themselves felt and don't have a case) provides yet another scientists, speak this way. Though per­ could grow quite severe over time—a didactic opportunity for the author. haps intended to make Kenner seem robust mainstream scientific view, When the legal team cross-examines one smart, such contrived dialogue only although apparently not one shared by of our heroes about climate science, makes him seem fake. Crichton. Hilariously, at the end of his Crichton seizes the chance to insert tem­ Nevertheless, Kenner excels at get­ book, Crichton states: "A novel such as perature-trend diagrams and copious ting equally fictitious lawyers and State of Fear, in which so many diver­ footnotes into the text. Hollywood celebrities to see the error of gent views are expressed, may lead the All of these "educational" dialogues their ways. But for some reason, reader to wonder where, exactly, the take the same format: A smart-guy char­ Crichton never has his mouthpiece author stands on these issues...." As if acter, holding forth in technical banter argue against anothet scientist who that bears little resemblance to spoken it wasn't obvious. English, runs rings around a character Crichton's central smart guy is who holds misguided beliefs that he or Richard John Kenner, a scientist who Chris Mooney writes the "Doubt and she cannot defend with reference to the heads the fictional MIT Center for Risk About ° column for wunv. csicop. org and is a scientific literature. These erroneous Analysis while doubling as a secret agent SKEPTICAL INQUIRER contributing editor.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 53 REVIEWS

reads the evidence on climate change leads him into an utter abandonment of "... scientists agree there will be trou­ differently and can cite literature to back literary verisimilitude. For this author, at ble ahead: more extreme weather events, like floods and tornadoes and his or her view as well. In the real world least, bad science fuels bad fiction. droughts, ail as a result of global you can find a small army of these. I Nowhere does that shortcoming become warming." have interviewed many of them, heard more apparent dian in Crichton's inabil­ Evans said, "This guy's just read­ others lecture, and met still more at con­ ity to capture human character. His envi­ ing a press release?" ferences. In Crichton's universe, how­ ronmentalists are total creeps; and not "That's how they do it, these ever, they seem not to exist. just that—they're nefarious schemers, days," Kenner said. "They don't even bother to change a phrase here and who won't even stop at mass murder to Crichton's scientific footnotes— there. They just read the copy out­ which he promises "are real"—similarly achieve their greater goals. As one ecoter- right. And of course, what he's saying misrepresent reality. In the text of State rorist puts it, shortly before Kenner is not true." of Fear as well as in its twenty pages of silences him with a bullet: "Casualties In fact, no self-respecting journalist citations, Crichton glosses over a high- are inevitable in accomplishing social would take an environmentalist press profile 2001 National Academy of change. History tells us that." release and copy it verbatim. Members Sciences report titled Climate Change Sorry, but I've hung out with plenty of the mainstream national media do Science: An Analysis of Key Questions, of environmental activists (although no view environmental groups as self-inter­ which opens with the following passage: ecoterrorists), and they're just not as ested, and check their claims with inde­ Crichton describes them. They have Greenhouse gases are accumulating in pendent scientists. What Crichton can't many flaws—naive idealism and politi­ Earths atmosphere as a result of admit, or can't stand, is that in reality human activities, causing surface air cal impotence, perhaps—but they're not these scientists often agree with the temperatures and subsurface ocean cold-blooded killers. They would never environmental groups. temperatures to rise. Temperatures dream of causing the types of disasters are, in fact, rising. The changes In State of Fear, however, Crichton is they're pledged to work against. In observed over the last several decades God, and his views become the book's Crichton's fictional universe, however, are likely mostly due to human activi­ laws of nature. That's never more appar­ global warming concerns are all made ties, but we cannot rule out that some ent than in Crichton's numerous "con­ significant part of these changes is also up. Therefore, environmentalists must version" scenes, in which characters who a reflection of natural variability. transform into outright evildoers—how Human-induced warming and associ­ had previously believed in the dogma of else to account for their real-life behav­ ated sea level rises are expected to con­ global warming suddenly see the light. ior? Crichton should have realized, from tinue through the twenty-first cen­ At one point in the novel, two such fig­ the unreality of his characters, that he'd tury. Secondary effects arc suggested ures confide in one another following a by computer model simulations and been tugged in the wrong direction. legal cross examination: basic physical reasoning. These The audior's depictions of journalists include increases in rainfall rates and have similar flaws. In State of Fear, "I mean, when I gave those answers, I increased susceptibility of semi-arid reporters exist solely as environmentalist wasn't saying what I really think. I'm, regions to drought. The impacts of uh . . . I'm asking some—I'm chang­ lapdogs. Crichton makes this plain in a these changes will be critically depen­ ing my mind about a lot of this stuff." dent on the magnitude of the warm­ scene in which his characters find them­ "Really?" ing and the rate with which it occurs. selves watching a newscast: "Yes," he said, speaking softly. "Those graphs of temperature, for The mention of "human-induced They cut to a younger man, appar­ instance. They raise obvious ques­ warming and associated sea level rises" is ently the weatherman. "Thanks, Terry. Hi, everybody. If you're a long­ tions about the validity of global particularly interesting, because Crich­ time resident of the Grand Canyon warming." ton seeks to debunk concerns about ris­ State, you've probably noticed that She nodded slowly. Looking at ing sea levels. Crichton's footnotes also our weather is changing, and scien­ him closely. He said, "You, too?" exclude statements by the American tists have confirmed that what's behind it is our old culprit, global She continued to nod. Meteorological Society and the wanning. Today's flash flood is just American Geophysical Union, which one example of the trouble ahead— Let's face it: such writing is pure porn broadly agree with NAS. No wonder more extreme weather conditions, for deniers of global warming, in much real-life climate experts, of the sort that like floods and tornadoes and the same way that fictional accounts of droughts—all as a result of global UFO-abduction skeptics converting Crichton excommunicates from his warming." "novel," have scathingly critiqued his into true believers titillate UFO fans. Sanjong nudged Evans, and depiction of their field and the level of In the end, State of Fear bears little handed him a sheet of paper. It was a understanding it has achieved. printout of a press release from the resemblance to Crichton's most success­ As riiese examples suggest, Crichton's NERF [an environmental group] ful sci-fi thrillers, like Jurassic Park and Web site. Sanjong pointed to the text: skewed reading of the scientific literature The Andromeda Strain. Instead, it's far

54 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER REVIEWS

more reminiscent of Disclosure, change, for instance) get scoffed at. By derived from evolutionary-adaptationist Crichton's perverse attempt to address the book's end, one can only ask: What theory are about the behavior of groups, the issue of sexual harassment in the planet is Michael Crichton living on? not individuals. And Barber provides workplace by focusing on a case in Because this one is clearly getting numerous examples of individuals who which a woman harasses a man, rather warmer. have behaved selfishly. than vice-versa. Similarly, in State of Organisms are not born into and do Fear, the specter of a vast environmen­ Editor's Note: The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER not live in vacuums. As Barber shows, talist conspiracy—a problem even less invited Michael Crichton to publish in SI environmental variation has as much to significant than sexual harassment of his own comments about global warming do with altruism (or its absence) as men by their female superiors—gets and the politicalization of science from his with genetics. The famous experiments trumpeted, while real concerns (climate viewpoint but received no response. of Stanley Milgram and Phillip Zimbardo are part of a large body of research that indicates that aggression Kindness Explained and discrimination, in addition to altruism, are traceable to powerful PETER LAMAL forces of the social environment. As we Kindness in a Cruel World: The Evolution of Altruism. have been adapted for group life, the By Nigel Barber. Prometheus Books, Amherst, New York. influences of our social environment 2004. ISBN 1-59102-228-2. 415 pp. Hardcover, $28. are understandable. This history explains the capacity of humans for altruism toward strangers as well as the frequent hostility of members of an in- group to members of an out-group. The sensitivity of human altruism to hy do people donate their altruistic behavior is biologically based, it the social environment means that it is blood, leave tips for people is only undertaken to make the altruist weakened in developed countries they will never see again, feel better, to increase the reproductive W because of the lack of close relation­ and throw themselves on hand grenades success of the altruist, or to increase the ships between people and their neigh­ that are about to explode? Nigel Barber prevalence of genes for altruistic behavior. bors. During our evolutionary history, makes a convincing case that altruism In response. Barber maintains that altru­ we behaved most altruistically toward can be understood as the result of evolu- ism is real because it is predicated on those with whom we lived in close tionary-adaptationist processes, and he evolved moral emotions like empathy and proximity for long periods of time. consistently applies an evolutionary- shame. Furthermore, humans and other adaptationist framework throughout his species can engage in altruistic actions Barber maintains that among some new book Kindness in a Cruel World. that have no ulterior motive, other than mammals, including primates and And in doing so, he addresses questions whatever pleasure comes from the altruis­ humans, "moral emotions" may be nec­ about, and criticisms of, the concept of tic behavior itself. And there might also be essary for altruistic behavior. Such moral altruism and its origins. no delayed benefit for the behavior. In emotions as guilt, embarrassment, out­ Barber defines altruism as "actions that order for altruistic tendencies to have rage, empathy, and gratitude are help another individual at some cost to evolved, it was not necessary that every expressed in all human societies. For the altruist." This approach enables us to altruistic act should have a reproductive example, moral outrage at cheats or "free include nonhuman species in our consid­ payoffi rather, altruistic behaviors should riders" is a necessary enforcement sys­ eration of altruism. As Barber notes, the generally increase the biological success of tem of reciprocal altruism among biological definition of altruism he advo­ those acting altruistically. humans, and it plays an important role cates is sometimes criticized on the The well-established principle of kin in keeping people honest. grounds that supposed acts of selflessness selection provides support for the biol­ In addition to his exposition of the are really only selfishness in disguise. If ogy-driven perspective on altruism, and concept of altruism and its development Barber points out that the simplest and in humans, Barber discusses the social Peter Lamal is an emeritus professor of psy­ most widespread type of altruism is impact of altruism (kindness) on health, chology at the University of North parental care of offspring. The principle kindness among strangers, conformity as Carolina-Charlotte and a Fellow of the of kin selection is valuable, because it altruism, and when altruism fails. As Division of Behavior Analysis of the allows us to make important predictions throughout the book, the topics are illus­ American Psychological Association. E-mail: about people's behavior. But it is impor­ trated with interesting examples. The plamalQcarolina. rr. com. tant to bear in mind that the predictions book's last section deals with altruism and

