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SI July August 2011_SI JF 10 V1 5/25/11 12:20 PM Page 1

2012 Doomsday Pseudoscience | What Is Acupuncture? | Popper vs. Kuhn | Women in Science

Vol. 35 No. 4 | July/August 2011 THE MAGAZINE FOR SCIENCE & REASON

Conspiracy Theories Ten Years Later

The Top Theories A Bestiary of ‘Truthers’ Jesse Ventura’s Conspiracies ‘Messages’ from the 9/11 Dead Published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry SI July August 11_SI new design masters 5/25/11 12:15 PM Page 2

AT THE CEN TERFOR IN QUIRY –TRANSNATIONAL

Paul Kurtz, Founder , Senior Research Fellow Richard Schroeder, Chairman , Research Fellow Ronald A. Lindsay, President and CEO , Research Fellow www.csicop.org Bar ry Karr, Ex ec u tive Di rect or , Research Fellow

James E. Al cock*, psy chol o gist, York Univ., Tor on to Thom as Gi lov ich, psy chol o gist, Cor nell Univ. Lor en Pan kratz, psy chol o gist, Or e gon Health Mar cia An gell, MD, former ed i tor-in-chief, Wendy M. Grossman, writer; founder and first editor, Sci en ces Univ. New Eng land Jour nal of Med i cine The Skeptic magazine (UK) Robert L. Park,professor of physics, Univ. of Maryland IV, MD, physician; author; Sus an Haack, Coop er Sen ior Schol ar in Arts and Jay M. Pasachoff, Field Memorial Professor of Newton, MA Sci en ces, professor of phi los o phy and professor Astronomy and director of the Hopkins Steph en Bar rett, MD, psy chi a trist; au thor; con sum er of Law, Univ. of Mi ami Observatory, Williams College ad vo cate, Al len town, PA , MD, family physician; investigator, John Pau los, math e ma ti cian, Tem ple Univ. Willem Betz,MD, professor of medicine, Univ. of Brussels Puyallup, WA , professor of philosophy, Ir ving Bie der man, psychol o gist, Univ. of C.E.M. Han sel, psy chol o gist, Univ. of Wales City Univ. of New York–Lehman College South ern CA David J. Helfand, professor of astronomy, Stev en Pink er, cog nitive sci en tist, Harvard Univ. Sandra Blakeslee, science writer; author; New York Columbia Univ. Philip Plait, astronomer; lecturer; writer Times science correspondent Doug las R. Hof stad ter, pro fes sor of hu man Mas si mo Pol id oro, sci ence writer; au thor; ex ec u tive Sus an Black more, vis it ing lec tur er, Univ. of the West un der stand ing and cog ni tive sci ence, In di ana Univ. di rect or of CI CAP, It a ly of Eng land, Bris tol Ger ald Hol ton, Mal linc krodt Pro fes sor of Phys ics and Anthony R. Pratkanis, professor of psychology, Univ. of , physicist, Sandia National Laborato- pro fes sor of his to ry of sci ence, Har vard Univ. California, Santa Cruz ries, Albuquerque, New Mexico Ray Hy man*, psy chol o gist, Univ. of Or e gon Benjamin Radford, investigator; research fellow, Hen ri Broch, phys i cist, Univ. of Nice, France Le on Jar off, sci en ces ed i tor emer i tus, Time Committee for Skeptical Inquiry Jan Har old Brun vand, folk lor ist; pro fes sor emer i tus Stuart D. Jordan, NASA astrophysicist emeritus; James “The Amazing” Randi, magician; CSICOP of Eng lish, Univ. of Utah science advisor to Office of founding member; founder, Mar io Bunge, phi los o pher, McGill Univ., Montreal Public Policy, Washington, DC Educational Foundation Robert T. Carroll, emeritus professor of philosophy, Ser gei Ka pit za, former ed i tor, Rus sian edi tion, Mil ton Ro sen berg, psy chol o gist, Univ. of Chic a go Sacramento City College; writer Sci en tif ic Amer i can Wal la ce Sam pson, MD, clin i cal pro fes sor of med i cine, Sean B. Carroll, molecular geneticist; vice president , executive director, Committee for Stan ford Univ.; ed i tor, Sci en tif ic Re view of for science education, Howard Hughes Medical In- Skeptical Inquiry, Amherst, New York Al ter na tive Med i cine stitute, Madison, WI Law rence M. Krauss, foundation professor, School Am ar deo Sar ma*, chairman, GWUP, Ger ma ny John R. Cole, an thro pol o gist; ed i tor, Na tion al of Earth and Space Exploration and Physics Dept.; Richard Saunders, vice president, Australian Cen ter for Sci ence Ed u ca tion director, Origins Initiative, Arizona State Univ. Skeptics; educator; investigator; podcaster; K.C. Cole, science writer; author; professor, Harry Kroto, professor of chemistry and Sydney, Australia Univ. of Southern California’s Annenberg biochemistry, Florida State Univ.; Nobel laureate Eu ge nie C. Scott*, phys i cal an thro pol o gist; ex ec u tive School of Journalism Ed win C. Krupp, as tron o mer; di rect or, di rect or, Na tion al Cen ter for Sci ence Ed u ca tion Fred er ick Crews, lit er ary and cul tur al crit ic; pro fes sor Grif fith Ob ser va to ry, Los Angeles, CA Rob ert Sheaf fer, sci ence writer emer i tus of Eng lish, Univ. of CA, Berke ley , professor emeritus of philosophy, El ie A. Shne our, bi o chem ist; au thor; president and Rich ard Dawk ins, zo ol o gist, Ox ford Univ. SUNY at Buffalo research director, Bi os ys tems Re search In sti tute, Geof frey Dean, tech ni cal ed i tor, Perth, Aus tral ia Law rence Kusche, sci ence writer La Jol la, CA Cor nel is de Ja ger, pro fes sor of as tro phys ics, Le on Le der man, emer i tus di rect or, Fer mi lab; Seth Shostak, senior astronomer, SETI Institute, Univ. of Utrecht, the Neth er lands No bel lau re ate in phys ics Mountain View, CA Dan i el C. Den nett, Aus tin B. Fletch er Pro fes sor Scott O. Lil i en feld*, psy chol o gist, Emory Univ., , science writer; broadcaster; UK of Phi los o phy and di rect or of Cen ter for Cog ni tive Atlanta, GA Dick Smith,film pro duc er; pub lish er; Ter rey Hills, Stud ies, Tufts Uni v. Lin Zix in, former ed i tor, Sci ence and N.S.W., Aus tral ia Ann Druyan, writer and producer; CEO, Tech nol o gy Dai ly (Chi na) Keith E. Stanovich, cognitive psychologist; Cosmos Studios, Ithaca, NY Je re Lipps, Mu se um of Pa le on tol o gy, Univ. of CA, professor of human development and applied Sanal Edamaruku, president, Indian Rationalist Berke ley psychology, Uni v. of Toronto Association and Rationalist International Eliz a beth Loft us*, pro fes sor of psy chol o gy, Rob ert Stein er, ma gi cian; au thor; El Cer ri to, CA Edzard Ernst, professor, Complementary Medicine, Univ. of CA, Ir vine Vic tor J. Sten ger, emer i tus pro fes sor of phys ics Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter and Da vid Marks, psy chol o gist, City Univ., Lon don and as tron o my, Univ. of Ha waii; ad junct pro fes sor Plymouth, Exeter, UK Mar io Men dez-Acos ta, jour nal ist and sci ence writer, of phi los o phy, Univ. of CO Ken neth Fed er, pro fes sor of an thro pol o gy, Mex i co City *, linguist; skeptical investigator; Cen tral Con nec ti cut State Univ. Kenneth R. Miller, professor of biology, writer; podcaster Barbara Forrest, professor of philosophy, Brown Univ. Jill Cor nell Tar ter,as tron o mer, SE TI In sti tute, SE Louisiana Univ. Marv in Min sky, pro fes sor of me dia arts and sci en ces, Moun tain View, CA An drew Fra knoi, as tron o mer, Foot hill Col lege, M.I.T. Car ol Tav ris,psy chol o gist and au thor, Los Ange les, CA Los Al tos Hills, CA Da vid Mor ri son, space sci en tist, NA SA Ames Re search Da vid E. Thom as*, phys i cist and math e ma ti cian, Kend rick Fra zier*, sci ence writer; ed i tor, Cen ter Per al ta, NM SKEP TI CAL IN QUIR ER Rich ard A. Mul ler, pro fes sor of phys ics, Univ. of CA, Neil de Gras se Ty son, as tro phys i cist and di rect or, Christopher C. French, professor, Department Berke ley Hay den Plan e tar i um, New York City of Psychology, and head of the Anomalistic Joe Nick ell, sen ior re search fel low, CSI Ma ri lyn vos Sa vant, Pa rade mag a zine Psychology Research Unit, Goldsmiths con trib ut ing ed i tor College, Univ. of London Jan Willem Nienhuys, mathematician, Waalre, Yves Gal i fret, executive secretary, The Netherlands Stev en Wein berg, pro fes sor of phys ics and as tron o my, l’Union Rationaliste Lee Nis bet, phi los o pher, Med aille Col lege Univ. of Tex as at Aus tin; No bel lau re ate Luigi Garlaschelli, chemist, Università di Pavia , MD, assistant professor E.O. Wil son, Univ. pro fes sor emer i tus, organismic and (Italy); research fellow of CICAP, of neurology, Yale Univ. School of Medicine evolutionary biology, Har vard Univ. the Italian skeptics group , sci ence ed u ca tor and tel e vi sion host, Rich ard Wis e man, psy chol o gist, Univ. Maryanne Garry, professor, School of Psychology, Nye Labs of Hert ford shire, England Victoria Univ. of Wellington, New Zealand James E. Oberg, sci ence writer Benjamin Wolozin*, professor, Department of Mur ray Gell-Mann, pro fes sor of phys ics, San ta Fe Irm gard Oe pen, pro fes sor of med i cine (re tired), Pharmacology, Boston Univ. School of Medicine In sti tute; No bel lau re ate Mar burg, Ger ma ny Marv in Zel en, stat is ti cian, Har vard Univ. * Mem ber, CSI Ex ec u tive Coun cil (Af fil i a tions giv en for iden ti fi ca tion only.) SI July August 11_SI new design masters 5/25/11 12:15 PM Page 3

Skep ti cal In quir er July/August 2011 | Vol. 35, No. 4

Conspiracy Theories COLUMNS / Ten Years Later 9 11 FROM THE EDITOR Examining 9/11 34 Conspiracy Theories...... 4 The 9/11 Truth Movement: The Top Conspiracy Theory, NEWS AND COMMENT Steven Novella Honored with CSI’s a Decade Later Robert P. Balles Prize in Critical Thinking DAVE THOMAS / A Pantheon of Skeptics /Journal That Published Bem’s Paper Rejects Attempt 41 to Replicate It /Do Tomatoes Love Music? Genodics and Proteodies/‘ De- Dave Thomas vs. Jesse Ventura: tective’ Noreen Renier Lambasted in The Skeptical Smackdown Judge’s Ruling / Jared Loughner, Con- BENJAMIN RADFORD spiracy Fanatic / Journal Retracts Paper by Wegman Report Author...... 5

43 IN VES TI GA TIVE FILES A Bestiary of the 9/11 Truth The Séances of ‘Hellish Nell’: Solving the Unexplained Movement: Notes from JOE NICK ELL...... 17 the Front Line JAMIE BARTLETT AND CARL MILLER NOTES ON A STRANGE WORLD Photos of Ghosts: The Burden of Believing the Unbelievable 47 MAS SI MO POLIDORO ...... 20 ‘Messages’ from THINKING ABOUT SCI ENCE Popper vs. Kuhn: The Battle for the 9/11 Dead Understanding How Science Works JOE NICKELL MAS SI MO PI GLI UC CI ...... 23

PSYCHIC VIBRATIONS COMMENTARY 2012: Peter Gersten’s ‘Leap of Faith’ 12 ...... 25 THE SCIENCE OF MEDICINE Conflicts of Interest in What Is Acupuncture? STEVEN NOVELLA ...... 28 EDZARD ERNST SCIENCE WATCH Women and High-End Science: SPECIAL REPORT REVIEWS Nurture or Nature, Prejudice or Preference? A Slam-Dunk Debunk KENNETH W. KRAUSE ...... 30 14 MATT CROWLEY...... 57 Medium Allison DuBois Is Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast SKEPTICAL INQUIREE Tested—and Fails—in the Is There a 100C Grain of Truth in Fact, Fiction, and Folklore to ? Real World by Benjamin Radford BENJAMIN RADFORD...... 33 RYAN SHAFFER Personal Genomics: The Fine NEW BOOKS ...... 58 FORUM Line between Science and LETTERS TO THE ED I TOR...... 62 Narcissism 52 THE LAST LAUGH...... 66 Deliberate Ignorance MASSIMO PIGLIUCCI...... 58 KEITH TAYLOR Here Is a Human Being: At the Dawn of Personal Genomics by Misha Angrist FOLLOW-UP Escaping Mortality He Sees Dead People 54 DANIEL GRASSAM...... 60 ROBERT SHEAFFER...... 61 The 2012 Doomsday Long for This World: The Strange Science of The Key: A True Encounter Hoax: Update II Immortality by Whitley Strieber DAVID MORRISON by Jonathan Weiner SI July August 11_SI new design masters 5/25/11 12:15 PM Page 4