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 55 REVIEWS

politics broadly conceived and includes the printer), the island's mayor and five Received Opinions, which has been justly discussion of the potential benefits and other Pitcairnian men were sentenced to celebrated for satirical definitions such costs of religion, saving the environment, prison for a string of rapes and sexual as these: and criminals ("evil people"). With assaults dating back forty years. Barber Memory. Complain of your own; respect to religion, it is clear that religious also conveys the distinct impression that indeed, boast of not having any. But belief is neither a necessary nor a suffi­ the Kyoto agreement to deal with the roar like a bull it anyone says you lack cient condition for altruistic behavior. world's polluted atmosphere is dead. judgment. Readers should be aware of the fol­ This is not true. This book is written for Principles. Always "eternal." Nobody lowing: Contrary to Barber's glowing a general audience and includes citations can tell their nature or number; no description of Pitcairn Island, in 2004 of references for those who wish to delve matter, they are sacred all the same. (presumably after this book was sent to deeper. I highly recommend this book. The American writer Ambrose Bierce also contributed to this genre with his classic book The Devil's Dictionary, pub­ Nonsense in Vogue lished in its final form in 1906. The PHIL MOLE book is a comedic favorite because of its caustic humor (it defines disabuse as "to The Dictionary of Fashionable Nonsense: A Guide for present your neighbor with another and Edgy People. By Ophelia Benson and Jeremy better error than the one he has deemed Stangtoom. Souvenir Press, London. 2004. it advantageous to embrace"), yet its ISBN 0-285-63714-2. 128 pp. Softcover, $14. function was partly serious. Bierce, like Flaubert, disliked the prejudices and unexamined ideas packaged in fre­ quently used words and phrases and tudents of language have long fuse rather than clarify discussions. wanted to do something about it. argued that common usages of When we ignore the biases piggy­ Ophelia Benson and Jeremy Stang- Swords are as important as official backing on common words, we perpet­ room wanted to do something about it definitions, since words often soak up uate a kind of linguistic con game. We too, and The Dictionary of Fashionable assumptions of the day. This causes may convince ourselves that certain Nonsense is the result. Proprietors of the problems when commonplace usages of words carry inevitable implications, excellent rationalist Web site Butterflies words override all other possible mean­ but the perceived implications may not andWheels.com, Benson and Stang- ings. As Francis Bacon observed, lan­ necessarily follow. The implications we room fight fashionable nonsense of all guage can trick us into uncritically perceive may merely come from widely flavors, whether it's the wishful think­ accepting assumptions associated with held ideas about the words, and we err ing of Intelligent Design proponents or particular words—a fallacy he called the if we identify these ideas with legiti­ the latest examples of political group- "idol of the marketplace." mate definitions. If we do so, we com­ think. Some of the nonsense fashion­ Consider the common advice that promise the intellectual honesty of able today was also popular in the days "we must be careful not to generalize." public debate and contribute to philo­ of Flaubert or Bierce, particularly the This adage implies that generalization is sophical confusion. automatic distrust of anyone claiming inherently wrong and we should take For these reasons, many writers have authority in matters of knowledge. But special care to avoid it. Yet generalization protested the infiltration of language by our times are also filled with new and is needed to understand the complex unrecognized biases. A few have ad­ more pernicious absurdities, particu­ world we live in, and science and rational dressed this problem by writing satirical larly those of an extreme-leftist variety. thought would be impossible without it. dictionaries emphasizing the unstated Radical postmodernism denies that sci­ In addition, note the paradox that the ideas lurking within word usages. These ence is superior to other "ways of statement "we must be careful not to dictionaries often replace the official knowing," and theory-obsessed writers generalize" is itself a generalization, so we definitions of words with comical exag­ "lean on clotted jargon and tortured would disobey the advice if we followed gerations of their common meanings or syntax to make no point at all." As it! Clearly, words like generalization carry expose deeper truths about the words in rational leftists, Benson and Stangroom unstated cultural assumptions that con- question. The great novelist Gustave are rightly concerned about the popu­ Flaubert appended such a document to larity of such illogical thought in pub­ Phil Mole wrote "Nurturing Suspicion: his novel Bouvard and Pecuchet. This lic discourse. addendum eventually earned separate What College Students Learn about Inevitably, some fashionable non­ publication as The Dictionary of Science" for our May/June 2004 issue. sense uses the linguistic sleight of hand

56 Volume 29, Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER REVIEWS

discussed here. For instance, as the substances made in test tubes no one Skeptics have probably noticed authors demonstrate, natural often knows how. Herbs are much better many of these dubious uses of language because not chemical—chemicals, of serves as a synonym for good, thereby without fully understanding die pur­ course, are toxic. implying that all natural herbal remedies poses rhey serve or the reasons they Hierarchy. A highly suspect category. are better than "artificial" scientific seem attractive as substitutes for real People who accept it are the lowest of thought. The Dictionary of Fashionable remedies. The authors explore these the low. biases particularly well, and their satiri­ Nonsense is valuable because it high­ Human naturr. Fantasy. Fictitious cal definitions are funny and insightful. lights these tactics in a clear and very entity, like Santa Claus or the tooth humorous way. And this is a noble pur­ Ponder these: fairy or the free lunch. Humans have no nature, only culture; we pose precisely because, as the authors Anything goer. Technical phrase in the can learn to fly, or live in the ocean, note, "truth matters.. .. And it also philosophy of science coined by Paul or echolocate, or pick things up matters because if human intelligence Feyerabend. Means, roughly, it's too with our trunks, if we will only matters, if clear thinking and reason much trouble to explain deduction concentrate. and induction so go figure them out and open eyes are good things, then for yourself. Ideology. Ideas we don't agree with. fashionable nonsense really is important Probably exploitative. and worth resisting." This book is an Empiricism: Absurd notion that observation and measurement are Judgment Bad, wicked, excluding, excellent contribution to the small but useful in finding out about things. discriminatory attitude to other peo­ important genre of satirical dictionaries, ple's ways of knowing. and is warmly recommended to anyone Herbs: The best medicine. Natural, organic, pure, wholesome. Can cure Paradigm. A thing that shifts, thus wishing a deeper understanding of die everything. Western medicine ignores proving that scientists merely make follies of our time. herbs, preferring artificial chemical up their findings. See KUHN. IEIUCE BEST SELLERS Top Ten Best Sellers

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SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 200S 57 The king of quacks: Albert Abrams, M.D., Haines I Benny FILL IN THE GAPS IN YOUR Hinn: Healer or hypnotist?, Nickell. MARCH/APRIL 2002 (vol 26. no. 2): Special Reports: Bioterrorism and alternative medicine, Atwood I 'Mothman' solved! Nickell I Bigfoot at fifty, Radford I Skeptical Inquirer COLLECTION Cripplefoot hobbled, Daegling I Pseudohistory in ancient coins. Carrier I Are science and religion compatible?, Kurtz • 15% discount on orders of $100 or more • I The emptiness of holism, Ruscio I Undercover among the • $6.25 a copy, Vols. 1-18 ($5.00 Vols. 19-25). To order, use reply card insert • spirits, Nickell. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2002 (vol. 26, no. 1): Myths of MARCH/APRIL 2005 (vol. 29, no. 2): One longsome Sagan, Druyan I Less about appearances: Art and science, murder and multiple regression, Goertzel I Education, argument, Trumble I Moonshine: Why the peppered Nowlin I King of the paranormal, Mooney I Sylvia scientific knowledge, and belief in the paranormal, moth remains an icon of evolution. Young and Browne, Farha / Neither intelligent nor designed, Martin Goode I A university's struggle with chiropractic, Musgrave I Hyperbole in media reports on asteroids I Fellowship of the rings: UFO rings vs. fairy rings, Nieves- DeRobertis I Snaring the Fowler: Mark Twain debunks and impacts, Morrison I Ringing false alarms: Rivera I The curse of Bodie, Nickell. phrenology, Lopez I Three skeptics' debate tools exam­ Skepticism and media scares, Radford I The glaring gar­ ined, Caso / Mickey Mouse discovers the 'real' Atlantis, ret ghost, Durm I Scientists and the elec­ SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2003 (vol. 27, no. Hardersen I Atlantis behind the myth, Christopher I tion, Estling I Comforting thoughts about 5): The ongoing problem with the 10th European Skeptics Congress report, Mahner I death that have nothing to do with God, National Center for Complementary and Voodoo in New Orleans, Nickell I Some thoughts on Christina I Intuition: The case of the Alternative Medicine, Atwood I What induction, Gardner. unknown daughter, Nickel!, does education really do?, Losh, Tavani, NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2001 (vol. 25, no. 6): A critique JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2005 (vol. 29, no. Njoroge, Wilke, and McAuley I Nos- 1): Critical thinking about energy: The tradamus's clever 'clairvoyance', Yafeh of Schwartz et al.'s after-death communication studies, case for decentralized generation of elec­ and Heath I They see dead people—Or do Wiseman and O'Keeffe I Magical thinking in comple­ tricity, Casten and Downes I Exploring they?, Underdown I Energy, homeopathy, mentary and alternative medicine, Stevens I controversies in the art and science of and hypnosis in Santa Fe, Seavey I Faking Educational malpractice, Moore I Philosophers and psy­ polygraph testing, Ruscio IA Nobel laure­ UFO photos for the twenty-first century, chics: The Vandy episode, Oldfield I CSICOP 25th ate confronts pseudoscience: Dema­ Callen I Haunted plantation, Nickell. Anniversary section: The origins and evolution of CSI­ gogues against scientific expertise & COP, Nisbet /Never a dull moment, Karr I John Edward: JULY/AUGUST 2003 (vol. 27, no. 4): Special Brave thoughts are still not the truth, Hustling the bereaved, Nickell I Ernest Hemingway and Ginzburg I Natural medicine: Will that be Report: Chasing Champ: Legend of the Jane, Gardner. a pill or a needle?, Baarschers I Mystery Lake Champlain monster, Nickell I The painting: The shadow of the cross, measure of a monster, Radford I The SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2001 (vol. 25, no 5): Special Nickell. Rorschach inkblot test, fortune tellers, and cold reading. Issue: Science and Religion 2001. Holy wars, Tyson / The NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2004 (vol. 28, no. 6): Bacteria, Wood, Nezworski, LHienfeld, and Garb I Can minds leave dangerous quest for cooperation between science and ulcers, and ostracism? H. Pylori and the making of a bodies?, Bensley I Memory recovery techniques in psy­ religion, Pandian I Design yes, intelligent no, Pigliucci I myth, Atwood / Science and the public, Dacey I Why chotherapy, Lynn, Loftus, LHienfeld, and Lock. A way of life for agnostics?. Lovelock I Science, religion, SETI is science and UFOIogy is not, Moldwin I Blind and the Galileo affair, Moy / The god of falling bodies, MAY/JUNE 2003 (vol. 27, no. 3): The Luck Factor, Wise­ spots, brain maps, and backaches, Hall I Stupid dino Stenger / The relationship between paranormal beliefs man I More hazards: Hypnosis, airplanes, and strongly tricks, Martinez I Explaining the plagues of Egypt, Lee I and religious beliefs, Sparks / Science and religion in an held beliefs, Pankratz I 'Premenstrual dysphoric disor­ Special Report: Senate Intelligence Committee high­ impersonal universe. Young / Arthur C. Clarke's 'Credo,' lights need for skeptical inquiry, Radford I Rorschach der' and 'premenstrual syndrome' myths, Flora and Clarke I A designer universe?, Weinberg I An evolu­ icons, Nickell. Se//ers/A patently false patent myth—still!, Sassl Wired tionary-genetic wager, Avise I Shroud of Turin scandals, to the kitchen sink, Hall I Mediumship claim responses, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2004 (vol. 28, no. 5): Can the sci­ Nickell I Multiverses and blackberries, Gardner. Schwartz and Hyman / Dowsing mysterious sites, ences help us to make wise ethical judgments?, Kurtz I JULY/AUGUST 2001 (vol. 25, no. 4): Confronting veteri The Columbia University 'miracle' study: Flawed and Nickell. nary medical nonsense, Imrie I Junk science and the fraud, Flamm I 'Teach the controversy,' Camp I The Campeche, Mexico 'infrared UFO' video, Sheaffer / The MARCH/APRIL 2003 (vol. 27, no. 2): The Blank Slate, law, Dodes I Chevreul's report on the mysterious oscil­ anthropic principle and the Big Bang: Natural or super­ Pinker I Omission neglect: The importance of missing lations of the hand-held pendulum. Spitz and natural?, Perakh I Alternative medicine and the biology information, Kardes and Sanbonmatsu I Acupuncture, Marcuard I CSICOP 25th Anniversary section: A quarter- departments of New York's community colleges, Reiser/ magic, and make-believe, Uleft I Walt Whitman, Sloan century of skeptical inquiry, Paul Kurtz / Thoughts on Labyrinths: Mazes and myths, Radford I Ships of the / The James Ossuary, Nickell. science and skepticism in the twenty-first century, dead, Nickell. Kendrick Frazier I Proper criticism, Ray Hyman I The JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2003 (vol. 27, no. 1): Hownotto lighter side of skepticism, Pudim / A skeptical look at JULY /AUGUST 2004 (vol. 28, no. 4): Capital punishment test mediums, Hyman I Beliefs on trial, and the legality Karl Popper, Gardner. and homicide, Goertzet I Defending science—within of reasonableness, Fisher I Placebos, nocebos, and chi­ reason, Haack I Exposing Roger Patterson's 1967 ropractic adjustments, Homola I Pliny the Elder: MAY/JUNE 2001 (vol. 25, no. 3): The shrinking file- Bigfoot film hoax, Korff and Kocis I Pranks, frauds, and Credulist, skeptic, or both?, Parejko / Unfazed: Mark drawer, Stokes /The Pokemon Panic of 1997, Radford I hoaxes from around the world, Carroll I Seeing the Twain debunks the mesmerizer, Englebretsen I The Antinous Prophecies, Pickover I Common myths of world through rose-colored glasses, Bowd and Amityville Horror, Nickell. O'Sullivan I Special report: PBS 'Secrets of the Dead' children's behavior, Fiorello I Bertrand Russell and crit­ buries the truth about the Shroud of Turin, Nickell I NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2002 (vol. 26, ical receptiveness, Hare I CSICOP 25th Mythical Mexico, Nickell. no. 6): Politicizing the Virgin Mary, Eve / Anniversary section: From the editor's Hypothesis testing and the nature of seat: 25 years of science and skepticism, MAY/JUNE 2004 (vol. 28, no. 3): Darkness, tunnels and skeptical investigations, Pigliucci / Kendrick Frazier I Science vs. pseudo- light, Woerlee I Nurturing suspicion. Mole I The Cold Intelligent design: Dembski's presenta­ science, nonscience, and nonsense, James War's classified Skyhook program, Gildenberg I The tion without arguments, Perakh I Hugo Alcock I CSICOP timeline / Primal scream: strange odyssey of Brenda Dunne, Sfofces / Bridging the Gernsback, skeptical crusader. Miller I A persistent New Age therapy, Gardner. chasm between two cultures, McLaren I Alternative medicine and pseudoscience, I am Freud's brain, Garry and Loftus I 'Visions' behind MARCH/APRIL 2001 (vol. 25, no. 2): Darwin Mornstein I Are skeptics cynical?. Mole I The Passion, Nickell I Belgium skeptics commit mass sui­ in mind, Edis IA bit confused, ffoche / What Psychic pets and pet psychics, Nickell. cide, Bonneux / Psychic sleuth without a clue, Nickell. can the paranormal teach us about con­ MARCH/APRIL 2004 (vol. 28, no. 2): Special Issue: SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2002 (vol. 26, no. sciousness?, Blackmore I Spontaneous Science and Religion 2004: Turmoil and Tensions. Why is 5): Special Report: Circular Reasoning: human confabulation, Nienhuys I Italy's ver­ religion natural? Boyer I Skeptical inquiry and religion, The 'mystery' of crop circles and their sion of Harry Houdini, Nisbet IA psychologi­ Kurtz / Exorcising all the ghosts, Edis I The roles of reli­ 'orbs' of light, Nickell, Fourth World cal case of 'demon' and 'alien' visitation, gion, spirituality, and genetics in paranormal beliefs, Skeptics Conference Report / A skeptical Reisner I Distant healing and Elizabeth Targ, Kennedy I Development of beliefs in paranormal and look at September 11th, Chapman and Gardner supernatural phenomena, Whittle I Religious beliefs and Harris I Sheldrake's Crystals, van Genderen, Koene and JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2001 (vol. 25, no. 1): Special their consequences, Layng / Secularization: Europe yes, Nienhuys/Teaching skepticism via the CRITIC acronym, Section: Issues in Alternative Medicine: Medicine wars, United States no, Zuckerman I Not too 'bright,' Mooneyl Bartz I Skepticism under the big sky, Schwinden, Seidman I Herbal medicines and dietary supplements, Point of honor: On science and religion, Haack I Benjamin Engbrecht Mercer and Patterson I Why was The X-Files Allen I Psychoactive herbal medications, Spinella I Franklin's Enlightenment deism, Isaacson I In praise of so appealing?, Goode / Winchester mystery house, Chiropractic, Homola I Damaged goods? Science and Ray Hyman, Alcock I Hoaxes, myths, and manias (report Nickell. child sexual abuse, Hagen I Special Report: Science indi­ on the Albuquerque conference), Frazier I The stigmata cators 2000 / Facilitated communication, Gardner. of Lilian Bernas, Nickell. JULY/AUGUST 2002 (vol. 26, no 4): Special Report: Al­ ternative medicine and the White House commission, NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2000 (vol 24, no. 6): The face JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2004 (vol 28., no. 1): Anti-vaccina­ Gorski, London I Special Section: Science and pseudoscience behind the Face on Mars, Posneri The new paranatural tion fever, Hoyt / Skepticism of caricatures, Gaynor I in Russia, Kurtz, Efremov, Kruglyakov I Who abused Jane paradigm, Kurtz I Francis Bacon and the true ends of Fallacies and frustrations, Mole I Judging authority, Lipps Doe? Part 2, Loftus and Guyer I The high cost of skepticism, skepticism, Fhedberg I Worlds in collision: Where real­ I A geologist's adventures with Bimini beachrock and Tavris / Graham Hancock's shifting cataclysm. Brass / The ity meets the paranormal, Radford I Why bad beliefs Atlantis true believers, Shinn I The real method of scien­ Mad Gasser of Mattoon, Ladendorf and Bartholomew I don't die, tester/Supernatural power and cultural evo­ tific discovery, Guttman I Oxygen is good—even when it's Moscow mysteries, Nickell. lution, Layng I The brutality of Dr. Bettelheim, Gardner. not there. Hall I Contemporary challenges to William James's white crow. Spitz I UFOs over Buffalo!, Nickell. MAY/JUNE 2002 (vol. 26, no. 3): Who abused Jane Doe? For a complete listing of our back issues, call 800-634-1610, Part 1, loftus and Guyer I Is the Mars Effect a social NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2003 (vol. 27, no. 6): Ann Druyan or see http://www.csicop.org/si/back-issues.html. effect?, Dean I Gray Barker's book of bunk, Sherwood I talks about science, religion, wonder, awe, and Carl BUSINESS REPLY MAIL FIRST-CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 8977 BUFFALO, NY

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have more validity than those of tea-leaf readers. If self-styled psychics were some­ A Closer Look at Medium thing other than self-deluded cranks and WILLIAM HARWOOD self-serving humbugs, crime solving would be an exact science, and psychic testimony would be the most valid kind, "II produce anything that gets Web site DuBois's claims that she had taking all the guesswork out of rendering high ratings." That was the worked with specific law enforcement a verdict. Unfortunately, there is no such "I:.respons e of an NBC official in agencies while continuing to endorse her thing as a psychic. No psychic has ever 1977 to a deputation from CSICOP claim that unidentified law enforcement helped law enforcement officers to solve protesting "that network's outrageous agencies use her services. a crime, anytime, anywhere, in any way. pseudodocumentaries about the marvels Nonetheless, instead of beginning A year-long study of such claims led to of occultism."' the pilot episode with a disclaimer, the conclusion that, as CSICOP Senior Nothing has changed. The network "This story is fantasy, and has no resem­ Research Fellow Joe Nickell wrote, "care­ that gave the world the intentionally dis- blance to any real person or event," it ful examination reveals no successful informative In Search Of that suppressed started with the subtitle, "There really is crime solving, but instead only tangled known facts in order to create a mystery an Allison. Really." The pilot then con- webs of misinformation, generalization, where none existed, is at it opportunistic credit-taking, again. Medium could have and, in some instances, proba­ been a legitimate fantasy series ble deceit."' about a character with powers Michael Shermer, in his that exist only in fantasy, com­ book The Borderlands of parable with such similar Science, states that when NBC series as Charmed, Tru Calling, broadcast a pseudodocumen- Early Edition, and Quantum tary claiming that Egyptian Leap, none of which tried to pyramids were built by an buy ratings by pretending that alien civilization 10,000 years the concepts presented exist in ago, "not a single archaeolo­ the real world. In contrast, gist, scientist or skeptic of any NBC continues to claim that academic or mainstream credi­ Medium is based on the real- bility appeared on the show to present even an iota of dis­ life experiences of a self-pro­ Medium executive producer Gordon Caron, actor Patricia Arquette, and Allison DuBois attend a panel discussion for the television show. Ph oto by sent."' And lest anyone think claimed psychic. In fact, it is Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images. based on a fantasy novel (pos­ NBC is the only or most bla­ ing as nonfiction) by Allison DuBois, in centrated on making DuBois's pre­ tant offender, CBS's Incredible which she claims to have solved crimes tended "powers" seem believable, much Discovery of Noah's Ark and Fox's alien and demonstrated other extrasensory the way Uri Geller devoted much of his autopsy hoax similarly perpetrated lies. powers that simply have not been proven performances to convincing his audi­ Shermer notes that "Most people that to exist. When asked by CSICOP if the ence that he was not a blatant humbug. work in the television business realize network had checked on DuBois's claims While Medium has entertainment value that most of the claims presented on and background before they employed for persons who believe DuBois's pow­ these paranormal shows are utter non­ her as a consultant for rhc show, an NBC ers exist outside of her own imagina­ sense . . . but they were restricted by the representative admitted that they had tion, it is bound to disappoint viewers networks from saying so on the air." The not, and gave the impression that she who recognize that passing off a teleplay "vast wasteland's" attitude a quarter-cen­ believed that the show's concept, about a psychic solving a child's murder tury ago was: If it gets ratings, what does although not specific scripts, is nonfic­ as nonfiction contributes to the dumb­ it matter that it contributes to the tion. NBC did, however, remove from its ing of America. dumbing of America? The attitude Viewers of Medium should ask them­ today is: If it gets ratings, what does it William Harwood is a member of the selves why psychics are not allowed to m.uicr that it contributes to the dumb­ Editorial Board of Free Inquiry, and a testify in court cases. The answer is that ing of America? Contributing Editor of American Ration­ evidence has to be judged on the basis of Since the opening episode. Medium alist. He is the author of twenty-six books, science and rationality, rather than has departed from the specific claims including The Disinformation Cycle. hunches that have never been shown to made in DuBois's pseudo-autobiography.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 59 REVIEWS

and has switched to stories that even future. Do network apologists not grasp on putting ratings ahead of trudi ask DuBois acknowledges are fictitious, die that, for that to happen, information themselves, not, "Is it true?" but rather, rationale being that the series is designed would have to travel backward in time? Or "Will the marks swallow it?" To quote to be entertainment, not a documentary. do diey consider even diat to be within die myself, "What was once a Vast Waste­ But die repetitive scenes in which die fic­ realm of the possible? land is now a Toxic Dump, administered titious DuBois has to overcome the skep­ If Medium was presented as acknowl­ by the same kind ... that Only You, ticism of new investigators in every edged fantasy, making no pretense that Dick Daring was unsuccessful in elimi­ episode have zero entertainment value and its concepts exist in the real world, it nating forty years ago."* are included only to stress the programs would have the potential to be as pretense that her claims are not fantasy. appealing as programs such as Charmed Notes And whereas the opening episode depicted But viewers lacking the skills or educa­ 1. Martin Gardner, Science: Good, Bad and Bogus, p. xv. DuBois receiving information from the tion to distinguish between sense and 2. Joe Nickell, Psychic Sleuths: ESP and past and present by non-sensory means, nonsense have a right not be intention­ Sensational Cases, p. 173. 3. William Harwood, Where Is George Washing­ subsequent episodes showed members of ally disinformed. ton Now That America Really Needs Him? p. 342. her family of psychics seeing images of die Only those whose income depends 4. Ibid. p. xx. D