[ FROM THE EDITOR Skep ti cal In quir er™ THE MAG A ZINE FOR SCI ENCE AND REA SON Examining 9/11 Conspiracy Theories ED I TOR Kend rick Fra zi er ED I TO RI AL BOARD James E. Al cock, Thom as Cas ten, Ray Hy man, Scott O. Lilienfeld, , Joe Nick ell, Am ar deo Sar ma, he brazen air attacks on the United States of September 11, 2001, Eugenie C. Scott, Karen Stollznow, David E. Thomas, brought out, for a time, the best in people—a new sense of unity, com- Leonard Tramiel, Benjamin Wolozin munity, resolve, and determination. But eventually there emerged in cer- CON SULT ING ED I TORS Sus an J. Black more, T Ken neth L. Fed er, Barry Karr, E. C. Krupp, tain quarters something else: a virulent strain of paranoia and distrust. Con- Da vid F. Marks, Jay M. Pasachoff, Rich ard Wis e man spiracy theories arose and flourished, possibly the inevitable result of an act so CON TRIB UT ING ED I TORS Austin Dacey, D.J. Grothe, Harriet Hall, Kenneth W. Krause, Chris Moon ey, heinous that it could cause our own powers of reason and rationality to flee. James E. Oberg, Rob ert Sheaf fer, Karen Stollznow These conspiratorial views rejected the clear evidence that the attacks, using DEPUTY ED I TOR Ben ja min Rad ford four of our own hijacked airliners against us (one attack foiled by courageous MAN A GING ED I TOR Julia Lavarnway passengers), were carried out by al-Qaeda terrorists from the Middle East ART DI RECT OR Chri sto pher Fix PRO DUC TION Paul E. Loynes trained to do just what they did. Instead the view arose that the U.S. govern- ASSISTANT EDITOR Julia Burke ment had to have been complicit in some way—perhaps even responsible— WEB DEVELOPER Jon Childress and that the intense fires started by the impacts of fully fueled airliners couldn’t PUB LISH ER’S REP RE SENT A TIVE Bar ry Karr have brought down the World Trade Center Twin Towers, requiring (in this COR PO RATE COUN SELS Derek C. Araujo, Bren ton N. Ver Ploeg logic) their demolition by previously implanted explosives. BUSI NESS MAN A GER Pa tri cia Beau champ As the tenth anniversary of 9/11 approaches, we offer a special issue exam- FIS CAL OF FI CER Paul Pau lin ining these and other 9/11 conspiracy theories. Our articles have been in the VICE PRESIDENT OF PLANNING AND DE VEL OP MENT Sherry Rook works since last year, but they follow naturally from sociologist Ted Goertzel’s DATA OF FI CER Jacalyn Mohr January/February 2011 cover article, “The Conspiracy Meme: Why Con - STAFF Melissa Braun, Cheryl Catania, spiracy Theories Appeal and Persist.” That article about the dynamics of con- Roe Giambrone, Leah Gordon, An tho ny San ta Lu cia, John Sul li van, Vance Vi grass spiracy thinking brought vitriolic responses from 9/11 conspiracy theorists COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Michelle Blackley demonstrating just the kind of thinking Goertzel had described (see “A ‘9/11 IN QUIRY ME DIA PRO DUC TIONS Thom as Flynn Truth’ Letter-Writing Campaign to SI,” May/June 2011, p. 62). DI RECT OR OF LI BRAR IES Tim o thy S. Binga Dave Thomas, a physicist, mathematician, and SI contributing editor, leads The SKEP TI CAL IN QUIR ER is the of fi cial jour nal of the Com mit tee for Skeptical Inquiry, off this issue. In “The 9/11 Truth Movement: The Top Conspiracy Theory, a an in ter na tion al or gan i za tion. Decade Later,” he provides a clear overview of the 9/11 Truth movement, ex- The SKEP TI CALIN QUIR ER(ISSN 0194-6730) is pub lished bi month - amines three of its most enduring and oft-cited claims, and describes results ly by the Com mit tee for Skeptical Inquiry, 3965 Rensch Road, of his own physics analysis of the progressive collapse of the Twin Towers. Am herst, NY 14228. Print ed in U.S.A. Pe ri od i cals post age paid at Buf fa lo, NY, and at ad di tion al mail ing of fi ces. Sub scrip tion They agree well with previous results published in the technical literature and pri ces: one year (six is sues), $35; two years, $60; three with the collapse as observed. years, $84; sin gle is sue, $4.95. Ca na di an and for eign or ders: Pay ment in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank must ac com pa - Social scientists Jamie Bartlett and Carl Miller of the U.K. think tank ny or ders; please add US$10 per year for ship ping. Ca na di an Demos then describe their own experiences with the 9/11 Truth movement and for eign cus tom ers are en cour aged to use Vi sa or Mas ter - Card. Canada Publications Mail Agreement No. 41153509. following the release of their paper “The Power of Unreason.” In their SI ar- Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: IMEX, P.O. Box ticle, “A Bestiary of the 9/11 Truth Movement,” they find that the response to 4332, Station Rd., Toronto , ON M5W 3J4. In quir ies from the me dia and the pub lic about the work of the their paper illustrates Goertzel’s conspiracy theory meme in action: the 9/11 Com mit tee should be made to Barry Karr, Executive Director, Truthers started with faulty misconceptions about the paper, which was “mis- CSI, P.O. Box 703, Am herst, NY 14226-0703. Tel.: 716-636- 1425. Fax: 716-636-1733. represented in an exaggerated, distorted, and inaccurate way that was soon re- Man u scripts, let ters, books for re view, and ed i to ri al in quir ies cycled and re-presented within the conspiracist community.” The authors ex- should be sent to Kend rick Fra zi er, Ed i tor, SKEP TI CAL IN QUIR ER, 944 Deer Drive NE, Al bu querque, NM 87122. Fax: 505-828- amine three subgroups of the movement, each accepting the conspiracy view 2080. E-mail: [email protected]. Be fore sub mit - for different reasons. ting any man u script, please consult our Guide for Au thors for CSI Senior Research Fellow Joe Nickell switches gears to describe some styles, ref er en ce requirements, and submittal re quire ments. It is on our website at www.csicop.org/pub lications/guide. of the mystical mythmaking among certain 9/11 survivors and friends. And a Or you may send a re quest to the ed i tor. short piece by Deputy Editor Benjamin Radford describes a “skeptical smack- Ar ti cles, re ports, re views, and let ters pub lished in the SKEP TI- CALIN QUIR ERrep re sent the views and work of in di vid u al au thors. down” in which conspiracist Jesse Ventura repeatedly ignored critical chal- Their pub li ca tion does not nec es sa ri ly con sti tute an en dorse - lenges to some of his outrageous statements. ment by CSI or its mem bers un less so stated. Cop y right ©2011 by the Com mit tee for Skeptical Inquiry. All Will the death of Osama bin Laden—the mastermind of 9/11—at the hands rights re served. The SKEP TI CALIN QUIR ERis avail a ble on 16mm mi - of daring American commando forces on May 1, 2011, in Pakistan dimin ish the cro film, 35mm mi cro film, and 105mm mi cro fiche from Uni - ver si ty Mi cro films In ter na tion al and is in dexed in the Read - kinds of conspiratorial thinking examined in this issue? Dave Thomas briefly con- er’s Guide to Pe ri od i cal Lit er a ture. siders that, too. The initial evidence makes such a hope doubtful. Sub scrip tions and chan ges of ad dress should be ad dressed — to: SKEP TI CAL IN QUIR ER, P.O. Box 703, Am herst, NY 14226-0703. Or call toll-free 1-800-634-1610 (out side the U.S. call 716- 636-1425). Old ad dress as well as new are nec es sa ry for change of sub scrib er’s ad dress, with six weeks ad vance no - tice. SKEP TI CAL IN QUIR ER sub scrib ers may not speak on be half of Committee for Skeptical Inquiry CSI or the SKEP TI CAL IN QUIR ER. Post mas ter: Send chan ges of ad dress to SKEP TI CALIN QUIR ER, P.O. “...promotes scientific inquiry, critical investigation, and the use Box 703, Am herst, NY 14226-0703. of reason in examining controversial and extraordinary claims.”

SI July August 11_SI new design masters 5/25/11 12:15 PM Page 5

[ NEWS AND COMMENT

Steven Novella Honored with CSI’s Robert P. Balles Prize in Critical Thinking

The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry Know May Be Hurting Us,” available (CSI) has awarded its 2010 Robert P. for purchase as audio CD, video DVD, Balles Annual Prize in Critical Think- or download. ing to Steven Novella. In a letter to Novella informing him Steven Novella, MD, is a clinical of his selection as the Balles Prize win- neurologist, assistant professor, and di- ner, CSI Executive Director Barry Karr rector of general neurology at Yale Uni - wrote: versity School of Medicine, specializing I am pleased to inform you that you in the treatment of ALS/myasthenia have been selected as the winner of the gravis and neuromuscular disorders. 2010 Robert P. Balles Annual Prize in One could easily assume that the de- Critical Thinking, presented by the mands of his professional life alone Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and would keep him completely occupied, the magazine. You are being honored not for a but not Novella. He seems to be one of particular article or publication. In- those intensely driven and motivated stead, you are being honored for your people who manage to create more tremendous body of work including hours in a day. His biography and list of the Skeptics Guide to the Universe, Sci- activities has only just begun: ence-Based Medicine, Neurologica, your SKEPTICAL IN QUIRER column “The He is the president and cofounder of Science of Medicine,” as well as your Steven Novella, MD the New England Skeptical Society. He tireless travel and lecture schedule on is the host and producer of that group’s behalf of skepticism. You may well be evening banquet during the CSI and popular weekly science podcast, The the hardest worker in all of skepti- SKEPTICAL INQUIRER CSIcon confer- Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe. He is also cism today. And to me, the truly ence in New Orleans, October 28, 2011. a fellow of CSI and a founding fellow of amazing thing is you do all of this on a volunteer basis. We are honored to Previous winners of the Balles Prize: the Institute for Science in Medicine. He present you with this award. is a medical advisor to Quackwatch and 2009: Michael Specter, staff writer at an associate editor of the Scientific Re- The Robert P. Balles Annual Prize in the New Yorker and former New York view of Alternative Medicine. Critical Thinking is a $1,500 award Times foreign correspondent, for his Novella is the author of the Neuro - given to the author of the published book Denialism: How Irrational Think - Logica blog, which covers news and is- work or body of work that best exem- ing Hinders Scientific Progress, Harms the sues not only in neuroscience but also in plifies healthy skepticism, logical analy- Planet, and Threatens Our Lives general science, scientific skepticism, sis, or empirical science. Each year, the 2008: Leonard Mlodinow, physicist, au- philosophy of science, critical thinking, Committee for Skeptical Inquiry selects thor, and professor at Caltech for his and the intersection of science with the the paper, article, book, or other publi- book The Drunkard’s Walk: How Ran - media and society. cation that, in its judgment, has the dom ness Rules our Lives Novella also contributes every Sun - greatest potential to create positive day to The Rogues Gallery, the official reader awareness of currently important 2007: Natalie Angier, New York Times blog of The Skeptics’ Guide to the Uni - scientific concerns. science writer and author of the book verse; every Monday to Skepticblog; and This prize has been established The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beau- every Wednesday to Science-Based Med- through the generosity of Robert P. tiful Basics of Science icine, a blog dedicated to issues of sci- Balles, an associate member of CSI, and 2006: Ben Goldacre for his weekly col- ence and medicine. He also writes the the Robert P. Balles Endowed Memo- umn, “Bad Science,” published in The new “The Science of Medicine” column rial Fund, a permanent endowment Guardian newspaper (United King dom) in SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. fund for the benefit of CSI. Novella has completed a twenty- The prize will be presented to 2005: Shared by , Joe Nick- four-lecture course with The Teaching Novella by Kendrick Frazier, editor of ell, and Andrew Skolnick for their series Company, “Medical Myths, Lies, and the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER and a member of articles in the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Half-Truths: What We Think We of CSI’s executive council, at the Friday “Testing ‘The Girl with X-Ray Eyes’”

Skeptical Inquirer | July / August 2011 5 SI July August 11_SI new design masters 5/25/11 12:16 PM Page 6

A Pantheon of Skeptics

THE PANTHEON OF SKEPTICS—a roster honoring late distin- ated in 1976 and became founding fellows; others were elected guished fellows of the Committee for Skep tical Inquiry (for- as fellows later. merly CSICOP)—has been established, and twenty-seven out- The desire is to continue honoring these skeptics’ contri- standing scientists, scholars, writers, and investigators have been butions and to provide a sense of history about the modern named to it. . The CSI(COP) executive council has long discussed how The Pantheon of Skeptics was created and the names cho- to keep before the public the names of the great, now-deceased sen for it selected at a meeting of the CSI executive council skeptics who made extraordinary contributions to the causes in Denver, April 1–2, 2011. They will be listed permanently at of science and skepticism in the modern era. Some were al- CSI’s headquarters in Amherst, New York, and on its website ready well established when CSICOP (the Com mittee for the at www.csicop.org. (Cur rent fellows are also listed on the web- Sci en tific Investi gation of Claims of the Paranormal) was cre- site and on the inside front cover of every issue of SI.)