NEW BOOKS

Listing does not preclude future review. Wegener, and Judah Folkman give specific of Forever" (Gene Roddenberry) and "This examples of views that overcame initial sci­ View of Life" (the history, science, and phi­ Debunked! ESP, Telekinesis, and other entific resistance to become, with sufficient losophy of Stephen Jay Gould). Pseudoscience. Georges Charpak and evidence, accepted. Henri Broch. Translated by Bart K. ( rcutionism: The Bible Says No! Eric J. Holland. Johns Hopkins University Press, True Warnings and False Alarms: Hildeman. (Self-published: RO. Box 341121, Baltimore, Maryland, 2004. 137 pp. $25, Evaluating Fears about die Health Risks of West Milwaukee, Wl 53219), 2005. 214 pp., hardcover. Two distinguished physicists, one Technology, 1948-1971. Allan Mazur. paper. A theologian who left the ministry to a Nobel laureate (Charpak, CERN) and one Resources for the Future Press, Washington, debate fundamentalists, and creationists in a prominent French skeptic (Broch, D.C. 2004. 191 pp. $50, unjacketed hard­ particular, here applies not science (which he University of Nice), team up to expose the cover; $18.95, paperback. A re-analysis of respects and admires) but scripture itself to tricks of the trade that keep astrologers, thirty-one cases involving substances or show that, in his view, "a literalistic interpreta­ spoon benders, and TV psychics in business. processes that generated public health warn­ tion of the Bible is dead wrong." His main tar­ They also show how pseudoscientists use sci­ ings and great media interest from get audience is creationists, who he hopes to ence, statistics, and psychology to bamboozle 1947-1971. Examples: oral contraceptives, persuade that evolution is not only true but is audiences. Along the way they demystify cyclamate, MSG, thalidomide, shoe fluoro- essential to Christianity's survival. coincidences and radiation and assert the scopes, enzyme detergents, mercury in tuna, values of science and teason. DDT, asbestos, nerve gas, ELF radiation. New in Paperback: The goal is to try to find ways to distinguish ttuc warnings from false alarms and to sec Just a Theory: Exploring die Nature of Are Universes Thicker Than Blackberries: how one can make that judgment early in Science. Mod Ben-Ari. Prometheus Books, Martin Gardner. WW Norton & Co., New the process. For each warning the author New York, 2005. 265 pp, $21, paper. A York, 2004. 288 pp. $14.95, paper. Subtitled renders a judgment of "true" or "false" and short modern overview of the nature of sci­ "Discourses on Godel, Magic Hexagrams, whether the press coverage was hyped or not. ence—philosophy, history, and sociology— Little Red Riding Hood, and Other written for a general audience so readers can Mathematical and Pseudoscientific Topics." understand and appreciate the scientific Science Friction: Where the Known Meets First trade paperback edition of the last of claims diat bombard us every day. The goal the Unknown. Michael Shermer. Time several collections of Martin Gardner's col­ is to help readers "distinguish claims that are Books, New York, 2005. 296 pp. $26, hard­ umn "Notes of a Fringe Watcher" that provisional and debatable from claims that cover. A collection of fourteen essays and appeared in the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER are so well established that rejecting them research articles exploring the barriers and 1983-2002. (Gardner turned ninety last drives you over die border into pseudo- biases that plague and propel science. The)' October.) Among the columns are book science and antiscience." There are lively are about how science operates under pres­ reviews and other pieces on a variety of top­ chapters on "Just a Theory. What Scientists sure, during controversies, under siege, and ics. Many of the Si-based chapters are fol­ Do," "Words Scientists Don't Use," on the precipice of the known. Chapters lowed by short addendums. The tide essay "Sometimes Scientists Make Mistakes," and include "The Big 'Bright' Brouhaha," was Gardner's column "Multiverses and "Science and Religion: Scientists Just Do "Heresies of Science," "Spin-Doctoring Blackberries" (SI September/October 2001). Science." Short sidebar segments on "revolu­ Science," "The New Creationism," tionary scientists" such as Darwin, Alfred "History's Heretics," "The Hero on the Edge —Kendrick Frazier

60 volume 29, Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

tralized power generation currently available? The fetal flaw in the "critical thinking" of die authors is diat the waste heat produced by John Coviello generating electricity must be used when it is 'Hirer Somerset, New Jersey made. There is no way to store it on a large scale. In other words, die demand for waste heat must be directly proportional to the CRITICAL THINKING The near future of electrical-power genera­ demand for electricity at all times. There are ABOUT ENERGY: tion should be by use of photovoltaic solar only very specialized applications where this K Oenlr.ili/erl panels and wind turbines. Solar panels can can work. Anodier "critical" flaw by the Generation Obsolete? cover rJiousands of square miles of deserts in authors is trying to identify a physical energy America and Asia. Wind turbines can be problem as a political problem that can be *- * " *i^7*''~ Controversies in installed by die thousands in die Rocky solved by legislation. If only it were that easy. •Ajii—^-*.0,y9'n|"''"."n9 Mountains and the mountains of Europe * *. *^?^#T* ' A Nobel Liiiitcato George Ascroft *mr — Confronts and Asia. Wind turbines can be installed also Pseudoscience on anchored platforms on the ocean just off­ H. Douglas Lightfoot Natural Medicine: shore of all major cities and on top of high- Montreal, Quebec \ Pills or Needles? rise buildings. Solar panels can be installed Canada on the roofs of residences, apartment build­ ings, factories, warehouses, and schools. The resulting pollution-free electric power will What happened to the laws of thermody­ also provide power to produce hydrogen gas namics in "Critical Thinking about by electrolysis from seawater for use in Energy"? For one thing, the heat rejected by The Case for Decentralized hydrogen-fuel-cell cars. We will have eco­ a gas or steam turbine is not "waste" heat; it Generation of Electricity nomical and pollution-free electric power is a requirement of these laws. The efficiency and fuel in great quantities. of an ideal heat engine is [7"(hot) - T (cold)] / Regarding your article "Critical Thinking T (hot). T stands for temperature and is about Energy: The Case for Decentralized Martin Annenberg counted from absolute zero. This is about - Generation of Electricity" (January/ Hunungton Beach, California 460°F. Modern coal electric plants have a February 2005): First off, kudos to SI for 7(hot) of about 1000°F, so their best possi­ publishing such a visionary article that is rel­ ble efficiency would be 62 percent, if the evant to our contemporary world in which Thomas R. Casten and Brennan Downes heat sink (cooling tower or river water) were energy demand is causing increasing envi­ make an excellent case for decentralized gen­ at 100°F. Other losses unfortunately bring ronmental and geopolitical challenges. All eration of electricity. But a sensible argument this down to just over 40 percent. However, too often, skeptics act as little more than doesn't seem to go far in this political cli­ these low efficiencies are not caused by cynics who resist change and defend die sta­ mate. It may be that the best way to sell this carelessly rejecting waste heat but arc tus quo, regardless of the consequences. In idea is to stress the security aspects of smaller, the inevitable consequence of obeying chis case, the skeptics are actually acting as distributed plants—fewer big targets make it Mother Nature. visionaries and are well out ahead of the rest harder for terrorists to disrupt electrical sup­ Two alternatives are used in practice if of society on a vitally important issue—our plies over wide areas. there is a second use for the heat from a ever-increasing demand for energy and how steam or gas turbine. One is to raise die T to deliver it efficiently. David B. Lewis (cold) to perhaps 300°F, so useful energy can Hamden. Connecticut One criticism I have of the way die issue be extracted from this heat stream. This, of is framed in the article is that it dwells on old course, reduces the efficiency of the electric decentralized-powcr-gencration techniques plant, and you end up, at best, breaking It was great to see SKEPTICAL INQUIRER and fails to focus on modern ones. The even. The other is to use heat direcdy from expand coverage beyond pseudoscience and author relies on the model of decentralized the boiler or odier heat-input device and religion. I was impressed with "Critical power generation used in die early twentieth couple it with a smaller turbine. The elec­ Thinking about Energy." 1 brought the arti­ century, in which electricity was generated tricity generated is less, but you have a source cle to the aitcmion of my city government, locally from coal or oil, and the waste heat of high-temperature heat that is often which owns our local powcr-disrribution was then used to heat local buildings. The required at a factory, such as a chemical- company. However, I found that die article author fails to even casually mention mod­ manufacturing plant. was overly complex and a bit confusing. For ern, mainstream deccntralizcd-powcr-gencr- The reason why efficiencies for electrical arion options that are in use in the real world SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, it should have been generation haven't improved since Edison's today, such as fuel cells, solar/wind, tidal, more concise and simplified. day is diat die laws of thermodynamics have biomass, landfill gas, etc. I do hope that SKEPTICAL INQUIRER will not changed since then. This is not a utility continue to delve into other subjects where conspiracy. Edison may have been able to use There is no controversy regarding groupthink is raking us in the wrong direc­ whether or not diese decentralized-powcr- the waste heat because the technology of get­ tion. How about "sustainable growth"? gencration technologies are real and viable. I ting to a low 7" (cold) had not yet been do not understand why die author did not Roy F. Johnson invented, or perhaps he didn't understand include a broader presentation of the decen­ Columbia, Tennessee die ramifications of attempting diis.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 200S 61 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Another important factor not brought up Ascroft and Light/hot are largely correct in electricity produced, but heat at that tempera­ is the subsidies that decentralized electric- stating that waste heat from electric generation ture is useful and can displace boiler fuel power plants get. The electricity they pro­ must be used instantaneously. Thermal energy Overall efficiency increases dramatically when duce, but don't happen to need, their utility can be stored economically as hot water, and 40 percent to 60 percent of the energy in the is forced to buy. This is a terrible penalty to such storage is widely used in Scandinavian fuel displaces boiler fuel instead of warming the utilities, because they don't want or need countries to feed hot-water district-heating lakes and rivers. Our research, which matches the additional electrical capacity at night or loops. These hot-water tanks store heat from our operating experience, shows that power on weekends any more than the decentral­ weekday peak electric generation for use the plants that extract and recycle useful-tempera­ ized producers do. How would the decen­ following night or weekend to heat homes. But ture heat save $10 to $20 per megawatt-hour storage is not key to recycling heat to most tralized power scheme fare if they had to shut versus electric-only plants, not exactly "at best industrial plants, university and medical cam­ down and sell their power to the utilities breaking even." puses, and urban district-heating loops. More during the afternoon electrical demand Finally, Freeman wrongly assumes that all than 200 combined-heat-and-power plants peak? This would be great for consumers, developed and operated by organizations we decentralized generation will use oil or natural since supplying the peak is the most expen­ have led or helped manage recycle waste heat gas. The article demonstrates that every fuel sive part of electrical generation. It forces by feeding base thermal bads and displacing including coal and nuclear, will produce more you to overbuild to meet it. This is also the boiler fuel. Extracting more value from fossil value in decentralized plants that recycle ther­ main reason for the surge in the use of gas fuel by siting appropriately sized generation mal energy than in central plants that heat turbines in die last twenty years. They're near thermal users is technically and econom­ lakes and rivers. More important, the cheapest cheap to build and expensive to run, but you ically feasible. The power industry foils to power, which causes no incremental burning only need to run them at times of peak optimize because of regulatory systems that tie of fossil fuel and no incremental pollution, is demand. utility profits to invested capital, ignore or generated from presently wasted industrial penalize efficiency, give grandfather emission I think the authors also underestimated energy—from gas that is flared, heat from rights to old central plants, and shelter electric or ignored how much more expensive oil and process exhaust, and gas or steam-pressure generation and distribution from competition. natural gas are compared to coal and nuclear drop. A draft EPA study identified nearly power. Their use would be contrary to the 100,000 megawatts of power—nearly equal to Contrary to Thomas Freeman's letter, goal of energy independence, and their wide­ the U.S. nuclear fleet—that could be gener­ there are no violations of the laws of thermo­ spread use is sure to create shortages and sub­ ated by recycling industrial-waste energy. But dynamics in the article. The major assertions stantially raise the price of these fossil fuels U.S. DOE statistics show only 2.5 percent of have been through something better than peer for homeowners. that potential or 2,500 megawatts of genera­ review—extensive and repeated market tion based on recycled energy currently being Thomas R. Freeman review. There are multiple examples, often used. Nearly 15 percent of all U.S. power Columbia, South Carolina with decades of operating experience, of local could be produced out of thin air—-from generation with energy recycling of every gen­ industrial-waste energy. erating technology described. These plants Thomas R. Casten responds: save fuel. They use less fuel to produce heat and power than would be used to produce the What is the article "Critical Thinking about Regarding the Coviello and Annenberg letters, same useful energy in separate thermal and Energy: The Case for Decentralized deployment of current solar photovoltaic and electric plants. In spite of many barriers to Generation of Electricity" doing in wind-generation technologies involves deep efficiency, power entrepreneurs have deployed SKEPTICAL INQUIRER? I read the Editor's analysis of government subsidies and their eco­ more than 70,000 megawatts of combined- Note; I understand you are "applying critical nomic effect, which goes beyond the article's heat-and-power plants in the U.S., produc­ inquiry to science-related claims and issues examination of whether utilities have made opti­ ing roughly 8 percent of U.S. power. In of public importance," but this seems far, far mal economic choices. Solar and wind genera­ Denmark, Finland, and the Netherlands, tion, while technically proven, have all-in costs removed from the mission and unique role where many regulatory barriers were substantially above central fossil generation and of SI that 1, at least, am subscribing for— removed, roughly 50 percent of all power is four to six times the all-in costs of power gener­ which is to serve as an expert critic of pseu- generated in combined-heat-and-power ated by recycling waste energy. Off-grid or remote doscience in our culture. plants. The problem is not thermodynamics. solar power is often cost effective, but on-grid Michael Abrahams wind or solar receive significant subsidies or cause Optimizing the power system is a techno- Boyds, Maryland electric users to pay more for power. Yes, govern­ economic issue. Freeman claims that extracting ments also use taxpayer dollars to subsidize fossil 300' Fahrenheit energy from an electric plant Kendrick Frazier responds: fuel, hydroelectric projects, and nuclear power "reduces the efficiency of the electric plant and and do not require old fossil plants to pay for the you end up, at best, breaking even." Let us be Our main task is—and will always remain— environmental damage they cause. Analyzing the more precise. Steam-turbine plants will gener­ economic distortion and resulting damage to as Mr. Abrahams aptly puts it in his letter, "to ate more electricity as the temperature of heat serve as an expert critic of pseudoscience in our standards of living of these subsidies is a fascinat­ rejection is lowered. The very best electric-only culture." But we have never been limited to ing topic but also beyond the scope of our article. steam-turbine plants are located next to very just that role. And for reasons stated in that Our focus was to show that deploying existing cold bodies of water—the North Sea or Lake Editor's Note and in my editorial in our technologies locally would dramatically reduce Ontario—and reject their heat at a few January/February 2004 issue, we will also con­ current power costs and associated pollution by degrees above freezing. Removing the heat at a enabling energy recycling. higher temperature will reduce the amount of tinue to apply critical inquiry and investigative analysis to certain wider issues that affect