Here are those chosen for the Pantheon of Skeptics:

GEORGE O. ABELL FRANCIS H. CRICK WILLIAM V. MAYER astronomer Nobel laureate biophysicist biologist

STEVE ALLEN L. SPRAGUE DECAMP WALTER MCCRONE entertainer/author/critic author and engineer microscopist

JERRY ANDRUS ERNEST NAGEL magician and inventor author and critic philosopher

ISAAC ASIMOV H. NARASIMHAIAH biochemist and biologist and writer physicist science writer

D.O. HEBB W.V. QUINE ROBERT BAKER psychologist philosopher psychologist

SIDNEY HOOK CARL SAGAN T.X. BARBER philosopher astronomer and writer psychologist

PHILIP J. KLASS GLENN T. SEABORG BARRY BEYERSTEIN aerospace writer and engineer Nobel laureate chemist biopsychologist

PAUL MACCREADY B.F. SKINNER BART J. BOK scientist/engineer/inventor psychologist astronomer

MILBOURNE CHRISTOPHER JOHN MADDOX STEPHEN TOULMIN magician and writer science editor philosopher

6 Volume 35 Issue 4 | Skeptical Inquirer SI July August 11_SI new design masters 5/25/11 12:16 PM Page 7

[ NEWS AND COMMENT

Journal That Published Bem’s Paper Do Tomatoes Love Music? Rejects Attempt to Replicate It Genodics and Proteodies

Kendrick Frazier NICOLAS GAUVRIT

An unsuccessful attempt by three serious problem for science in dealing One often finds astonishing claims about psychologists to replicate the results with research on contentious claims. music helping plants grow in both journal of Daryl Bem’s recent study that no- The so-called “publication effect” is a articles (e.g., Katherine Creathe and Gary toriously claimed experimental evi- result of journals favoring research E. Schwartz’s “Measur ing Effects of Music, dence for precognition has been papers that report positive results over Noise, and Healing Energy Using a Seed rejected by the same journal that pub- research with negative results. Repli - Germination Bio assay,” Journal of Alternative lished Bem’s paper. cation is often held to be an essential and Comple mentary Medi cine, February Bem’s study was the subject of a part of the scientific method, but if in 2004) and in best sellers (such as Peter detailed critique in the March/April fact journals systematically decline to Tompkins and Christopher Bird’s 1989 2011 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER by psy- publish replication studies that come book The Secret Life of Plants). But one au- chologist James E. Alcock, who found to negative conclusions, the truth falls thor, Joël Stern heimer, has tried to make serious flaws negating its conclusions. behind. these claims look scientific by referring to Bem’s paper has sparked similar crit- them as part of what he calls “genodics.” icism elsewhere in the psychological Sternheimer not only claims that music aids and skeptical communities. The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER in plant growth but that he has found a the- British science journalist Ben independently oretical basis for the phenomenon. What’s Goldacre now reports in his “Bad Sci- more, he claims he has unlocked specific ence” column in The Guardian that confirmed the facts of melodies—which he calls “proteodies”— researchers Stuart J. Ritchie, Chris the case and obtained that will help tomatoes grow, keep them French, and Richard Wiseman re-ran healthy in spite of diseases, and give them three of Bem’s backwards-causation the key correspon- the ability to safely weather periods of experiments—and found no evidence dence involved. drought. of precognition. They submitted their Born in 1943, Sternheimer studied negative results to the Journal of Per- physics in France and then at Prince ton sonality and Social Psychology, the jour- “Replication is of critical impor- University. Once he returned to Europe, he nal that published Bem’s positive re- tance in science, especially with highly had a short career singing pop music under sults. Goldacre reports that the controversial results such as those of the name “Evariste.” Having skills in both journal rejected their paper out of Bem,” lead author Ritchie, of the Uni- physics and music, he was the perfect man hand. He describes their response this versity of Edinburgh psychology de - to in vent genodics. way: “‘We never,’ they explained, ‘pub- partment, told the SKEPTICAL IN- According to Sternheimer, it’s all a mat- lish studies that replicate other work.’” QUIRER. Ritchie continued: ter of genetics and waves. Since DNA The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER inde- We believe a blanket policy to re- codes proteins, and proteins may help pendently confirmed the facts of the ject without peer review any sub- plants’ growth and stimulate im munity, all case and obtained the key correspon- missions which are “straight” repli- you have to do is select the right sequence dence involved. cations ... is problematic. This on the DNA molecules to make the pro- The journal Psychological Science raises important issues. If the top teins vibrate the right way. To do this, all also rejected the paper; they weren’t journals actively discourage repli- you have to do is find the frequency that interested in mere failure to replicate cations, it is possible that null re- will make them reverberate. This idea is the either. The journal Science also re- sults will either be published in very basis of genodics (see the official web- jected the replication paper but for a journals with very small reader- site at www.genodics.com). Moreover, different reason: “Your results would ships or remain in file-drawers, Stern heimer claims—for reasons I don’t never seeing the light of day. be better received and appreciated by understand—that a simple sound is not re- the audience of the journal where the Hyman agrees: “Because the back- ally sufficient: you’re better off using a Daryl Bem research was published.” bone of scientific evidence rests with melody if you want to make the strongest “It’s a catch-22,” says psychologist successful replications, this journal pol- effect on plants. So, genodics gives the key Ray Hyman, professor emeritus of icy indicates that many unreplicable to the com position of specific melodies, psychology at the University of Oregon experiments continue to be accepted as called proteodies. and a noted scientific critic of parapsy- the truth because the scientific and A claim as extraordinary as this one chology claims, including Bem’s. general public do not have access to needs extraordinary proof. A patent for gen- This latest incident highlights a many of the failed replications.” odics was registered in 1984, almost three

Skeptical Inquirer | July / August 2011 7 SI July August 11_SI new design masters 5/25/11 12:16 PM Page 8

decades ago (European patent number ‘Psychic Detective’ Noreen Renier FR2541024[A1]). Sci en tists have had Lambasted in Judge’s Ruling time to validate its claims—but it seems they haven’t. No scientific publications GARY P. POSNER are found in a search for “genodics” or “proteody” on Google Scholar or Pub- Med. No scientific publication address- “[Noreen] Renier is a psychic who as- 1992 agreement that neither party ing the efficiency of genodics can be serts that she has paranormal powers. would again publicly disparage the found on the Genodics Society website, [John] Merrell is a skeptic who believes other. She had included two derogatory despite the fact that the website contains that it is his moral charge to disprove chapters about Merrell in her 2005 an “articles about genodics” page. the validity of those powers. The con- memoir, A Mind for Murder (subse- Sternheimer accepts interviews now flict between these parties makes quently withdrawn from the market and and then, so one may try to get informa- Charles Dickens’ Bleak House read like later reissued, absent those chapters, by tion from the best source possible. In an a novella.” So begins page two of Judge another publisher; see my review in the amazing three-minute interview (in William E. Anderson’s March 21, 2011, September/October 2005 SI). French, at www.dailymotion.com/video/ order in the case of Renier v. Mer rell, Not content to get away so lightly, xaw07l_joel-sternheimer-interview_ United States Bankruptcy Court, Western with the ink barely dry on that ruling— tech), he describes an experiment he car- District of Virginia, Lynchburg. which also contained a stipulation im- ried out in Senegal: Tomatoes were posing a $30,000 penalty to be paid to planted in two fields. In one field, silence the aggrieved party should either of was a rule. In the other, tomatoes had the them violate its prohibitions—Renier privilege of listening to a three-minute filed another complaint, alleging that proteody on a daily basis. What do you Renier and Merrell have postings remaining on Merrell’s website think happened? Accord ing to Stern- been at each other’s were in violation and that she was thus heimer, the latter field was indeed more throats off and on for entitled to the $30,000. A two-day productive, supposedly producing hearing eventually ensued in Virginia on twenty times more tomatoes than the more than a quarter December 20–21, 2010 (see www. control field. More over, despite the tampabayskeptics.org/v23n4rpt.html usual dryness of the country, tomatoes century, appearing for my related article), and the judge’s that had been exposed to the proteody before nine judges order was finally issued three months were “stuf fed with water.” This revolu- tionary experiment, for some reason, across five states. later. was never published. They’ve argued over When we get to page 5 of the order, The end of the interview is more we find this: puzzling yet: “This process had been matters ranging from The overwhelming problem with used by Africans in the old days. Farm- missing persons and a Renier’s case [for the $30,000] is ers empirically discovered that singing that this court did not find her ...to mysterious airplane be a credible witness. There are rea- made tomatoes grow, and they did sing, sons for this conclusion, beyond her but they lost the habit of singing.” As a crash to FBI endorse - demeanor. First, she misled the court skeptic, I cannot refrain from asking when she indicated that she in- myself, “How could they lose that ments, with various tended to abide by [another directive habit?” I just can’t figure why farmers, in the 2010] order....Renier stood twists and turns worthy not five feet away [from this bench] in a poor country subjected to frequent of Hollywood. and agreed to abide.... Her [later] malnutrition, would stop using a testimony ...evidences that she did method that produced twenty times not intend at any time to abide by more tomatoes on average. the memorialization of the court’s But hey, everybody knows that we words. skeptics don’t believe anything. The world-renowned “psychic de- Judge Anderson further concludes that tective” had already gotten a sweetheart Renier “filed pleadings in an effort to Nicolas Gauvrit is a professor of mathematics at deal from Anderson in June 2010 when begin [still more] litigation that would, the Université d’Artois in Arras (France). He is a member of the editorial board of Science ... et he ruled that Renier, who declared she hoped, result in a $30,000 judg- Pseudo-Sciences, the leading French skeptical re- bankruptcy in 2007, would have to pay ment in her favor against Merrell. This view, and author of several books about science Merrell only $5,470 of the more than court is convinced that this is the only and reason. $40,000 he had been awarded in dam- reason she agreed to the terms of [the ages and legal fees when she violated a 2010] order.”

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[ NEWS AND COMMENT

As we have occasionally reported in relates to anything beyond the amount Jared Loughner, these pages over the years (most re- of money Renier’s estate had to pay her cently in the November/December creditors (with Merrell being her Conspiracy Fanatic 2008 SI), Renier and Merrell have been largest). Among his overreaching, ROBERT SHEAFFER at each other’s throats off and on for now-defunct declarations in that 2010 more than a quarter century, appearing order was this: “Merrell’s co-author before nine judges across five states. [yours truly] may continue [though They’ve argued over matters ranging Merrell may not] with the writing and from missing persons and a mysterious airplane crash to FBI endorse - publication of said book [about Renier, ments, with various twists and turns but] any mention of Merrell’s name [in worthy of Hollywood. It all began the book] shall constitute a breach.” I when Renier was awarded $25,000 in had no intention of abiding by any a 1986 libel judgment against Merrell, such directive and wrote, in the Fall after tricking him (by writing to him 2010 Tampa Bay Skeptics newsletter under an assumed name) into investi- (of which I am editor), that the judge gating some of her own “psychic” could “stick [that stipulation] where claims, which he then publicly charac- the moon don’t shine.” terized as “fraudulent.” Merrell’s own By vacating his 2010 order, in Details are slowly emerging about Jared Loughner, the accused young gunman in 1989 request to have that debt dis- which the $30,000 penalty had been January’s horrific shootings and murders charged by a bankruptcy judge (after memorialized, Judge Anderson has guaranteeing full payment to his other in Tucson, Arizona. While much political rendered moot Renier’s chances of creditors) was denied. blame has been assigned, the truth seems snaring the jackpot, though they were In Renier’s initial 2007 bankruptcy to be that Loughner neither belonged to pleading, she had declared barely nil anyway for the above-discussed rea- nor sympathized with any organized or $40,000 as her entire gross income for sons relating to her credibility. Ander- even halfway-organized political group. the preceding thirty-two months. son takes a parenthetical swipe at Mer- Unlike the writings of the Unabomber, Knowing that to be an impossibly rell’s credibility as well, and goes on to Lough ner’s incoherent political screeds re- lowball figure, Merrell uncovered evi- opine that regarding their litigious his- veal no consistent political vision. What dence of additional income, resulting tory, “neither is capable of introspection they do reveal is a mind deeply steeped in in Renier incrementally amending [or] ap proaches matters concerning the conspiracy belief. that figure upward, ultimately by more other with even a modicum of reason,” Loughner’s YouTube videos (which are than $100,000. But information later leaving him “not so naïve [as] to believe actually more like PowerPoint presenta- ob tained by Merrell via subpoena, and that the parties will now go their sepa- tions accompanied by music) clearly reveal his conspiracy mindset. For example, he never taken into account by the court, rate ways.” To my mind, however, one of claims that the “government is implying documented an additional $30,000 in the parties occupies the higher (by far) income, plus unknown assets being mind control and brainwash on the people moral ground and has more than a held in several unreported bank by controlling grammar” (http://tinyurl. modicum of reason to be skeptical of accounts and a safe deposit box. In ad- com/5uvzflo at 3:35). His videos are filled dition, Story House Productions, pro- the other’s paranormal claims. with absurd and pointless syllogisms, ducers of Court TV’s Psychic De tec - True to Anderson’s prediction, Re- such as nier has now filed a forty-page appeal tives, refused to honor its subpoena, 1. If B.C.E. years are unable to start then of the judge’s ruling, arguing (in part) which could have disclosed how much A.D.E. years are unable to begin. that the court erred “factually and legally money Renier had received over those 2. B.C.E. years are unable to start. thirty-two months for her recurring in its assertions regarding [Renier’s] 3. Thus, A.D.E. years are unable to begin. appearances in that series. credibility” and in vacating its 2010 During Judge Anderson’s three order (with its $30,000 penalty to which More ominous is his short video about months of reflection, he came to realize Renier claims entitlement). mind control (http://tinyurl.com/65du8x that “the jurisdiction of this [bank- z): “I’m able to control every belief and ruptcy] court does not extend to every Gary Posner, MD, is founder of Tampa Bay religion by being the mind controller.” corner of the parties’ ongoing dispute,” Skeptics and a CSI scientific consultant. His ex- But it now appears that Loughner and he therefore, in his new order, va- tensive writings on Renier (and other topics) had been posting to at least one Inter net cated his June 2010 order insofar as it can be found at www.gpposner.com. conspiracy site using the name “Erad3”