62 Volume 29. Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

society—especially when we have knowledge­ nity, further discoveries of fossils in South skills to others beyond the simple imitation able authors with something unique and Africa corroborated them. By die 1940s, shown by apes. There would have been no important to add that is not available else­ many prominent anthropologists accepted cumulative development of culture—no where, as was the case with this article. die radical idea that die first hominids were "standing on the shoulders of giants." They small-brained bipeds. Aldiough few anthro­ would have been left continuously reinvent­ pologists today accept Australopithecus ing die wheel, while die skills of the Cro- Responding to africanus as a direct human ancestor, die les­ Magnons were steadily improving. son it taught us about early hominid evolu­ This is consistent with die relative stabil­ Demagogues tion remains valid to this day. ity across hundreds of thousands of years of The fact that the Piltdown forgery was pre-sapiens human cultures compared with The article by Vitaly Ginzburg ("Dema­ falsified by its fundamental contradiction the explosive advance of Homo sapiens. It is gogues against Scientific Expertise," January/ with the fossil record demonstrates the way the ability to learn from die mistakes of oth­ February 2005) contained a disturbing sug­ in which paleontology is conducted. With ers rather than our own that makes a com­ gestion near the end that I would hope scien­ the discovery of new fossils, an initial plex civilization possible. tific minds in general will sensibly reject. hypothesis is proposed to establish tin-it After spending much of the article bemoan­ place within the present understanding of Paul K. Brandon ing the advance of pseudoscience, Ginzburg evolution. Each claim will be skeptically Psychology Department shares an anecdote of how he once informed evaluated relative to the quality of evidence Minnesota State University a journalist he would no longer answer the that supports the claim and will always be Mankato, Minnesota journalist's scientific questions while his pub­ subject to the challenge of the discovery of lication continued to promote pseudoscience still more new fossils. Within the evolving in the form of horoscopes. He goes on to sug­ paradigm of hominid evolution, Piltdown JFK Assassination Car gest diat a majority of members of the scien­ became a serious anomaly that did not fit the tific community should take similar stands. evidence and therefore warranted re-evalua­ tion. It would be reasonable for the antievo- In die photograph of a presidential motorcade Perhaps I am too uneducated to see die lutionists that cite the Piltdown forgery to in the article by Massimo Polidoro, "Notes on logic here, but it seems to me this is a acknowledge die role that authentic fossils a Strange World: Facts and Fiction in the remarkably poorly thought-out strategy. played in exposing the forgery. If diey are Kennedy Assassination" (January/February Surely, the most effective way to combat unwilling to be reasonable, then it is our 2005), the open-top Lincoln Continental in pseudoscience lies in trying to spread science obligation to remind them of these facts. die photograph on page 22 is white. The and rational thinking to the masses as often Zapruder film and other contemporaneous as one can in order to offset die avalanche of photographs clearly show the president, Mrs. Dennis C. Shaw misinformation being promoted. To take the Instructor of Anthropology Kennedy, and Governor Connally riding in a attitude that these publications arc unworthy Lower Columbia College black, open-top Lincoln on November 22, of the benefit of a true scientist's time is hard Longview, Washington 1963. Other details also make it unlikely diat to see as anything but intellectual elitism. If the published photograph was taken in Dallas those who oppose them retreat from the on die date of die Kennedy assassination: i.e., field, die demagogues Ginzburg so disdains the unidentified person seated to the left of simply win the war of ideas by default. Early Humans' Ability die First Lady, and die absence of Governor to Talk Key Connally in the jump seat just in front of the Charles Fusner president. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Regarding Ralph Estling's comments about In defense of the SI editors, die published the organization of Cro-Magnon brains photo caption is vague but not, technically compared with those of Neanderthals speaking, wrong, in that it identifies the date Piltdown and Science ("Stupid Things," January/February 2005): as November 1963, not specifically Estling speculates diat the Cro-Magnons' November 22, 1963. While the photo and main advantage was a brain evolved to a state Massimo Pigliucci is quite correct to insist caption are not technically wrong, SI readers of superior organization, making it possible that die Piltdown affair should be celebrated who are too young to remember the for them to "conceive vastly more." as a scientific victory ("Piltdown and How Kennedy assassination could easily be con­ Science Really Works," January/February He docs talk about their sophisticated fused by die publication of a "stock" photo 2005). Nevertheless, he omits a crucial ele­ linguistic abilities, but attributes this to dieir image in a conspiracy-debunking article. ment that grants the story greater signifi­ better-organized brains, which, he says, The photograph and caption should have made this talk possible. It is at least as likely cance. The real hero of the Piltdown story is been as carefully vetted as the text. an infant-hominid fossil found by Raymond diat die cause of die more sophisticated Cro- Dan. Australopithecus africanus fundamen­ Magnon culture is simply the ability to talk. Robert J. Coffey tally contradicted the interpretation of There has been speculation that the Thousand Oaks, California hominid evolution represented by the Neanderthal had a more limited vocal appa­ Piltdown skull. The large cranium was not ratus that was more like that of apes. If this Kendrick Frazier responds: the first hominid characteristic to evolve. were so, then—no matter how well orga­ nized their brains—the Neanderthals would Although Dart's interpretations were legiti­ Mr. Coffey is correct. The photo we used was have been unable to pass on their acquired mately questioned by the scientific commu­ not of the presidential motorcade on that

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2005 63 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

fateful day of November 22, 1963. We should The alcohol theory of the Mary Celeste was Stephen C. Meyer of the Center for Science have published a photo from that day. described by John Harris in his book. and Culture and Rael of the Raelians con­ Without a Trace: A Fresh Investigation of Eight cerning the nature of the "designer" in Lost Ships and Their Fates (New York: Intelligent Design. That way, the Christian Images and Expectations Atheneum, 1981, pp. 42-79), in which he believers in ID can sec who they've ideologi­ credits Sir William Crocker. This can be cally "shacked up" with and Meyer can point out the obvious flaw in the Raelian's view, As a boy growing up in Spain in the 1970s, I found in an article by H.H. Trotti that that it only begs the question of life's origins was subjected to many TV discussions of the appeared in the Georgia Skeptic electronic to say it was brought here from an alien civ­ "inexplicable" faces in Belmez de la Moraleda, newsletter (January/February 1991) and was ilization. You could kill two birds with one and I used to be scared by sensationalist radio reprinted in The Skeptic (March/April 1991). stone—and provide skeptics with a memo­ shows exploiting this "mystery." Somehow, 1 I wonder whether Brian Hicks has been rably bizarre and entertaining event. grew up to be generally skeptical of such phe­ decent enough to mention this earlier source just as Harris and Trotti did. nomena. That is why I enjoyed Joe Nickell's Kent Barnett piece titled "Rorschach Icons" (November/ Jan Willem Nienhuys Fayetteville, Arkansas December 2004). May I suggest one more Waalre reason for skepticism? If our brains are rigged The Netherlands to see what we expect to see, that explains why History of Science: H. Pylori no Protestant ever claims to have seen the and the Making of a Myth Virgin Mary but only Jesus, while Catholics The theory that the ship was abandoned report seeing either of the two. because of alcohol vapors has been around in This is Kimball Atwood's response to letters in one form or another since at least J.G. Jose Antonio Cabo our March/April 2005 issue about his article Lockhart's A Great Sea Mystery (1927). And Villaviciosa "Bacteria, Ulcers, and Ostracism?: H. Pylori Spain Hicks is certainly not the first to suggest that and the Making of a Myth" (November/ Captain Briggs and associates intended to December 2004).—EDITOR leave die ship only temporarily and return Ghost Ship Mary Celeste later, as the review states. Captain More­ house, who found the Mary Celeste back in I am happy that readers seem to have found 1872, offered this interpretation. my article entertaining and instructive. I'm Terence Hines's review of Brian Hicks's Ghost also happy to report that Barry Marshall, the And it isn't correct to say that Briggs and Ship (January/February 2005) implied that protagonist of the H. pylori story, caught others took nothing with them. The ship's die book presents a new theory about what wind of it and wrote me, in part: "I must say papers were not on the Mary Celeste, and (as happened to the crew of the Mary Celeste. I that it was well researched and true enough. the most reasonable explanation) they must have not read Hicks's book, but based on the Given the communication systems in place have been taken along by Briggs. This poses review, his theory is a rehash of the one pre­ in the 1980s (pre-Intemet) I agree that 10 a problem: Why did Briggs take the papers sented in great detail by Charles Edey Fay in years was about right for acceptance to occur, if he intended to return in a few hours? And The Story of the Mary Celeste (Salem, Massa­ as it did in 1994. Also, there is always a dis­ why not the log, which is usually consid­ chusetts: Peabody Museum, 1942; reprinted crepancy between what comes out of my ered prime? in 1988, New York: Dover Books)- Fay care­ mouth and what ultimately appears in the fully analyzed the testimony of the eyewit­ Everett F. Bleiler medical page of the Sydney Morning nesses who found the ship, the prevailing Interlakcn, New York Herald." I grant the last point and apologize weather patterns in the Atlantic, and nine­ to Dr. Marshall for not having given him teenth-century maritime practice in general. Terence Hines responds: more benefit of the doubt. His conclusion was the same as the one that Donald Weitzel wonders if the consider­ Hicks proposes: that the crew temporarily Hicks does mention Fay's 1942 book, calling it able time that elapsed between early reports took to the boat because they were concerned a "fine work of scholarship" (p. 9) and discusses of bacteria found in human stomachs and about leaks in the ship's cargo of alcohol. that author's theory at some length. Hicks's the­ the eventual characterization of H pylori In particular, Hines incorrectly stated that ory, however, differs from Fay's in several constitutes evidence of ostracism. It does Hicks is the first to make the point that the respects, based on new evidence uncovered since not, for the same reasons that Alan Harris crew apparendy intended to return to the ship. Fay wrote. discusses in his letter about continental Fay described in detail how they (apparently) Hicks does not mention John Harris, his drift. Over the decades following 1930, rigged the main peak halyard as a towline, pre­ 1981 book, or Sir William Crocker. there were sporadic reports of bacteria found sumably because it would be quicker than in human stomachs (demonstrating that breaking out a new line from the lazarette. investigators paid attention when they Hines opined that Hicks "has written the ID'S, Raelians' 'Designer*? found them), but these findings were not definitive work on this case." Based on the necessarily associated with diseases and, review. Ghost Ship actually adds nothing to Re: "Raelian Update: Sex, Pseudoscience, more to the point, could not reliably be Charles Fay's exhaustive work. and Sacrilege" (News and Comment, reproduced. The bacteria that Weitzel read about were streptococci, now known to have Peter Ansoff January/February 2005): been contaminants. Alexandria, Virginia Here's an idea: host a debate between