Skeptical Inquirer | July / August 2011 9 SI July August 11_SI new design masters 5/25/11 12:16 PM Page 10

“It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry.” – Thomas Paine You are invited to join the Center for Inquiry to Act, Combat, and Promote…

Since 1976, three remarkable organizations have been in the forefront of efforts to promote and defend critical thinking and freedom of inquiry. The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (founded in 1976), the Council for (1980), CSI Fellow and SkEPTICAl INquIrEr Editorial Board Member and the Center for Inquiry leads a class at a Skeptics’ Toolbox event. The Toolbox (1991) have advocated, has been held every year, except once, since1992. championed, and, when necessary, defended the freedom to inquire … while Your Help Is a Necessity! ACT, COMBAT, and PROMOTE demonstrating how the fruits Each year, magazine of objective inquiry can be We are currently focused on three subscriptions fund a smaller used to understand reality, goals central to our core objectives: percentage of this work, even refute false beliefs, and achieve as the need for activism in- Act to end the stigma results that benefit humanity. attached to being creases and the population nonreligious. we serve grows. In many ways, our organiza- tions have been ahead of their Combat religion’s More than ever, CFI and its time. Now, they are privileges and its influence affiliates depend on the on public policy. truly 3 For Tomorrow. generosity of our supporters Through education, advocacy, both to fund daily operations Promote science-based publishing, legal activism, skepticism and critical thinking. and to build capital and its network of regional for the future. branches, CFI and its affiliate Make your most generous gift

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[ NEWS AND COMMENT

(which would be an anagram of his first To their credit, the other conspiracy afi- tred. If he really had the belief that name if we substitute a J for the 3). cionados on that site argued with Erad3 NASA was faking its space missions, Erad3 posts some of the very same fiercely. His conspiracy syllogisms obvi- then Kelly would have been one agent of inane content that we find in the above ously made no sense. His theories were that fakery—and perhaps in his weird YouTube videos, such as “infinite cur- not even good conspiracy stories, just the world, so would his wife.” rency.” The pseudo-syllogistic style of delusions of some madman. That undoubtedly was not the only both writers is clearly the same. It’s vir- Erad3 also started a thread claiming reason for Loughner’s mad anger at tually certain that Erad3 is, in fact, Lough- that the Mars Rovers were likewise Giffords, but it likely contributed to it. ner (see http://tinyurl.com/4qcrxvc). faked (http://tinyurl.com/2wt4ksc): Proximity—simple geography—could On the website Above Top Secret, 1. If NASA creates a Mars rover that well have been the main factor. It’s eas- dedicated to UFOs and other conspiracy- communicates from Mars then the ier to be upset with people who are related subjects, Erad3 began a long signal reaches from the distance of nearby, that one can see in person, than thread titled, “All aboard with the empty mars. those far away that one never sees. And NASA Space Shuttles!” (http://tinyurl.c 2. The signal doesn’t reach from the distance of Mars. for someone with obsessive beliefs om/Erad3). In it he argues not that astro- 3. Nonetheless, NASA creates a mars about government mind control, un - nauts never went to the Moon but that rover that doesn’t communicate constitutional government acts, and they never even went into space at all, from Mars. using ridiculous syllogisms such as NASA space conspiracies, the “power Space journalist and CSI Fellow couple” of Congress woman Gabrielle 1. If the design of the NASA Space James E. Oberg brings up the possibility Gif fords, who represents Loughner’s Shuttle keeps the black body temper- that this shooting may have been due to district, and astronaut Mark Kelly, a ature of −454 F from the outside orbit, more than just blind anti-government supposed participant in a huge NASA then the NASA Space Shuttle is at a anger. Congresswoman Gabri elle Gif- conspiracy, would represent everything temperature for human life. fords, who Loughner is indicted for that he opposed. 2. The NASA Space Shuttle isn’t at a shooting, is married to NASA astronaut temperature for human life. Mark Kelly. Oberg writes, “This raises Robert Sheaffer’s “Psychic Vibrations” column 3. Hence, the design of the NASA Space the disturbing possibility that Giffords’ has appeared in the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER for the past Shuttle doesn’t keep the black body husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, may not thirty years. He is also author of UFO Sightings: temperature of −454 F from the out- have been a coincidental feature of The Evidence (Prometheus 1998). He blogs at side orbit. Loughner’s delusions and murderous ha- www.badUFOs.com.

Journal Retracts Paper by Wegman Report Author An attorney for Wegman and Said says his clients “stand by their work” de- spite the retraction. A spokesman for A statistics journal has retracted a 2008 Both the 2006 report and the 2008 George Mason University, which has paper by the lead author of the highly study were by Edward Wegman of been investigating the problems with controversial global-warming-denying George Mason University. The 2008 the 2006 report, said the 2008 study re- Wegman report. study, coauthored by Wegman student traction was “a personnel matter” and The problems with the published Yasman Said, detailed part of the con- declined comment. paper include apparent plagiarism, a gressional report’s analysis and was pub- In a May 16 blog following up on his complaint similar to those about the no- lished in the journal Computational Sta- article, USA Today’s Vergano published torious 2006 Wegman report, which was tistics and Data Analysis (CSDA). excerpts from e-mails obtained using sponsored by congressional critics of USA Today reporter Dan Vergano, the Freedom of Information Act show- global warming led by Representative Joe who has long been investigating prob- ing that CSDA’s editor, Azan, person- Barton (Republican from Texas). The lems with the Wegman report, reported website Deep Climate, computer scientist May 16, 2011, that the journal is re- ally reviewed and accepted the paper John Mashey, and others documented tracting Wegman’s 2008 paper. CSDA five days after receiving it. If it was sent abundant instances of near-verbatim ma- journal editor Stanley P. Azan says the out for peer review, Azan couldn’t find terial taken from climate textbooks and journal publisher’s legal team “has de- a record. Vergano also solicited a cri- other published sources without credit. cided to retract the study” following the tique of the study from a noted network Mashey also found that the report was complaints of plagiarism. Plagiarism analysis expert, Kathleen Carley of filled with much-debunked anti-climate- can result in serious sanctions. Carnegie Mellon University. She said its science claims (see “Strange Problems Retracting a published paper is seri- description of data was “poor,” and she with the Wegman Report,” SI, March- ous business. Done fairly rarely, it wipes would not have accepted it without /April 2011 and Mashey’s detailed exposé the paper from the scientific literature major revisions. She said she “sees it as at www.desmog blog.com). and can taint the authors’ reputations. more of an opinion piece.” n

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[COMMENTARY

Conflicts of Interest in Alternative Medicine

EDZARD ERNST

hen we think of conflicts of interest, we almost au- tivities of the pharmaceutical industry. I cannot say that I know many CAM re- tomatically think of money. In my area of research, searchers who are truly concerned about Wcomplementary alternative medicine (CAM), there the dangers of CAM or of the activities is no money—well, almost none (contrasted with most areas of those individuals or organisations that promote CAM uncritically. of mainstream medicine). Despite this fact, conflicts of in- Conflicts of interest are precarious terest are rife in CAM research. I am, of course, talking because they tend to cloud judgment about a different type of conflict: the one that is created by and generate bias—the type of bias that creeps in unnoticed and cannot be read- strong belief and evangelic conviction. ily identified when studying a published Across the globe, I personally know paper. After some detective work, we many individuals who are full-time might be able to find out, for example, CAM researchers. They have different that a certain paper that draws positive personalities, backgrounds, and skills. conclusions about the homeopathic But they all have, as far as I can see, one remedy Traumeel® (Schneider et al. characteristic in common: they are 2008) was coauthored by at least one strong believers in the benefit of at least “expert” who is on the payroll of the some aspects of CAM. On the one manufacturer of that very remedy— hand, this may seem entirely reasonable: even if the paper itself fails to disclose if one didn’t believe in CAM, why this fact (Schneider et al. 2008). But would one dedicate one’s career to in- what about more subtle yet potentially vestigating it? powerful conflicts of interest? I fear that On the other hand, if the vast majority they have far too much impact on of CAM researchers are made up of CAM. Edzard Ernst, MD, PhD, CAM believers, things might not be If the totality of researchers in one Complementary Medicine, quite right either. In other areas of med- field is open to unidirectional bias, one Peninsula Medical School, ical research, the situation is—in my ex- has to worry about the area as a whole. Universities of Exeter and perience—very different. I know many The danger, then, is obvious: the field Plymouth, Exeter, United pharmacologists, for instance, who are will collectively lose its balance and Kingdom. E-mail: keenly aware of the dangers of medicines make serious and repetitive mistakes [email protected]. and extremely critical of some of the ac- without even noticing them. In the ab-