64 Volume 29, Issue 3 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

At least two distinct technological ad­ scale were 2.9 times more likely to November/December 2004 issue, George vances were necessary to set the stage for die develop ulcers," but a similar Rowell states: "One study found that discovery and characterization of H. pylorr. study found an odds ratio of 1.7 10,000 Americans were murdered each first, a simple and safe method for obtaining with a 95% confidence interval of year by murderers released from prison." gastric mucosa specimens from live patients 1.0-3.1—hardly convincing. Since there are about 20,000 murders had to be devised; second, the field of bacte­ Neither of these studies con- each year in America, he would have us riology had to appieciaic die existence of Uolled foi //. fiylori. believe that half arc coiiiiniucd by mur­ highly fastidious organisms and devise meth­ derers released from prison, which seems ods for growing them in culture. Suffice it to Glenn McQuaig was a drug salesman rather extreme. The only official source I say that these advances were not fully in during the "ulcer wars," presumably the could find in a few minutes on the place until die 1970s, at best. 1980s. He writes, "Dr. Atwood apparently Internet was a report from the underestimates die tremendous pressure put Washington State Department of Correc­ Harold Scarbro takes issue with my dis­ on the medical community by die pharma­ tions, which suggested that about 3 per­ missal of "stress" as a cause of peptic-ulcer ceutical industry. . . . Quite frankly, the cent of murders are committed by persons disease (PUD), offering several pieces of evi­ physicians never stood a chance." He con­ previously convicted of that crime. Mr. dence to support the stress hypothesis. Space cludes dial this pressure delayed acceptance Rowell seems to be off the mark by a fac­ precludes a comprehensive discussion, but of the H. pylori hypodiesis. tor far exceeding ten. here are a few points: My article has already refuted 1. I'm not sure what "stress" is, and McQuaigs last assertion. Regarding drug Barry G. Clark neither are those who tout it as a salesmen exerting pressure on physicians, Socorro, New Mexico cause of disease. More precisely, its this certainly occurs. The question is definition varies from study 10 whether physicians are as vulnerable to study. such pressure as McQuaig thinks. I argued 2. All associations between mental last year, in my reply to Myra Jones, that stress and peptic ulcers are compli­ "virtually all doctors recognize drug sales­ men for exactly what they are: salesmen" cated by confounding variables, (SI, January/February 2004). A recent some of which were unknown at study agrees: the time the associations were noticed. An obvious example from Pharmaceutical drug companies spend Scarbro's list: "ulcers increased dra­ upward of $25 billion per year on pro­ The letters column is a forum matically after disasters such as die moting new drugs and distributing free for views on matters raised in London blitz and the Kobe earth­ samples to doctors, but new research shows such marketing devices have little previous issues. Letters should quake." H. pylori is transmitted by impact on physicians and their prescrib­ be no more than 225 words. the fecal-oral or oral-oral route and ing behavior.... is far more common in crowded, Scientific papers, advice from col­ Due to the volume of letters unsanitary conditions such as leagues and a physician's own training and not all can be published. occur in disaster settings. Since die experience also influence prescribing prac­ organism was unknown at the time tices and, he said, most physicians view Address letters to Letters to these sources as far more reliable and trust­ of these disasters, it didn't occur to worthy than salespeople. [Gardner 20041 the Editor, SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. anyone to look for it. Headaches Send by mail to 944 Deer Dr. are also associated with "stress," Not that this has anything to do with the and their most common treat­ original point of the article, which is that die NE, Albuquerque, NM 87122; ments are nonsteroidal anti­ story of H, pylori lends no support to die by fax to 505-828-2080; or by inflammatory drugs (most notably argument that implausible medical claims e-mail (send as e-mail text, not aspirin)—now known to be die deserve to be investigated. odier major cause of peptic ulcers. as an attachment) to letters® Kimball Atwood, M.D. Cigarette smoking and alcohol csicop.org (include name and Waban, Massachusetts consumption are also indepen­ address). dently correlated with bodi stress Reference and ulcers. Gardner. N. 2004. Pharmaceutical marketing tac­ 3. Prospective studies that define tics hold little sway with prescribing physi­ "stress" from the outset and con­ cians. EurekAlert Web site. Accessed 12/04 at: trol for confoundcrs would seem www.curekalert.org/pub_rcleases/2004-12/ uow-pmi 120604.php. ^^r to be the most likely to yield reli­ able data, but these have shown an inconsistent correlation between "stress" and PUD. Off the Mark Scarbro mentions one such study in which subjects who scored Even letter writers should not be allowed "highest on a perceived stress to get away with blatant untruths. In the