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sence of criticism “from the inside,” data, stated that “spinal manipulation is to significant distortions of the truth such an area of research can neither not an effective treatment for asthma” about the value of alternative medicine. prosper nor mature. In my experience, (Ernst 2009). Here I should mention The issue at hand is more than just ac- CAM has very little internal criticism, perhaps that I, as an independent aca- ademic: misleading results in health as the following examples suggest. demic, have no conflicts of interest and care endanger our health. receive no payments from Big Pharma or It is relatively easy to identify the Chiropractic similar institutions that might have an problem, yet it is hard to solve it. I don’t After the British Chiropractic Asso cia - axe to grind. pretend to have the ideal solution. All I tion (BCA) sued science writer Simon Years ago, I had already noted that can suggest is that journal editors con- Singh for libel, the United Kingdom’s reviews published by chiropractors tend sider making their authors’ conflicts of General Chiropractic Coun cil (GCC, to arrive at positive conclusions while interest transparent and that readers of the regulatory body of its members) was those by independent experts do not such papers apply a healthy dose of inundated with about 700 complaints (Ernst and Canter 2006). The explana- skepticism. Whenever there are two from skeptical bloggers about chiroprac- tion for this phenomenon seems to be discrepant opinions (and that is the case tors who had made similarly bogus ther- simple: conflict of interest. more often than not), my advice is to de- apeutic claims. The GCC reacted by termine which one might be prompted Acupuncture commissioning North Amer ican chiro- by a conflict of interest. In theory, this practors to write an “evidence report.” Vickers et al. (1998) and others (Tang, sounds fine; in practice, I am afraid, Pre sumably, the GCC hoped that the re- Zhan, and Ernst 1999) have shown that it will not be nearly enough to remedy port could clarify the evidence regarding 100 percent of all acupuncture trials the problem. n the disputed claims. Bronfort et al.’s originating in China report positive re- (2010) published report revealed no sults. Recently, an in-depth analysis of References strong evidence for “manual therapies.” acupuncture articles published between Bronfort, G., M. Haas, R. Evans, B. Leninger, and Despite this seemingly critical stance, 1991 and 2009 revealed that China is J. Triano. 2010. Effectiveness of manual ther- apies: The UK evidence re port. Chiro practic the report is still not critical enough, in now producing more acu punc ture re- and Osteopathy 18(3). doi: 10.1186/1746-13 my opinion. The reason be comes clear search papers than any other country 40-18-3. upon a reading of its fine print. Even (Han and Ho 2011). To make matters Ernst, E. 2009. Spinal manipulation for asthma: though the authors repeatedly mention worse, this analysis also names the jour- A systematic review of randomised clinical tri- als. Respiratory Medicine 103(12): 1791–95. the “quality of the evidence,” they fail to nals that publish the bulk of these arti- Ernst, E., and P. Canter. 2006. A systematic re- formally evaluate it. Thus, poor-quality cles: unsurprisingly, they tend to be the view of systematic reviews of spinal manipu- primary studies are taken at face value, ones I have previously identified as lation. Journal of the Royal Society of Medi cine 99(4): 192–96. which inevitably leads to false-positive publishing virtually no negative results Ernst, E., and M.H. Pittler. 1997. Alternative conclusions. Without the very obvious (Ernst and Pittler 1997). Thus there is therapy bias. Nature 385: 480. conflict of interest (chiropractors com- reason to fear that we are currently ex- Han, J.S., and Y.S. Ho. 2011. Global trends and performances of acupuncture research. Neuro - missioned by the GCC), the report posed to a mountain of research on science and Behavioural Reviews 35(3): 680–87. might have been far more critical than it acupuncture, much of which might be Kaminskyj, A., M. Frazier, K. Johnstone, and B.J. turned out to be. less than reliable. Gleberzon. 2010. Chiropractic care for pa- tients with asthma: A systematic review of the A similar situation occurs with sys- Here the explanations might be more literature. Journal of Canadian Chiro practic As- tematic reviews of chiropractic as a treat- complex, and there could be more than sociation 54(1): 24–32. ment for specific conditions. Such arti- one factor at play. Yet I have little doubt Schneider, C., B. Schneider, J. Hanisch, and R. cles are now emerging regularly, and they which one is the most important: con- Van Haselen. 2008. The role of homoeopathic preparation compared with conventional tend to display interesting discrepancies. flict of interest. therapy in the treatment of injuries: An ob- For example, a review on the subject of servational cohort study. Comple mentary asthma written by four chiropractors What Can Be Done? Therapies in Medicine 16(1): 22–27. Tang, J.L., S.Y. Zhan, and E. Ernst. 1999. Review concluded that “chiropractic care showed My message is clear: non-financial con- of randomised controlled trials of traditional improvement in subjective measures . . .” flicts of interest can be just as powerful Chinese medicine. BMJ 319 (7203): 160–61. (Kaminskyj et al. 2010). Meanwhile, my as financial ones, and in my area of re- Vickers, A., N. Goyal, R. Harland, and R. Rees. 1998. Do certain countries produce only pos- own review, which in cluded a critical as- search they seem to be quite overpow- itive results? A systematic review of controlled sessment of the quality of the primary ering. This problem will inevitably lead trials. Controlled Clinical Trials 19(2): 159–66.

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[SPECIAL REPORT Medium Allison DuBois Is Tested —and Fails—in the Real World

Allison DuBois, the best-selling author who inspired the recently cancelled television show Medium, claims to have amazing psychic abilities. But when her skills are tested in the real world—first with a missing-child case and then at a dinner party on reality-TV—they prove less than stellar.

RYAN SHAFFER

sychic Allison DuBois has built an industry around her Texas Rangers, and has said that she is claims of helping law enforcement. A primetime net- “used for jury selection in rape/homi- cide cases, in order to obtain the sen- Pwork television show was based on her. She has three tence the prosecution wants” (DuBois best-selling books and an army of devoted fans. But despite 2005). Yet these claims have never been DuBois’s celebrity power, the evidence for her supposedly verified, and the Texas Rangers deny any involvement with her (Radford accurate predictions is less robust than her profits. She has 2005). Medium, the network television made several claims that are hard to accept—even for those show based on DuBois, has highlighted who believe in psychic abilities. Even still, DuBois has the character Allison DuBois “using her psychic smarts to help the DA in his ef- walked a careful line in order not to re- forts to find twelve people happy to veal too much information. That strat- send Mr. Psycho to the chair” (Bell egy, until recently, has worked for her. In 2005). The real-life DuBois claimed to 2010, DuBois was asked by KPHO-TV, be working on 150 cases in 2005 and a Phoenix, Arizona, CBS affiliate, about says she’s “never worked a case and not a missing baby. The case marks the first provided them with specific informa- publicly reported event in which Du - tion” (MSNBC 2005). Bois has been specific in her predictions When a crime story grips the nation, and offered a timeline for a criminal DuBois will typically discuss the event in case. As it turns out, DuBois’s predic- an interview or claim involvement. In her tions not only failed to solve the crime 2005 book Don’t Kiss Them Goodbye, Ryan Shaffer is a PhD can- but were completely wrong. DuBois wrote that she correctly de - didate in the Department DuBois was raised in Arizona and scribed the man involved in the Eliza beth of History, State University still lives in Phoenix with her husband. Smart kidnapping. Dubois wrote that her of New York at Stony Brook. In 2005 she told Dan Abrams of “friend Catherine” (no last name given) His articles have appeared MSNBC that she has “read over 1,200 asked for a profile of the kidnapper, in several magazines, in- people”; in 2006 she claimed to have which DuBois gave, offering vague de- cluding Free Inquiry, Skep- tic, and the Humanist. He performed 2,000 readings (with a wait- tails that matched the kidnapper—that cowrote the article “Psy- ing list of 3,000) (Pierlioni 2006). She he was “a grounds keeper/handyman. He chic Defective: ’s Record of Failure” has long claimed to use psychic powers was a transient, but he managed to func- in the March/April 2010 issue of SI. to help law enforcement, including the tion in society.” DuBois notes, “These

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details could have helped much sooner Interviewer (voice-over): It’s some- if they had been used.” In the middle of thing we all feel and why Allison this narrative, she writes, “All the infor- feels investigators will find this baby boy, but not, she says, in a San mation I provided is on record and ver- Antonio landfill. ifiable.” The problem is that her claims DuBois: I feel like he’ll be found. are not verifiable because she supplies no It does feel like helicopters are names beyond her friend’s first name. overhead. It’s a place they’re already There is no mention of who she talked looking. Interviewer (to DuBois): Do you to or what law enforcement agency or feel like we will find him soon or volunteer group had the information. later? The only public details of DuBois mak- DuBois: Sooner than later. I feel ing a prediction about Smart in 2002 like he’ll be found within the year, came from her 2005 book. In addition, within 2010. The people working this will make sure he’s found. DuBois’s own passage points out that her reading was not used in the high- Much of what DuBois states early profile Smart case. Smart’s family had in the interview—which took place suspected Brian Mitchell was involved more than two months after the events with the kidnapping. Mitchell was cap- in question—had already been re ported tured in the company of his wife and in the press. The reporter said that she Smart on a Salt Lake City street after his planned to share DuBois’s reading from KH1 WENN Photos/Newscom. Allison DuBois image was broadcast on America’s Most the ninety-minute interview with the fate and location of the baby, but Wanted in 2003. Gabriel’s father. However, what the sta- she didn’t. It is reasonable to think that Similarly, during Natalee Holloway’s tion aired was general information: de- a baby who is missing will be found— disappearance a few years later, DuBois tails already reported about the mother’s based on police interviews, a plea bar- appeared on MSNBC’s text messages to the father, the ongoing Rita Cosby Live gain with the mother, or finding the custody dispute, and the actions of the to claim, “You have the right suspects. I child’s body—as has happened in other mean, they’re completely guilty.” Du - mother. DuBois revealed the mother’s high-profile missing-child cases. In any Bois’s information was incorrect. The motive during the KPHO-TV interview, case, DuBois was wrong. Gabriel was case remains un solved and those sus- saying, “I think she did it because she not found in 2010. In January 2011, as pects were not charged. More recently, wanted to hurt the father like she said” police continued to look for him, the a story about a missing baby garnered (emphasis added). As KPHO-TV re- Tempe, Arizona, Police De partment re- national headlines, and Du Bois made a ported, “What she can’t read from leased documents detailing its search, in- prediction that finally put her claims to Gabriel, Allison said she can read from cluding unconfirmable claims from an the test. this video of Elizabeth in court and the unnamed psychic about the baby. The In December 2009, Elizabeth sound of her voice on tape... and she mother had been charged with kidnap- John son took her eight-month-old also looked to the text messages Eliza- ping, child abuse, and custodial interfer- son, Gabriel, from his father in a cus- beth sent Gabriel’s father Logan Mc- ence, with a trial scheduled for later in tody dispute. For the next five days, Queary just after the boy was last seen.” 2011. Her son is still missing. DuBois Eliza beth spent nights in two different The Phoenix New Times pointed out, has emphasized that her statements are hotels with the baby. In the process, “In the final analysis, after devoting based on psychic “feelings” and “impres- she texted messages to the father, nearly four minutes of airtime and a sions.” In particular, Du Bois explained Logan McQueary, saying that she ninety-minute interview to the claims how she feels about the case is based, in killed the baby and threw his body in of a psychic, CBS 5 has told us nothing part, on looking at “a picture of Gabriel, a trash can after wrapping him in a di- we didn’t know a week ago” (King first thing I do is look in his eyes that’s aper. She was arrested on December 2010). my window in to him.” 30 but refused to help police locate the However, DuBois’s prediction that DuBois had a rough start to the new baby. As national interest in the case Gabriel would be found “within” 2010 year. First, CBS cancelled Medium, and grew, police interrogations and inter- was something that no one could have its last show aired in January 2011. Then views with friends and family mem- evaluated at the time. It is important to DuBois received criticism about her De- bers were reported in the news. On note that DuBois made no statement cember appearance on The Real House- March 3, 2010, Allison DuBois spoke about whether Gabriel would be found wives of Beverly Hills, a reality television to CBS 5 (KPHO-TV) about Gabriel alive or dead or where the baby boy show aired on the cable channel Bravo, John son. This is one exchange that was might be. If DuBois is psychic, one in which she visited her friend Camille televised: would expect her to correctly predict Grammer, now ex-wife of famed Cheers

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[SPECIAL REPORT

actor (Phillips 2011). pump’s deceased grandmother. As ported with evidence if they are to be Sipping on a drink and smoking what DuBois started giving Vanderpump a accepted. In response to questions appeared to be a cigarette, DuBois traded reading, the video cut to Taylor Arm - about skeptics, DuBois told the Sacra- insults with other members of the show. strong, who pointed out that what mento Bee: “I’m very proud of what I One of the insults was aimed at Kyle DuBois was saying “didn’t make any do.” Perhaps DuBois is proud of what Richards, who Du Bois said “was every sense.” The show then cut back to Van- she does, but that doesn’t change the girl in a high school that made somebody derpump saying to DuBois, “you don’t lack of proof for her claims and her in- kill herself.” While holding her cigarette, know if she’s with me.” In re sponse correct prediction in baby Gabriel’s DuBois said, “I’m gonna shove this up DuBois told Vanderpump, “You’re case. The evidence, not pride, speaks for her [censored] ass just to prove a point. thinking, I’m feeling; that’s how we are itself. Although the character of Allison Except I think she’d need a bigger one different.” DuBois then followed with DuBois on CBS’s Medium solves crimes by using psychic ability, evidence for DuBois’s ability in the real world is sorely lacking. CBS cancelled Medium, but Viewing Allison DuBois as a case study there is little doubt that the real-life Al- lison DuBois will continue to claim that in psychic ability, we can see that her she helps law enforcement even if she paranormal claims are not backed can’t supply evidence for her claims. n References by evidence. When an incorrect Abrams, Dan. 2005. The Abrams Report. MSNBC (February 8). Anaya, Catherine. 2010. Allison DuBois: ‘Baby prediction is made, even considering Gabriel will be found.’ KPHO-TV (March 3). Available online at www.kpho.com/news/ its likelihood, the psychic fails. 22727234/detail.html. Bell, Ian. 2005. The psychic with a bad memory who prompted a mass superstition. The Her- ald () (September 14). Bravo TV. 2011. Allison’s full rant (video). Feb- just to feel it. Oh yeah, I went there.” In “She was the mother that raised you or ruary 16. Available online at www.bravo response to questions about her behavior, that was the mother you needed and so tv.com/the-real-housewives-of-beverly- hills/season-1/videos/allisons-full-rant. DuBois blamed the show’s editing and do you.” The segment cut to Vander - ———. 2011. Lisa takes on the psychic (video). denied being intoxicated. In early Janu- pump telling the camera, “As soon as February 16. Available online at www.bravo ary 2011, DuBois told The Ex aminer she she said my grandmother raised me I tv.com/the-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills/ season-1/videos/lisa-takes-on-the-psychic. smoked an electronic cigarette, not a real lost interest because she didn’t.” Van- DuBois, Allison. 2005. Don’t Kiss Them Good-bye. cigarette, and added, “I had two to three derpump disputed other claims DuBois New York: Fireside Books. cocktails in four hours and was most def- made by bluntly saying “no” to her as- Gonzalez, Nathan. 2011. Baby Gabriel report re- initely not intoxicated. If it offended any sertions, causing DuBois to look down leased by Tempe police. Arizona Republic (January 18). Available online at www. fans I apologize.” and nervously laugh at one point. In re- azcentral.com/community/tempe/articles/ Then in February, Bravo aired the flection, Adrienne Maloof said the 2011/01/18/20110118baby-gabriel-tempe- now infamous dinner party in a much “reading sounds like a canned state- police-report.html. King, James. 2010. Baby Gabriel will be found, longer format and made clips of the ment.” Clearly, a reading with DuBois psychic claims; glad that’s cleared up. Phoenix show, including “Allison’s Full Rant,” convinced neither Vanderpump nor New Times (March 3). available online. The longer video was Maloof that DuBois is psychic. Phillips, Cheryl. 2011. Allison DuBois speaks about Real Housewives of Beverly Hills dinner more revealing but probably not in the Viewing Allison DuBois as a case party. Examiner.com ( January 3). Avail able o way DuBois wanted. During one part study in psychic ability, we can see that line at www.examiner.com/celebrity-social- of the “full rant,” DuBois angrily told her paranormal claims are not backed media-in-national/allison-dubois-speaks-up- the women at the table about Richards, by evidence. When an incorrect predic- about-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills-dinner -party. “I don’t give a [censored] what she tion is made, even considering its like- Pierleoni, Allen. 2006. The medium has a mes- thinks about me. She can [censored] off. lihood, the psychic fails. Not only have sage; hosting encounters with ghosts comes I can tell you when she’s going to die her claims about working with law en- (super) naturally for Allison DuBois. Sacra - mento Bee ( June 19). and what’s going to happen to her fam- forcement been denied, but third-party Radford, Benjamin. 2005. Psychic detectives fail ily. I love that about me.” evidence supporting the assertion that in the real world but succeed on TV. Skeptical In another clip, appropriately titled she has psychic powers is lacking. This Inquirer 29(2) (March/April). Wilson, Kelly. 2005. Allison DuBois’ ability to “Lisa Takes on the Psychic,” Lisa Van- scenario should be construed as a lesson talk to dead people is taking her on the ride derpump asked DuBois about Vander- to the public: claims should be sup- of her life. East Valley Tribune (April 21).

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[ INVESTIGATIVE FILES JOE NICKELL Joe Nickell, PhD, is CSI’s senior research fellow and author of numerous books, including Looking for a . His website is at www.joenickell.com.

The Séances of ‘Hellish Nell’: Solving the Unexplained

s the Allied Forces prepared for mill worker to unwed mother to wife of a pair of black velvet curtains that hung D-day toward the climax of Henry Duncan, who would father seven from the ceiling and framed an armchair. A World War II, Britain’s highest more children with her while allowing The scene was dimly lit with a red light criminal court was trying celebrity spir- her to support their family with her that produced an “unearthly glow” itualist as a mediumistic séances. (Keene 1997, 101). The medium was first fraud under the 1735 Witchcraft Act. Today, Helen Duncan would be rec- strip-searched by women in an anteroom, Some thought she really was channel- ognized as having a fantasy-prone per- then confined in a large cloth sack that ing spirits from the Beyond. But was sonality (given her imaginary ghost was closed at the neck with a drawstring, the trial even about her questioned friends, claimed magical powers such as and finally bound to the chair with the powers, or was it an attempt to silence , “trance” communications knots sealed with wax. her visionary revelations of top-secret with higher entities, and so on [see Wil- Soon, Duncan was in an apparent naval events? son and Barber 1983]). However, being trance, seemingly evidenced by her loud The case is treated in depth else- fantasy-prone does not preclude also snoring. In time, “” might be where (e.g., Shandler 2006), yet these being fraudulent if one wishes to con- seen creeping from the cabinet. Then treatments maintain an essential mys- vince others that he or she really does Duncan’s “spirit guide,” one “Albert tery of the affair: the precise nature of have special powers—which brings us to Stewart,” would take over, engaging in Duncan’s séance materializations are ectopolasm. banter with the sitters. An ectoplasmic left unexplained. Do clues remain that blob might appear and be regarded as a may help solve this very cold case? Materializations baby’s head; a shrouded figure, then an- Ectoplasm is an imagined substance other, might appear. At times, a sitter ‘Hellish Nell’ supposedly emanating from a medium would be permitted to touch the ecto- Today it is easy to see Helen “Nell” Dun - in a trance state. Repeated exposés have plasm. It would often be described as can (1897–1956) as a successor to both revealed that ectoplasm is typically sim- feeling like soft cloth. One witness the biblical Witch of Endor (1 Samuel ulated with chiffon or cheesecloth. Eas- complained that the spirits were “fat and 28: 7–20) and a pair of nineteenth-cen- ily compressible, these light fabrics are clammy, undoubtedly human,” perhaps tury schoolgirls, Maggie and Katie Fox, ideal for hiding and could—by inviting like Duncan draped in muslin. who launched modern in imagination in the near-dark—simu- At the end of the séance, Duncan 1848. However, forty years later the sis- late the spirit of a baby in a dress or, un- might wander out from behind the cur- ters confessed that their otherworldly folded further, a person in a transparent tain, “Albert” having been kind enough communications had no more substance shroud. to free her from the tied sack. Yet the sack than the alleged spirits themselves Originally, spirit conjurers, such as would be undamaged and the knots in- (Nickell 2001, 194). In the 1940s, spiri- the , would be tied tact and still sealed. It was as if Duncan tualists still produced “materializations” up in a special “spirit cabinet” in which had been dematerialized to pass through (appearances of spirits in the near-dark were placed musical instruments. After the sack (Shandler 2006, 91–92). of séances), al though these were repeat- “spirits” were glimpsed outside the cab- edly exposed as fraudulent. inet and music was heard playing, the- Secrets Born Victoria Helen MacFarlane, ater lights would eventually come on, Duncan was arrested on the evening of the controversial medium had been a and the brothers would be found still January 19, 1944. Well into the séance, schoolgirl with “psychic” tendencies, securely tied, “proving” no trickery was bright lights came on. Although spiri- earning her the sobriquet “Hellish involved (Nickell 2001, 18–27). tualists claimed light could be fatal to a Nell.” She progressed from adolescent Helen Duncan’s cabinet consisted of medium in the entranced state, Duncan

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was only dazed. She, her assistant, and rocket strike on the prison in the sum- can’s arrest in 1944, no trace of white the couple who ran the spiritualist mer of 1944, but she did escape injury cloth had been discovered. Un for tunately, church in Portsmouth were charged (Shandler 2006, 206, 270). while the séance room was thoroughly under the Witchcraft Act, which stated: Duncan’s trial provoked a curt note combed, the detective in charge chose “If any person shall pretend to exercise or from Churchill (1944) to the Home not to have the attendees searched— use any kind of witchcraft, sorcery, en- Secretary, wishing to know “why the Duncan, her husband, her attendant, the chantment, or configuration, or under- Witchcraft Act of 1735 was used in a couple who ran the affair, and the sitters. take to tell fortunes, every person so of- modern Court of Justice” and officials Other detectives tried to catch Duncan fending shall suffer imprisonment by the “kept busy with all this obsolete tom- flagrante delicto by capturing her ectoplas- space of one whole year without bail” foolery.” It has been claimed that Dun- mic cloth. Psychical investigator Harry (qtd. in Shandler 2006, 102). can’s was the last witchcraft trial in Price had a doctor probe her orifices, but The charges against Duncan really Britain, but there was one more convic- when he planned to take X-rays, the resulted from belated assertions that tion under the act before Parliament re- medium ran away. Price wrote a book she was giving away wartime secrets: placed it in 1951 with modern legisla- (1931) suggesting that Duncan swal- twice, it was said, she revealed the sink- tion in the form of the Fraudulent lowed and regurgitated the cloth. Later, ing of a warship—on May 24, 1941, the Mediums Act (Shandler 2006, 217). however, watching a famous regurgitator, Kanich chka, the Human Ostrich, who gagged loudly and brought up only small materials, Price may have harbored doubts about the hypothesis (Shandler Duncan’s trial provoked a curt 2006, 165–66). And what about Duncan’s escape note from Churchill (1944) to the from the bag she was confined in or, on occasion, from a specially designed Home Secretary, wishing to séance suit? Recall that “Albert” freed her from the tied sack whose knots were still know “why the Witchcraft Act sealed. Once in the early 1930s psychical investigators placed her into a special suit of 1735 was used in a that was stitched up the back; at the close of the séance, “Albert” pulled it off and modern Court of Justice.” flung it into the group of spectators, who found it intact while the medium shiv- ered naked behind the curtains (Shandler 2006, 67–69).

great battleship the Hood and again on More Secrets Revelations November 25 of that year, HMS Bar - Not everything was made clear by Materializations are largely a thing of ham. (A rumor claimed she material- Helen Duncan’s trial. True, there was the past, although in recent times I have ized the spirit of a sailor whose cap bore evidence enough of her trickery, includ- sat in dark-room séances including a the latter ship’s name [Shandler 2006, ing the results of a disastrous séance in “direct voice” scenario in which various 40].) Some officials were concerned by 1933. Duncan was observed creating a voices—all sounding like versions of these violations of Prime Minister “Little Miss Peggy” who peeped from a the medium’s—speak through a sup- Winston Churchill’s order to keep all nearby sideboard and lisped a nursery posedly levitating tin trumpet (Nickell naval losses secret. Were Dun can’s rev- rhyme. Duncan created the fake spirit 2004a, 42–43). As a magician and elations merely the lucky result of after- child and could be observed kneeling mentalist, I have studied séance the-fact matching of pronouncements behind a cupboard, manipulating what for years, performing some feats myself and events? Or was she a true medium? proved to be “a woman’s stockinet un- and experimenting with many others Or perhaps a spy? (Surely, if the last dervest” as if it were a sock puppet. As (Nickell 2001, 267–75). Once, under- were true, she was an especially fool- Shandler (2006, 172) describes it, “A cover, I was able to gain access to an hardy one!) dutiful sitter aimed a beam from a out-of-the-way historic séance room at Whatever the case, officials seemed handheld lamp at Duncan. Flooded the spiritualist camp at Cassadaga, to be unwilling to take chances with D- with light, the medium doubled over, Florida, where séances like Duncan’s day approaching. Duncan was jailed, [and] stuffed Peggy up her skirts, pre- had been held under the familiar red tried, and convicted; she lost her appeal sumably the shortest route back to the light (Nickell 2004b). and served out her sentence at Hol- Other Side.” I have researched the cold case of loway Prison. She failed to foresee a Still, at the séance that led to Dun- Helen Duncan’s materializations and