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CZECH REPUBLIC Slsyfos-Czech Skeptics dub. Czech Korea. Dr. Gun-ll Kang. Director. Tel.: 82-2-393- Tel.: 61-2-49689666; e-mail: bolide0hunterlink.net RepuMk. Ms. Ing. Olga Kracikova. Secretary. Tel.: 420- 2734; e-mail: KOP5AOchollian.net. 187-11 Buk- au. PO Box 166. Waratah NSW 2298. Australia 2-24826691; e-mail: olgakracikovaOemail.cz. Hastakka ahyun-dong. Sudaemun-ku, Seoul 120-190 Korea Darwin Skeptics, Northern Territory. Australia. 27 Praha 1 110 00 Czech Republic www.fi.muni.cz/sisy- www.kopsa.or.kr. Simon Potter. Secretary. Tel.: 61-8-8932-75S2; e- fos/ On Czech). MALTA. Society for Investigating the Credibility of mail: dwnskepticOais.net.au. PO Box 809, Sand­ DENMARK. Skeptica: Association of Independent Extraordinary Claims (SICEQ Malta. Vanni Pule. erson NT 0812 Australia. Gold Coast Skeptics, Danish Skeptics, Denmark. Willy Wegner. Tel.: 45- Chairman. Tel.: 356-381994; e-mail: pulevan Queensland, Australia. Lilian Derrick, Secretary. 75-64-84-02; e-mail: skepticaOskeptica.dk. Vibevej Ovol.net.mt. P.O. Box 31. Hamrun, Malta. Tel.: 61-7-SS93-1882; e-mail: ImderrickOtelstra. 7 A DK 8700 Horsens, Denmark, www.skeptica.dk. MEXICO. Mexican Association for Skeptical Research easymail.com.au. PO Box 8348. GCMC Bundall QLD ECUADOR. Prociencia, Peter Schenkel. PO Box 17-11- (SOMIE) Mexko. Mario Mendez-Acosta, Apartado 4217 Australia. Queensland Skeptics Assoc. Inc. 6064 Quito, Equador. Tel.: 593-2-226-8084; e-mail: Postal 19-546 D.F. 03900 Mexico. (Qskeptics) Queensland. Bob Bruce. President. Tel.: schenkelOecnet.ee 61-7-3255-0499. e-mail: qskepticeuq.net.au. PO NETHERLANDS. Stichting Skepsis, Netherlands. Jan ESTONIA Horisont. Indrek Rohtmets. EE 0102 Tallinn, Box 64S4, Fairview Gardens QLD 4103 Australia. Wlllem Nienhuys. Secretary, e-mail: jnienhuy Narva mnt. 5. South Australia Skeptics (SAS) South Australia. Mr. Owin.tue.nl. Dommelseweg 1A, 5581 VA Waalre, FINLAND. SKEPSIS. Finland. Jukka Hakkinen. PO Box Laurie Eddie. Secretary. Tel.: 61-8-8272-5881; e- Netherlands. 483, Helsinki 00101 Finland. mail: allangetxc.net.au. PO Box 377, Rundle Mall NEW ZEALAND. New Zealand Skeptics. New Zealand. FRANCE. AF1S. AFIS (Association Franchise pour SA 5000 Australia. Australian Skeptics in Tasmania Vicki Hyde. Chair. Tel.: 64-3-384-5136; e-mail: I'lnformation Scientifique) France. Jean Bricmont, Inc. Tasmania, Australia. Fred Thornett Secretary. VickiOspis.co.nz. PO Box 29-492. Christchurch. New President. 14 rue de I'Ecole Potytechnique F-75005 Tel.: 61-3-6234-1458; e-mail: fredthornettOhot- Zealand, www.skeptics.org.nz. Paris. France. Cercle Zetetique. France. Paul-Eric mail.com. PO Box 582. North Hobart. TAS 7000 NIGERIA. Nigerian Skeptics Society. Nigeria. Leo Igwe, Blanrue. 12 rue; David Deitz. F-57000 Metz. France. Australia. Australian Skeptics—Victorian Branch Convenor. E-mail: dpcOskannet.com.ng. PO Box Laboratoire de Zetetique (laboratory). Professeur Victoria. Christopher Short. President. Tel.: 613- 25269. Mapo Ibadan Oyo State. Nigeria. Henri Broch. Tel.: 33-0492076312; e-mail:broch 1800-666-996; e-mail: contacteskeptics.com.au. NORWAY. SKEPSIS. Norway St Otavsgt 27 N0166 Oslo. Norway. Ounke.fr. Universite de Nice-Sophia Antipolis Faculte GPO Box 5166AA. Melbourne VIC 3001 Australia. PERU. Comite de Investigaciones de lo Paranormal lo des Sciences F-06108 Nice Cedex 2 France. www.skeptics.com.au. WA Skeptics. Western Seudocientifko y lo Irracional CIPSI-PERU. Lima, www.unice.fr/zetetique/. Australia. Dr. John Happs. President. Tel.: 61-8- Peru. Manuel Abraham Paz-y-Mino. Tel.: +51-1- GERMANY. Gesellschaft zur wlssenschaftlich- 9448-8458; e-mail: wa.skepticseaustraliamail.com. 99215741; e-mail: cipsiperuOyahoo.com. El en Unterrsuchung von Parawissenschaften (GWUP) PO Box 899. Morley, WA 6062 Australia. Corregidor 318 Rimac Lima 25 Peru, www.geoci- Germany. Amardeo Sarma. Chairman. Tel.: 49-6154- ties.com/cipsiperu. BELGIUM. Comito Beige Pour ^Investigation Scien- 695023. E-mail: infoOgwup.org. Arheilger Weg 11 tifique des Phenomenes Reputes Pananormaux D-64380 Rossdorf, Germany, www.gwup.org. POLAND. Polish Skeptics. Poland. Adam Pietrasiewicz. ComKe Para. Belgium. J. Dommanget. President of European Council of Skeptical Organizations E-mail: redaktorOiname.com. www.biuletynscepty- the Committee. E-mail: omer.nyseoma.be. Obser- (ECSO) Europe. Dr. Martin Mahner. Tel.: 49-6154- cznyj.pl. vatoire Royal Belgique 3, ave. Circulaire B-1180. 695023; e-mail: infoOecso.org. Arheilger Weg 11 PORTUGAL. Associacao Cepticos de Portugal (CEPO) Brussels. Belgium, www.comitepara.be. Studiekring 64380 Rossdorf. Germany, www.ecso.org/. Portugal. Ludwig Krippahl. E-mail: cepoOinter- voor Krftische Evaluatie van Pseudowetenschap en HUNGARY. Tenyeket Trsztelk Tarsasaga TTT Hungary. acesso.pt. Apartado 334 2676-901 Odivelas. Paranormale beweringen (SKEPP) Belgium. Prof. Dr. Prof. Gyula Bencze. Tel.: 36-1-392-2728: e-mail: Portugal, http://cepo.interacesso.pt. W. Betz. Tel.: 32-2-477-43-11; e-mail: skeppOskepp gbenczeOrmki.kfki.hu. c/o Termtaet Viligs, PO Box RUSSIA. Dr. Valerii A. Kuvakin. Tel.: 95-718-2178; .be Laarbeeklaan. 103 B-1090 Brussels, Belgium. 246 H-1444 Budapest 8 Hungary. e-mail: V.KUVAKINOMTU-NET.RU. Vorob'evy Gory, www.skepp.be. INDIA. Atheist Centra. Dr. Vijayam. Executive Director. Moscow State University. Phil. Dept. Moscow 119899 BRAZIL Opcao Racional, Brazil. Luis Fernando Gutman. Benz Circle, Vijayawada 520 010. Andhra Pradesh. Russia, httpy/log.philos.msu.ru/rhs/index/htm. Tel.: SS-21-548-2476; e-mail: fernandogutman India. Tel.: 91 866 472330; Fax: 91 866 473433. E-mail: SINGAPORE. Singapore Skeptics. Contact: Ronald Ng. E- ehotmail.com. Rua Santa Clara, 431 Bloco 5. Apt. atheistOvsnl.com. Maharashtra Andhashraddha mail: ronaldngOiname.com.www.skeptic.iwarp.com. 803, Copacabana-Rio de Janeiro 22041-010 Brazil. Nirmoolan Samrti (MANS) states of Maharashtra S SLOVAK REPUBLIC (SACT). Slovak Republic. Igor www.opcaoracional.com.br. Goa. Dr. Narendra Dabholkar. Executive President. Kapisinsky Pavla Horova. 10 Bratislava 841 07 BULGARIA. Bulgarian Skeptics. Bulgaria. Dr. Vladimir Tel. 91-2162-32333; e-mail ndabholkarOhotmail. Slovak Republic. Daskalov. E-mail: egosheveeinet.bg. Krakra 22 BG- com. 155. Sadashiv Peth Satara 415001 India. SOUTH AFRICA. Marian Laserson. P.O. Box 46212. 1S04 Sofia. Bulgaria. www.antisuperstition.com. Indian Rationalist Orange Grove 2119 South Africa. SOCRATES. South CANADA. Alberta Skeptics, Alberta. Greg Hart. Chairman. Association, India. Sanal Edamaruku. E-mail: Africa. Cape Skeptics. Cape Town. Dr. Leon Retief. Tel.: 403-215-1440; e-mail: hartgehumaneffort.com. edamarukuOvsnl.com or IRAOrationalist interna­ Tel.: 27-21-9131434; e-mail: Ieonr0iafrica.com. 5N PO Box 5571. Station -A', Calgary, Alberta T2H 1X9 tional.net. 779. Pocket 5. Mayur Vihar 1, New Delhi Agapanthus Avenue. Welgedacht Bellville 7530 Canada, http://abskeptics.homestead.com. Alberta 110 091 India. Dravidar Kazhagam. southern India. South Africa. Skeptics, British Columbia Skeptics. BC and Alberta. K. Veeramani, Secretary General. Tel.: 9144-5386555; SPAIN. El Investigador Esceptko. Spain. Felix Ares de Lee Moller. Tel. 604-929-6299; e-mail: lee e-mail: periyarOvsnl.com. Periyar Thidal, 50, E.F.K. Bias Gamez/Ares/Martinez. P.O. Box 904, Donostia- mollereshaw.ca. 1188 Beaufort Road. N. Vancouver. Sampath Road Vepery, Chennai Tamil Nadu 600 007 San Sebastian 20080 Spain. ARP-Sociedad para el BC V7G 1R7 Canada. Ontario Skeptics. Ontario. India. www.Periyar.org. Indian CSICOP India. B. Avance del Pensamiento Critko ARP-SAPC Spain. Canada. Eric McMillan. Chair. Tel.: 416-425-2451; Premanand. Convenor. Tel.: 091-0422-872423; e- Felix Ares de Bias. Tel.: 34-933-010220; e-mail: e-mail: ericOwe-compute.com. P.O. Box 554 Station mail: dayaminiOmd4.vsnl.net.in. 11/7 Chettipalayam arpOarp-sapc.org. Apartado de Correos. 310 E- -P- Toronto. ON M5S 2T1 Canada, www.astro. Road Podanur Tamilnadu 641 023 India. 08860 Castelldefels. Spain, www.arp-sapc.otg. yorku.ca/-mmdr/oskeptics.html. Toronto Skeptical ITALY. Comitato Italiano per il Controllo delle SWEDEN. Swedish Skeptics. Sweden. Dan Larhammar. Inquirers (TSI) Toronto. Henry Gordon. President. Tel.: Affermazioni sul Paranormale (CICAP) Italy. professor chairperson. Tel.: 46-18-4714173; e-mail: 905-771-1615; e-mail: henry_gordonehotmail.com. Massimo Polidoro. Executive Director. Tel.: 39-049- vetfolkOphysto.se. Medical Pharmacology BMC. 343 dark Ave.. W, Suite 1009. Thornhill. ON L4J 7KS 686870; e-mail: polidoroOcicap.org. P.O. Box 1117 Box 593. Uppsala 751 24 Sweden, www.physto. Canada. Ottawa Skeptics. Ottawa. Ontario. Greg 35100 Padova, Italy, www.cicap.org. se/-vetfolk/index.html. Singer. E-mail: skeptkeottawa.com. PO Box 1237. IRELAND. The Irish Skeptics Society c/o Paul Station B. Ottawa. Ontario KIP 5R3 Canada. O'Donoghue. 11 Woodleigh Elm. Highfield Rd.. TAIWAN. Taiwan Skeptics. Taiwan. Michael Turton. Director. www.admissions.carieton.ca/-addalby/cats/skeptic.ht Rathgar. Dublin 6. Ireland; www.irishskeptics.net AR Dept, Chaoyang University. 168 G-IFeng E. Rd, mi. Sceptiques du Quebec Quebec Alan Bonnier. E-mail:contacteirishskeptks.net. Wufeng, Takhung 413. Tel.: 514-990-8099. CP. 202. Succ Beaubien Montreal. JAPAN. Japan Anti-Pseudoscience Activities Network UNTTED KINGDOM. The SJtepOc Magazine. United Kingdom Quebec H2G 3C9 Canada, www.sceptiques.qcca. (JAPAN) Japan. Ryutarou Minakami. chairperson. E- Mike Hutchinson. E-mail: sutaOskeulicorg.uk. P.O. Box Skeptics Quinte. Bill Broderick. 2262 Shannon Rd. mail: skeptkOe-mail.ne.jp. c/o Ohta Publishing 475 Manchester M60 2TH United Kingdom. R.R. 1. Shannonville. ON KOK 3A0, e-mail: broderk Company, Epcot Bid. IF. 22, Arakkho, Shinjuku-ku VENEZUELA. Asociacion Racional Esceptka de Venezuela Okos.net. Tokyo 160-8571 Japan Japan Skeptics, Japan. Dr. Jun (AREV). Sami Rozenbaum. president. Address: CHINA. China Association for Science and Technology, Jugaku. E-mail: jugakujnOccnao acjp. Japan Skeptks. Rozenbaum. Apdo. 50314. Caracas 1050-A. Vene­ China. Shen Zhenyu Research Center. P.O. Box 8113, Business Center for Academic Societies. Japan 5-16-9 zuela. Web site: www.geocities.com/escepticos Beijing China. Hong Kong Skeptics. Hong Kong. Brad Honkomagome. BunkyoJcu Tokyo 113-8622 Japan. Venezuela. E-mail: esceptkosOcantv.net. President Tel.: 770-493-6857; e-mail: arlongOhcrc org e-mail bkarrOcenterforinquiry.net P.O. Box 703 United States 2277 Winding Woods Dr.. Tucker. GA 30084 US. Amherst NY 14226. Web site: www.cskop.org IOWA. Central Iowa Skeptics (CIS) Central Iowa, Rob NORTH CAROLINA. Carolina Skeptics North Carolina Beeston. Tel.: 515-285-0622; e-mail: ciskepticsOhot- Eric Carlson. President. Tel.: 336-758-4994; e-mail: ALABAMA. Alabama Skeptics, Alabama Emory mail.com. 5602 SW 2nd St Des Moines. IA 50315 ecarlsonOwfu edu. Physics Department. Wake Kimbrough Tel: 205-759-2624 3550 Watermelon US. www.skepticweb.com. Forest University. Winston Salem. NC 27109 US. Road. Apt 28A. Northport AL 35476 US Skeptics- www.carolinaskeptics.org. Freethought Forum of Alabama. Skeptics Freethought ILLINOIS. Rational Examination Association of Lincoln Forum. Richard Rich. 1801 Beech St. SE. Decatur. AL Land (REALL) Illinois. Bob Ladendorf. Chairman. OHIO. Central Ohioans for Rational Inquiry (CORI) 35601-3511 US. E-mail. crbama66©hotmail.com Tel.. 217-546-3475; e-mail: chairmanOreall.org PO Central Ohio. Charlie Hazlett President Tel.. 614- Box 20302. Springfield. IL 62708 US. www.reall.org. 878-2742: e-mail: charlieOhazlett.net. PO Box ARIZONA. Tucson Skeptics Inc. Tucson, AZ James 282069. Columbus OH 43228 US South Shore McGaha. E-mail: JMCGAHAOPimaCC.Pima.EDU. 5100 KENTUCKY. Kentucky Assn. of Science Educators and Skeptics (SSS) Cleveland and counties. Jim Kutz N. Sabino Foothills Dr.. Tucson. AZ 85715 US Phoenix Skeptics (KASES) Kentucky. 880 Albany Road. Tel: 440 942-5543; e-mail: jimkutzOearthlink.net. Skeptics, Phoenix. AZ. Michael Stackpole. P.O. Box Lexington. KY 40502 Contact Fred Bach at e-mail: PO Box 5083. Cleveland. OH 44101 US. www.south 60333. Phoenix. AZ 85082 US. fredwbachOyahoo.com; Web site www.kases.org; or shoreskeptics org/ CALIFORNIA. Sacramento Organization for Rational (859) 276-3343 Thinking (SORT) Sacramento. CA Ray Spangen-burg, co- LOUISIANA. Baton Rouge Proponents of Rational Inquiry Association for Rational Thought (ART) Cincinnati. founder. Tel 916-978-0321; e-mail: krtrayUquiknet.com. and Scientific Methods (BR-PRISM) Louisiana Marge Roy Auerbach. president Tel 513-731-2774, e-mail: PO Box 2215, Carmichael, CA 95609-2215 US. Schroth Tel. 225-766-4747. 425 Carriage Way. Baton raaOcinci.rr.com. PO Box 12896. Cincinnati, OH www.quiknet.com/-kitray/index1.html. Bay Area Rouge. LA 70808 US 45212 US. www Cincinnati skepticsorg. Skeptics (BAS) San Francisco—Bay Area Ti% McCarroll, MICHIGAN Great Lakes Skeptics (GLS) SE Michigan OREGON. Oregonians for Rationality (04R) Oregon Dave Chair. Tel: 415 927-1548: e-mail. tullyannOpacbell net Lorna J. Simmons. Contact person. Tel.: 734-525- Chapman, President. Tel.. 503 292-214C; e-mail PO Box 2443 Castro Valley. CA 945464)443 US. 5731; e-mail: Skeptic310aol com. 31710 Cowan dchapmanOkcom.com 7555 Spring Valley Rd. NW, www.BASkeptics.org. Independent Investigations Road. Apt. 103. Westland. Ml 48185-2366 US. Tri- Salem, OR 97304 US www.o4r.org Group. Center for Inquiry-West. 4773 Hollywood Blvd. Cities Skeptics, Michigan Gary Barker Tel.: 517-799- PENNSYLVANIA. Paranormal Investigating Committee Los Angeles. CA 90027 Tel.; 323-666-9797 ext 156. Web 4502; e-mail: barkergOsvol.org. 35% Butternut St, of Pittsburgh (PICP) Pittsburgh PA Richard Busch. site-www.iigwest.com Sacramento Skeptics Society, Saginaw. Ml 48604 US. Chairman. Tel.: 412-366-1000; email: mindfulOtel- Sacramento. Terry Sandbek. President. 4300 Auburn erama com 8209 Thompson Run Rd, Pittsburgh. MINNESOTA. St. Kloud Extraordinary Claim Psychic Blvd Suite 206, Sacramento CA 95841 Tel.: 916 489- PA 15237 US. Philadelphia Association for Critical Teaching Investigating Community (SKEPTIC) St. 1774. E-mail: 1erryOsandbek.com. San Diego Asso­ Thinking (PhACT), much of Pennsylvania. Eric Cloud. Minnesota. Jerry Mortens Tel.: 320-25S- ciation for Rational Inquiry (SDARI) President: Krieg. President Tel.: 215-885-2089; e-mail: 2138; e-mail gmertensOstcloudstate.edu Jerry Richard Unch. Tel.: 858-292-5635. Program general ericOphact.org. By mail GO Ray Haupt 639 W Ellet Mertens. Psychology Department. 720 4th Ave. S. information 619-421-5844. Web site:www.sdari.org. St, Philadelphia PA 19119. Snail mail address: PO Box 623. La Jolla. CA 92038- St. Cloud State University. St. Cloud, MN 56301 US. TENNESSEE. Rationalists of East Tennessee. East 0623. MISSOURI. Kansas City Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, Missouri Verle Muhrer, United Labor Bldg, 6301 Tennessee. Carl Ledenbecker Tel.: 865-982-8687; e- COLORADO. Rocky Mountain Skeptics (RMS; aka Rockhill Road. Suite 412 Kansas City. MO 64131 US mail: AletallOaol.com. 2123 Stonybrook Rd, Louisville. TN 37777 US. Colorado Skeptics) Bela Scheiber. President. Tel.: 303- NEBRASKA REASON (Rationalists. Empiracists and 444-7537; e-mail: rmsOpeakpeak.com PO Box 4482. Skeptics of Nebraska), Chris Peters. PO Box 24358. TEXAS. North Texas Skeptics NTS Dallas/Ft Worth area. Boulder. CO 80306 US. Web site: http://bcn.boulder Omaha, NE 68134; e-mail: reason01Ohotmail.com; John Blanton, Secretary. Tel.: 972-306-3187; e-mail: co.us/community/rms. Web page: www.reason.ws. skepticOntskeptics.org. PO Box 111794, Carrollton, CONNECTICUT. New England Skeptical Society (NESS) NEVADA. Skeptics of Us Vegas, (SOLV) PO Box S31323. TX 75011-1794 US. www.ntskeptics.org. New England. Steven Novella MD. President Tel.: Henderson. NV 89053-1323 E-mail: rbanderson VIRGINIA. Science & Reason, Hampton Rds, Virginia 203-281-6277; e-mail: boardOtheness.com. 64 Oskepticslv.org. Web site: www.skeptialv.org7 Lawrence Weinstein. Old Dominion Univ.-Physics Cobblestone Dr. Hamden, CT 06518 US. NEW MEXICO. New Mexicans for Science and Reason Dept, Norfolk. VA 23529 US www.theness.com. (NMSR) New Mexico. David E Thomas, President. WASHINGTON. Society for Sensible Explanations, Western D C . MARYLAND Nation al Capital Area Skeptics NCAS, Tel.: 505-869-9250; e-mail nmsrdaveOswcp.com PO Washington, fad Cook. Secretary. E-mail: Maryland. DC. Vir cjinia. D.W. "Chip" Denman. Box 1017, Peralta, NM 87042 US. www.nmsr.org K7RAOarrl.net PO Box 45792. Seattle. WA 98145- Tel.: 301-587-3827 . '-mail: ncasOncas.org. PO Box NEW YORK. New York Area Skeptics (NYASk) metropolitan 0792 US. http://seattleskeptics.org 8428. Silver Spri ng. MD 20907-8428 US NY area. Jeff Corey. President. 18 Woodland Street. PUERTO RICO. Sociedad De Escepticos de Puerto Rico. Luis http://www.ncas.org. Huntington. NY 11743. Tel: (631) 427-7262 e-mail: R Ramos, President. 2505 Parque Terra Linda. Truiillo FLORIDA. Tampa Bay Skeptics (TBS) Tampa Bay, Florida jcoreyOliu.edu, Web site: www.nyask.com. Inquiring Alto. Puerto Rico 00976 Tel 787-396-2395; e-mail: Gary Posner. Executive Director. Tel.: 813-849-7571; Skeptics of Upper New York (ISUNY) Upper New York. LramosOescepticospr.com; Web site www.escepti- e-mail: tbsOcfiflorida.org, 5201 W. Kennedy Blvd., Michael Sofka. 8 Providence St.. Albany, NY 12203 US. cor.com. Suite 124, Tampa, FL 33609 US. www.tampabayskep Central New York Skeptics (CNY Skeptics) Syracuse. Lisa The organizations listed above have aims similar to tics.org. The James Randi Educational Foundation. Goodlin. President Tel. 315 446-3068. e-mail: those of CSICOP but are independent and James Randi. Director. Tel: (954)467-1112; e-mail infoOcnyskeptks.org. Web site: cnyskeptics.org 201 autonomous. Representatives of these organiza­ ireh9randi.org 201 SE. 12th St. (E. Davie Blvd.). Fort Milnor Ave, Syracuse. NY 13224 US. Committee for the tions cannot speak on behalf of the CSICOP Please Lauderdale, FL 33316-1815. Web site www.randi.org. Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. send updates to Barry Karr. P.O. Box 703 Amherst Barry Karr, Executive Director. Tel: (716) 636-1425 X217; GEORGIA. Georgia Skeptics (GS) Georgia Rebecca Long. NY 14226-0703.

SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL CONSULTANTS

Gary Bauslaugh. educational consultant. Center for Laurie Godfrey, anthropologist. University of Massachusetts Massimo Pigliucci. professor in Ecology & Evolution at Curriculum. Transfer and Technology. Victoria. B.C. Canada Gerald Goldin. mathematician. Rutgers University, New Jersey SUNY-Stony Brook. NY Richard E. Berendzen. astronomer. Washington. DC Donald Goldsmith, astronomer; president. Interstellar Media James Pomerantz. Provost, and professor of cognitive and Martin Bridgstock, Senior Lecturer. School of Science, Alan Hale, astronomer. Southwest Institute for Space linguistic sciences. Brown Univ. Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia Research. Alamogordo. New Mexico Gary P. Posner. M.D, Tampa. Fla. Richard Busch, magkian/mentalist, Pittsburgh. Penn. Clyde F. Herreid, professor of biology, SUNY, Buffalo Daisie Radner, professor of philosophy, SUNY. Buffalo Shawn Carlson. Society for Amateur Scientists, East Terence M. Nines, professor of psychology. Pace University. Robert H. Romer. professor of physks. Amherst College Greenwich. Rl Pleasantville, N.Y Kari Saboagh. journalist, Richmond, Surrey. England Roger B. Culver, professor of astronomy. Colorado State Univ. Mkhael Hutdinson. author SKBTCAI hcure* representative. Europe Robert J. Samp, assistant professor of education and Felix Ares de Bias, professor of computer science, Philip A lanna. assoc professor of astronomy. Univ of Virginia University of Basque. San Sebastian, Spain William Jarvis. professor of health promotion and public medicine. University of Wisconsin-Madison Michael R. Dennett writer, investigator, Federal Way. health. Loma Linda University. School of Public Health Steven D. Schafersman. asst. professor of geology. Miami Washington I. W. Kelly, professor of psychology. University of Univ, Ohio Sid Deutsch, consultant. Sarasota. Fla. Saskatchewan Bela Scheiber.' systems analyst Boulder, Colo J. Dommanget astronomer. Royale Observatory, Brussels, Richard H. Lange. MO. Mohawk Valley Physician Health Chris Scott statistician. London. England Belgium Plan. Schenectady, N.Y. Stuart D. Scott Jr, associate professor of anthropology, Nahum J. Duker. assistant professor of pathology, Temple Gerald A. Larue, professor of biblical history and archaeol­ SUNY. Buffalo University ogy. University of So. California Erwin M. Segal, professor of psychology, SUNY, Buffalo Barbara Eisenstadt psychologist, educator, clinician. East Wttam M. London. Touro University, international Carta Selby. anthropologist/archaeologist Greenbush. N Y Rebecca Long, nuclear engineer, president of Georgia Steven N. Shore, professor and chair, Dept. of Physks William Evans, professor of communication. Center for Council Against Health Fraud, Atlanta, Ga and Astronomy, Indiana Univ. South Bend Thomas R. McDonough. lecturer in engineenng, Caltech. and Creative Media Waclaw Szybalski. professor, McArdle Laboratory, Bryan Farha, professor of behavioral studies in education. SETI Coordinator of the Planetary Society University of Wisconsin-Madison Oklahoma City Univ James E. McGaha. Major, USAF. pilot Sarah G. Thomason. professor of linguistics. University John F. Fischer, forensk analyst, Orlando, Fla Joel A. Moskowitz. director of medical psychiatry. Eileen Gambrill. professor of social welfare. University of Calabasas Mental Health Services. Los Angeles of Pittsburgh California at Berkeley Jan Willem Nienhuys. mathematkian, Univ. of Eindhoven, Tim Trachet journalist and science writer, honorary Luis Alfonso Gamez. science journalist, Bilbao. Spam the Netherlands chairman of SKEPP, Belgium Sylvio Garattini. director, Mario Negri Pharmacology John W. Patterson, professor of materials science and David Willey. physics instructor. University of Pittsburgh Institute. Milan. Italy engineering. Iowa State University •Member, CSICOP Executive Council

POLAND PERU CENTERS FOR INQUIRY Lokal Biurowy No. 8,8 Sapiezynska St, 00-215 D. Casanova 430. Lima 14. Peru www.centerforinquiry.net Warsaw. Poland FLORIDA EUROPE 5201 West Kennedy Blvd.. Ste. 124. Tampa. FL Dr. Martin Mahner 33609. Tel: (813) 849-7571 Arheilger Weg 11. D-64380 Rossdorf. Germany TRANSNATIONAL P.O. Box 703. Amherst. NY 14226 EGYPT Tel.: +49 6154 695023 Tel.: (716) 636-1425 44 Gol Gamal St., Agouza, Giza. Egypt FRANCE MOSCOW WEST Prof. Henri Broch, Professor Valerii A. Kuvakin 4773 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles. Universite of Nice. Faculte des Sciences. 119899 Russia. Moscow, Vorobevy Gory. CA 90027 Tel.: (323) 666-9797 Pare Valrose. 06108. Nice cedex 2. France Moscow State University. Philosophy Dept. www.unice.fr/zetetics/ METRO NEW YORK NEPAL NIGERIA One Rockefeller Plaza. #2700. Humanist Association of Nepal P.O. Box 25269. Mapo. Ibadan, New York. NY 10020 P.O. Box 5284, Kathmandu. Nepal Oyo State. Nigeria Tel: (212) 265-2877 Tel: 011977 125 7610 Tel: 231-2-2313699 Periodic Table of Elements 1869, by Dmitri Mendeleev c [<)0l: THE* AME* SOME. icx£ttrzsn SOME iCxEMTxsrt A ^ ^^ THZMK HEAXVM THZMK. fTVttfO„ fro,. „ HEZE.M„ SHOWS fro*£*£ . ^V VIIIA IIIA IVA^VJr-VIAOajA^ /9/4: 7"£* *Ea*&AMXi£b THE TABtE. 8» 6 Arawxc NUMUEX iMiTEAi, OF AroMzc WEX&HT. c||r N1|* o IIIB IVB VB VIB VIIB «—VIII—» IB IIB M Si

32 33 Ge As E9IBI9 Cfl CI P^lf^M I »« ES IIFM I !T^M WW 51 52 Sb Te EJJ EJ E3 IE El Tn E3 K31 KSJ H3 84 EJ IE3 M IE3IE3 IEI1E3 E3IIE IE! \mn Fo 104 105 106 107 I 108 109 110 111 112 Ho EiEMEm nut 8££* AM© U*U fill, 103 Kill I Hal! Sg Bh Hs Mtll Uun|| Uuu WHEM WZU IT EMS'1. /9*0: TtiEl AM£J> J TWO *0Wi. n cal Periodicity is a theory. The theory keeps changing. The theory is under dispute theories to children! (SEE BELOW)

;. The Official Cobb County Table of Elements

The Truth is Constant

Loren Williams Georgia Tech 200S