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have turned up some clues. Since Dun- siderable sewing skills to clever use in being gratuitously released by “Albert” can was actually caught and convicted perpetrating her spook-show deceptions. at the end of the séance, she probably of cheating, my hypothesis is that she Consider, for instance, a séance Price accomplished her own escape at the be- was always cheating and that, like both attended. He reports, “The medium ginning of the performance. She then honest and dishonest tricksters, she wore her own garments (a pair of black simulated the appearance of spirits and employed a variety of techniques. My sateen knickers, a man’s coat made of finally tried to disguise what really hap- friend William V. Rauscher (2006, the same material, and a pair of black pened by pretending she had been su- 537), an Episcopal priest and magician stockings).” Although Price says casu- pernaturally released. Her case is a who has exposed many spiritualistic de- ally, “We examined them carefully,” he study in audacity. A current movement ceptions, says that among materializa- does not convince us the examiners to have her posthumously pardoned tion cabinet mediums Helen Duncan turned the coat inside out, unstitched (The Official Helen Duncan Web Site “stands out in the history of psychical the lining, and looked for cheesecloth— 2009) demonstrates her ability to con- research as ultra devious, and even dis- although during the séance she was cov- tinue fooling the gullible from the gusting.” ered head to foot with seeming “yards” grave. n It cannot be doubted that Duncan’s of it (Price 1933, 203). ectoplasm (or teleplasm when used to On other occasions, Duncan might Acknowledgments effect mind-over-matter feats) was have used the search of her person as a I appreciate the research assistance of the cheesecloth. As pointed out by V.J. diversion, allowing a confederate (such as CFI Libraries’ staff, including Director Wooley, in the Journal of the Society for her assistant) to pass the cloth to her after Timothy Binga and librarian Lisa Nolan. Psychical Research (1932), ’s she was searched. Confessed fraudulent References permitted flash photographs reveal that medium M. Lamar Keene (1997, 100– Churchill, Winston. 1944. Letter to Home Secre - “the same holes and crease-marks [in 104) notes that mediums often used this tary, April 3. Quoted in Shandler 2006, 3. the cloth] appeared in the pictures method, along with other techniques. A Gibson, Walter B. 1930. Houdini’s Escapes and evening after evening.” A materialized small kit of materials could even be hid- Magic. New York: Blue Ribbon Books. den in the folds of the séance curtain be- Gibson, Walter B., and Morris N. Young, eds. hand was obviously “a housemaid’s rub- 1953. Houdini on Magic. New York: Dover ber glove.” Moreover, “the only non- forehand or placed there by a confederate Publications. photographic material secured was a while the medium was being searched. Houdini, Harry. 1921. Magical Rope Ties and Es- portion of alleged teleplasm removed (Houdini, who effected handcuff escapes capes. London: , Ltd., 71–77. Keene, M. Lamar. 1997. The Psychic Mafia. from the medium’s mouth [where she from a curtained cabinet, hid his lock- Amherst, New York: . was obviously disposing of the evi- picks and other tools in this manner Nickell, Joe. 2001. Real-Life X-Files: Investi gating dence] at the last sitting. This proved [Gibson 1930, 26–27].) the Paranormal. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky. on analysis to consist of several layers of As to the sewn-up séance suit and ———. 2004a. The Mystery Chronicles: More cheap paper stuck together with white the cloth sack in which she was tied up, Real-Life X-Files. Lexington: University of egg.” Price (1933, 205) discovered Duncan might again have used her Press of Kentucky. ———. 2004b. Investigative notes, “Cassadaga” from one photo that the spirit “Peggy” sewing skills. She could have opened a file, March 22. was “merely a picture of a girl’s head cut seam (say, at the bottom of the sack) to The Official Helen Duncan Web Site. 2009. from a magazine cover and stuck on the free herself. The coils of rope wound Available online at www.helenduncan.org.uk/ cheese-cloth.” about the sack would have presented printpages/print_index.html. Accessed June 23, 2009. If the fake medium did not introduce little difficulty. As Houdini knew (and Price, Harry. 1931. Regurgitation and the Duncan the cheesecloth by regurgitation—and I learned as a boy imitating him), a sin- . London: National Laboratory of Wooley (1932) reminded readers that gle rope wound willy-nilly leaves lots of Psychical Research. ———. 1933. The cheese-cloth worshippers. In “Mrs. Duncan was never seen to swal- slack; so does tying it over a coat or sack Leaves from a Psychic’s Case-Book. London: low or regurgitate anything, nor was any (Gibson and Young 1953, 40). Subse- Victor Gollancz Ltd. foreign substance found in her phar- quently, while as “Albert” she was deliv- Rauscher, William V. 2006. Religion, Magic, and the Supernatural: The Autobiography, Reflec - ynx”—then she hid it somewhere, not ering a soliloquy, the freed medium tions and Essays of an Episcopal Priest. Wood - necessarily inside her body. could have used the time to quickly re- bury, New Jersey: Mystic Light Press. A very important clue, I believe, stitch the opened seam. (Interest ingly, Shandler, Nina. 2006. The Strange Case of Hellish comes from the work she did to support Houdini described various sack es- Nell: The Story of Helen Duncan and the Witch Trial of World War II. Cambridge, Massa - her family before becoming a profes- capes—including “The Spirit Sack”— chusetts: Da Capo Press. sional medium: she was a seamstress. as early as 1921.) Wilson, Sheryl C., and Theodore X. Barber. 1983. Duncan went door-to-door by day— Duncan’s feat would actually have The fantasy-prone personality. In Imagery: Current Theory, Research and Appli ca tion, ed- taking in sheets to be repaired, socks to been far more mysterious had she still ited by Anees A. Sheikh. New York: John be darned, collars and cuffs to be re- been sealed in the bag, since it would Wiley and Sons, 340–90. versed—then worked into the night have been nearly impossible for her to Wolley, V.J. 1932. Review of Harry Price’s Regurgi tation and the Duncan Mediumship. completing the tasks (Shandler 2006, return to the tied position and re-sew Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 27 143). She could well have put her con- the bag from inside. In brief, instead of ( January): 187–90.

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[ NOTES ON A STRANGE WORLD MASSIMO POLIDORO Massimo Polidoro is an investigator of the paranormal, lecturer, and cofounder and head of CICAP, the Italian skeptics group. His website is at www.massimopolidoro.com.

Photos of Ghosts The Burden of Believing the Unbelievable

oday when we see alleged ghost picious. One of Mumler’s most touch- J. Dingwall and magician William S. photographs or films we can easily ing photos, displayed by Sir Arthur Marriott, they devised a plan that con- Tshrug them away, knowing that Conan Doyle during his lectures, was sisted of presenting Hope with a set of with Photoshop or video-editing soft- later shown to be a fake. It showed a glass negatives that had been secretly ware it is a simple matter to create all crowd of mourners at the London marked with X-rays. The trap worked: kinds of fake marvels. However, more Cenotaph on Armistice Day; above the when Hope returned the plates, the one than a century ago when photography crowd was a fog of spirit faces —those containing the “extra” spirit image was still in its infancy, there was no of fallen heroes, it was supposed. How- showed no sign of the markings; this knowledge of trick photography. Seeing ever, it turned out that some of the spir- meant that Hope had switched a pre- photos of ghostly faces and figures float- its were faces of living football players, pared plate for the secretly marked one. ing around in the air must have been and one belonged to the living African “In the above case,” began the Price ac- quite a shock to our ancestors. boxer Battling Siki. cusation that appeared in the Journal of Mumler’s trick was to use double ex- the Society for Psychical Re search, “it can, The Origins of posures, a technique almost unheard of we think, hardly be denied that Mr The practice of spirit photography was in those days, by which he had been William Hope has been found guilty of officially born in 1862 when William H. able to superimpose faces from other deliberately substituting his own plates Mumler, a Boston photographer, discov- pictures onto the pictures belonging to for those of a sitter…. It implies that the ered that in a picture he had taken of his clients. He was accused of fraud and medium brings to the sitting a duplicate himself there also appeared the image of taken to court; at the trial, however, he slide and faked plates for fraudulent his dead cousin. Photographic tech- was acquitted. Mumler later died in purposes.” niques were still at a rudimentary stage: poverty in 1884. Spiritualists denounced the report as the first working photographic process, part of a conspiracy against Hope, and the daguerreotype, had been developed The Case of the Crewe Circle Conan Doyle, who was then vice presi- only twenty-two years earlier by Louis- At the turn of the century, one of the dent of the Society for the Study of Su- Jacque-Mandé Daguerre. Therefore most famous spirit photographers was pernormal Pictures, took up the defenses photography was a relatively young art William Hope (1863–1933), a member of the Crewe Circle. He begged Price to when Mumler announced that he had of the Crewe Circle—a group of spiri- reconsider his position, hoping to settle been able to capture a ghost on film. The tualists from Crewe, England, whose the controversy “in some honorable fash- public rushed enthusiastically to his stu- members appeared to be able to register ion.” Conan Doyle wrote, “It makes an dio to get pictures of dead relatives. the faces of spirits on photographic open sore in the movement.” Price, how- The fundamental technique used by plates simply by holding the plates in ever, refused to recant his report, so every spirit photographer simply in - their hands. It was further claimed that Conan Doyle started working on a pam- volved taking a picture of the client. It the plates could be furnished by Hope’s phlet on spirit photography detailing his was only in the developing process that clients themselves. Even Conan Doyle side of the affair. He talked about the case one or more extras in the form of obtained a picture made in this fashion to Houdini in a letter he wrote on April ghostly faces were added to the photo- resembling his dead sister. 13, 1922: graph. Usually, the clients would rec- However, in February 1922, psychic I have written a book on Psychic ognize in these images a dead relative researcher Harry Price (1881–1948) of Pho tography with special reference or friend. the Society for Psychical Research to the Crewe Circle. The evidence When it was discovered that some (SPR), along with a magician named in their favor is overwhelming, tho’ of Mumler’s most famous pictures con- Seymour, conducted an investigation what happened on a special occasion with 2 amateur conjurers, out for a tained extras resembling people still into the methods of the Crewe Circle. stunt, and a third (Dingwall) behind quite alive, even believers became sus- Along with fellow SPR researcher Eric them is more than I can say. We find

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that another test was independably was that the investigators did not actu- [sic] carried out about the same time, ally give Hope the marked plate in an when the Kodak Co. marked a plate. attempt to frame him, and this is what The mark was found by them all right afterwards, and also an extra. Conan Doyle suggests to Houdini in Our opponents talk of one failure his letter of October 29: and omit the great series of successes. The Hope case is more intricate than However, truth wins and there’s lots any Holmes case I ever in vented. I of time. am sure now that there was trickery Houdini was not impressed. He had on the part of the investigators and that the marked plates were not in tried to get an audience with Hope in the packet when taken to the dark December 1921 but was informed that room. One of them was returned by the medium’s engagements would keep post anonymously undeveloped to the him busy for months. Houdini then S.P.R. Now, since Hope and the Col- lege people knew nothing of the test, asked fellow British magician DeVega until four months later, how could (Alexander Stewart, 1891–1971) if he they return an undeveloped plate, for would sit for a photograph with Hope. how could they pick it out as a During the sitting, DeVega was sure that marked one, since the marking only the slide he had loaded had been shows on development? Clearly it was done by one of the Conspirators, changed for another one and told Hou- and he could not have picked it out dini. His skepticism toward Hope, then, of all the other plates in the dark seemed to be justified. Conan Doyle, room, even if he had access to it. It is however, was still convinced that Hope’s clear to me therefore that it never went to the dark room at all, but was spirit photos were genuine, as he re- taken out before. My pamphlet is ported to Houdini in his letter dated ready but I hold it back in the hope August 6: of learning who the rascal was. William H Mumler from Wikimedia Commons William H Mumler from We seem to have knocked the bot- After receiving this letter, but with- Famous photo of Mary Todd Lincoln with the “spirit” of tom out of the Hope “exposure.” The out revealing his source, Houdini wrote her husband, President Abraham Lincoln. plates were marked by X-rays and we find by experiment that X-ray marks disappear on a 20-second exposure, which was the exact time given. Our time is continually wasted over non- sense of this sort, but I suppose it has to be done. “Mr. Marriott has clearly proved one point, Belief Never Dies which is that a trained conjurer can, Conan Doyle’s letter worried Houdini under the close inspection of three pairs because he had already started to talk publicly about the “unmasking” of the of critical eyes, put a false image upon a Crewe Circle. The magician then con- tacted Harry Price, who at the time was plate. We must unreservedly admit it.” experimenting to see whether X-ray — markings really disappear on exposure. At first the results seemed to confirm Conan Doyle’s theory; however, further experimentation proved that X-rays do not disappear with prolonged exposure, to Harry Price on November 18 asking switched the marked plate for a previ- thus proving that the plates had been whether these allegations were true: ously exposed one, he would still switched. Meanwhile, Conan Doyle “There is a rumor afloat here that the possess the plate that Price had origi- continued working on his pamphlet Crewe circle were ‘framed.’ There is talk nally brought. The controversy between The Case for Spirit Pho tography, which about an undeveloped negative being Conan Doyle and Price would resurface he eventually privately published in the sent back anonymously. Have they any again during the following months, and early twenties. reason at all to claim that they were Houdini would find himself right in However, having lost one possible ‘framed’?” the middle of the two opposing parties. explanation for the disappearing mark- Actually, the return of the undevel- Price, for example, reprinted the re- ing, the spiritualists had to account for oped plate could also be explained by sults of his experiments with the Crewe it in another way. One possible solution Price’s hypothesis of fraud: if Hope had Circle in the booklet Cold Light on

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Spiritualistic Phenomena because, he ex- himself taken by William Hope that, Hope’s work and former secretary of plained in the booklet’s preface, “the when developed, showed the presence of the Society for the Study of Supernor- Journal of the Society for Psychical Re- a spirit extra. Douglas was so impressed mal Pictures, gave a joint lecture along search is printed only for circulation by the phenomenon that he issued a with Major W. Rampling-Rose to the among its Members and Associates.” public challenge to anyone who could SPR to present findings gleaned from The booklet caused quite a stir among duplicate the feat without using psychic an extensive series of tests on the meth- spiritualists, and Conan Doyle en - powers. Marriott accepted the challenge ods Hope used to produce his spirit treated Price for years to take it out of and performed not only in front of Dou- photos. The two, who presented their circulation: “I do feel strongly that the glas but Conan Doyle as well. He pro- case in depth in Volume 41 of the Pro- popular sixpenny pamphlet designed to duced a picture of Douglas and Conan ceedings of the Society for Psychical Re- ruin a man who had 17 years of fine Doyle with a young woman and a picture search, concluded that the “spirit extras” psychic work behind him is wrong ... of Conan Doyle with little fairies danc- that appeared in Hope’s photographs my belief is that you yourself did not ing in front of him. He then explained in were produced fraudulently. It was only write it. However so long as your name detail how he had manipulated the pho- Hope’s death at Salford hospital during is on [it] we can only go for you.” In his tos, and Conan Doyle felt compelled to the publication of the report that ulti- autobiography, Confessions of a Ghost write a public statement: “Mr. Marriott mately ended the debate. The believers Hunter, Price recalled, “Arthur Conan has clearly proved one point, which is would soon start to find extras of his Doyle and his friends ... abused me for that a trained conjurer can, under the face in the spirit photographs of others. years for exposing Hope.” close inspection of three pairs of critical The case of William Hope and his As for the magician Marriott (see also eyes, put a false image upon a plate. We Crewe Circle deserves to be remem- my column “William S. Marriott’s Gam- must unreservedly admit it.” bered today because it shows that it is bols with the Ghosts,” SI, March/ This episode, however, did not con- practically impossible (and futile) to try April 2003), he was able to score a point vince the believers even though the saga to convince someone who wants to be- with Conan Doyle. In 1921 a journalist came to an end in 1932 when Fred Bar- lieve even in the face of quite convinc- named James Doug las had a photo of low, a former friend and supporter of ing contrary evidence. n

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[ THINKING ABOUT SCIENCE MASSIMO PIGLIUCCI Massimo Pigliucci is professor of philosophy at the City University of New York–Lehman College, a fellow of the American Association for the Advance ment of Science, and author of Nonsense on Stilts: How to Tell Science from Bunk. His essays can be found at www.rationallyspeaking.org.

Popper vs. Kuhn: The Battle for Understanding How Science Works

arl Popper and Thomas Kuhn those rare situations in the history of sci- Rowbottom points out that the flash- are two of the towering figures of ence in which a field abandons a frame- point of the controversy was the publi- K twentieth-century philosophy of work in favor of another, as a result of a cation of Criticism and the Growth of science, and for good reason. Some of crisis induced by a mounting number of Knowledge: Pro ceedings of the Inter - their ideas even made it into main- puzzles that cannot be resolved within national Colloquium in the Phi losophy of stream culture and are among the few the context of the old framework. Science, in which the two heavyweights concepts from philosophy of science I recently read an interesting article of philosophy of science went at each that are somewhat known to practicing by Darrell P. Rowbottom, to be pub- other with no punches pulled. scientists. Popper, of course, gave us the lished in Studies in History and Phi - Essentially, Popper’s position was idea of falsifiability as a way of distin- losophy of Science (available on line for that the main role of a good scientist is guishing genuine scientific theories from download at http://users.ox.ac.uk/~sfop that of a critic of established or working pseudoscience. Kuhn introduced the 0262/SHPS.pdf), about a notorious hypotheses. As he put it: “It is the most concept of paradigm shift to indicate controversy between Pop per and Kuhn. characteristic feature of the scientific

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method that scientists will do every- not the theory....It is a poor carpenter an individual scientist to pursue, but thing they can in order to criticize and who blames his tools.” That’s certainly both Popper and Kuhn missed the ob- test the theory in question [i.e., any more like the reality of scientific prac- vious solution: both functions are per- theory being considered]. Criticizing tice, at least according to my experience. formed at the group level, i.e., by the and testing go hand in hand: the theory Of course, Kuhn’s view cannot be ensemble of scientists working within is criticized from very many different the entire story, because certainly Pop- a particular discipline. Some scientists standpoints in order to bring out those per-type criticism of hypotheses does are more inclined or apt to engage in points which may be vulnerable.” I have take place in science, and we need an criticism and others in puzzle solving. Science works well precisely because there is a division of labor that facili- tates the continuous interaction be- tween the two functions. Even so, Rowbottom raises but does not address the obvious crucial follow- Some scientists are more inclined up questions: What is the ideal balance between Popperian and Kuhnian func- or apt to engage in criticism tions in science? And how does that differ from the actual mix between crit- and others in puzzle solving. ical and puzzle-solving scientists that we find on the ground? Are the answers Science works well precisely to these questions different for differ- ent sciences? And if so, why? My expe- because there is a division rience is that there is a far greater num- ber of puzzle solvers than critical of labor that facilitates the scientists around, which is probably a good idea as long as enough critical sci- continuous interaction between entists are funded and their work is taken seriously for the vital part it plays the two functions. in the broader enterprise. It would be interesting for funding agencies and journal editors to actually address this question empirically and to adjust their priorities accordingly. To my knowl- edge, this has never been attempted. There is one more crucial function no idea which scientific laboratories— account of its role within the broader that Rowbottom mentions but leaves as if any—Popper hung around, but this context of scientific progress. Kuhn an unexplored black box: creativity. description surely doesn’t resonate with may have been right that most of the Both critical scientists and puzzle the kind of science that I have seen in time the rules don’t get questioned, but solvers have to get their ideas from action during a quarter century of prac- if they were never questioned we would somewhere, somehow. Yet what tice as a biologist. have no explanation for the occurrence philosophers of science often refer to as Kuhn’s view, on the other hand, was of paradigm shifts to begin with, thus the “context of discovery” (how new that criticism is exceptional (it’s what undermining Kuhn’s own picture of ideas come about) is simply not leads to the occasional paradigm shift) how science works. amenable to the kind of logical analysis and that much of science is what he The idea that Rowbottom explores that philosophers are good at, which called “puzzled solving,” or “normal sci- in his forthcoming paper is that Popper makes them concentrate on the “context ence.” To wit: “Trial attempts [to solve and Kuhn’s disagreement amounted to of justification” (how ideas are tested puzzles], whether by the chess player or a distinction between two functions once they have been thought out). It by the scientist, are trials only of them- within the practice of science, one of strikes me that the context of discovery selves, not of the rules of the game.” criticism (Popper) and one of puzzle is a question for sociologists and psy- Furthermore: “Failure to achieve a so- solving (Kuhn). The debate hinged on chologists of science that remains lution discredits only the scientist and which function was more important for largely unexplored. n

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[ PSYCHIC VIBRATIONS ROBERT SHEAFFER “Psychic Vibrations” has appeared in the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER for the past thirty years. Sheaffer is also author of UFO Sightings: The Evi dence (Prometheus 1998). His website is at www.debunker.com.

2012: Peter Gersten’s ‘Leap of Faith’

awyer Peter Gersten has been a 2012. He thinks that some “trans-di- lieve that some type of cosmic portal well-known figure in UFOlogy at mensional event” will occur, sucking him will be opening at that time and place least since the 1970s. He filed suit into a cosmic portal, where he will prob- and that an opportunity will present L itself. I fully expect that it will either against the CIA in U.S. District Court ably meet the late members of the Heav- lead to the next level of this cosmic in 1977 for release of documents con- ens Gate cult (still wearing their sneak- program; freedom from an imprison- cerning UFOs. This resulted in over ers) as well as Jimmy Hoffa and Judge ing time-loop; a magical Martian-like 900 pages of documents being released, Crater. Gersten writes: bubble; or something equally as ex- although there was little in them that otic. In march 2012 I will reach 70 years of age and nine months later we wasn’t already known. There were fifty- On the Winter Solstice of 2012 at ex- arrive at the cosmic coordinate. I seven pages that were held back due to actly 11:11 UT a cosmic portal will think it will then be time for me to national security concerns. UFOlogists open in Sedona Arizona and a leap of move on—in one form or another. I’d made a big stink about this, claiming it faith—from the top of Bell Rock— like to see what else our Cosmic Com puter has to offer. was proof of a government cover-up. In will propel me through its open- ing. ... my two principal be liefs are: actuality, the files were held back be- 1) that our reality is an intelligently (Gersten removed his original article cause they might allow other nations to designed cosmic holographic pro- from his website, but it has been perma- gain information on U.S. capabilities in gram and 2) that on the Winter Sol- nently cached at www.webcitation.org/ electronic and signals intelligence. For stice of 2012 at exactly 11:11 UT —a 5wTAdInwA.) When I first read about example, there was one instance in Trans-Dimensional Event (T-DE) this, I could not believe that it was true. will occur. ... An article on my web which the CIA listened in on a Cuban site discussing the mayan calendar Had somebody with a grudge against Air Force pilot discussing a UFO end-date states that: There is no reason Gersten made this up? Yet in a sighting. The problem wasn’t the UFO not to take a leap of faith imagining YouTube video (www.youtube.com/wa sighting; it was that we didn’t want the what may be in store (10). So by now tch?v=ndEzEgWZmpw), we see and Cubans to know we’d been able to lis- you must have an idea of what I plan hear Gersten explaining, in his own to do on the Winter Solstice of 2012 at ten in on their pilots’ conversations. exactly 11:11 while on the top of Bell words, his plan to leap into the portal Now retired to Sedona, Arizona, a Rock—a place only a few miles from that he believes will be opening up. He center of a supposed “New Age energy my home. ... most of you will think explains that even if he dies in this leap, vortex,” Gersten says that he plans to that I am delusional and that my in- it is probably good karma to die at a take a “leap of faith” from Bell Rock, a sane act will certainly result in my time of such special cosmic energy. death. Death is inevitable—at least well-known vortexy place in Sedona, at nowadays—and 100 years from now What Gersten and so many others the moment of the solstice: 11:11:11 UT it won’t matter whether I died in do not seem to realize is that from an (4:11 Am in Arizona) on Decem ber 21, 2012 or 2013 or even 2020. But I be- astronomical standpoint, there is noth-

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ing special going on in December of available online at http://badufos.blog when the center of the Sun aligned as 2012. Nada. There will be a transit of spot.com/2011/02/2012-peter-ger- closely as possible with the plane of the Venus across the face of the Sun on the stens-leap-of-faith.html) that there was galaxy at the time of the solstice. In fact, afternoon of June 5, 2012 (the morning no unusual alignment occurring at that since the Sun has an apparent diameter of June 6 in Asia and Australia), which time, Gersten posted a comment dis- of a half-degree (as seen from Earth), is a really special and rare celestial align- agreeing and pointed me to some in- alignments such as these began in 1980 ment (the next one won’t occur until formation about a supposed alignment and will continue until 2016. So there 2117). But clearly that is not what the of the Sun with the galactic equator at you have your grand align ment, which hoopla is about. No alignments are the moment of the solstice. The sup- actually occurred in 1998 and was going to happen around the 2012 win- posed “Grand Cosmic Align ment” of meaningless even then. Why this has ter solstice that do not also happen 2012 is illustrated in figure 1, which I any supposed connection with the 2012

Figure 1. The Sun and the Galactic Equator at the “alignment time” in 2012: close, but no cigar. The actual alignment, for what it's worth, occurred in 1998 and was meaningless even then.

every December. Supposed Bible codes made using Skychart (Cartes du Ciel, a solstice is anyone’s guess. So if I were and ancient calendars simply don’t cut free open source multi-platform pro- Peter Gersten, I’d wait for a much bet- it. No matter how many times non- gram, which I highly recommend). It ter alignment than this before leaping sense is repeated, it still remains non- shows the Sun at the time of the De- off a cliff. sense. I’ve briefly met Gersten a few cember Solstice on December 21, 2012 When I pointed this out, Gersten times, and he is a pleasant fellow. I hope at 11:11:11 UT. The ecliptic is the hor- disagreed again, pointing me to the really that he acquires at least a little bit of izontal line, on which the Sun appears good stuff: Thomas Razetto’s claims common sense on this subject in the to be moving from right to left. The in- about the supposed alignment of the next 643 days (as of March 18; the real- clined line shows the plane of the solstice point with the Great Rift of the time countdown is on Gersten’s website Milky Way, the galactic equator. There Milky Way, also (allegedly) known as at www.pagenews.info/) and does not is your alignment. the Maya Birth Canal (www.infinite ly go through with his mad plan. “But wait,” you might say. “They’re mystical.com/essays/why-maya-picked- When I said on my original blog not really aligned.” 2012.html). This, says Razetto, consti- post on Gersten’s leap (from which this True enough. The actual alignment, tutes the “Sacred Triple Rebirth of column heretofore has been adapted; for what it’s worth, occurred in 1998 the Sun.”

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The “Great Rift,” or “Dark Rift,” of itself “infinitely mystical.” I could make death because of them—there is nothing the Milky Way is simply a big old cloud up a similar cosmic-alignment story for more for the rational person to say. of dust and gas along the Galactic practically any equinox or solstice, throw When faith clashes with reason, faith plane that obscures the stars behind it. in a few planets, and invent some high- wins out nearly every time. Many galaxies have this, not just ours. sounding reason why it signals the be- As for the oft-repeated claims about We have seen that the Sun will not be ginning of a cosmic new age. Most peo- the Sun aligning with the center of the aligned with the galactic equator at the ple don’t realize that the inner planets galaxy, well, it never even comes close. time of the 2012 winter solstice (al- Mercury and Venus spend a lot of time This is illustrated by the X in figure 2. though it would make no difference even (from Earth’s perspective) hanging out in The galaxy’s center does not lie on the if it were), but if you look around hard the vicinity of the Sun, and Mars appears ecliptic, so the sun never reaches it. (Al- enough, you’ll find something that the to move more slowly when it is directly though each December solstice the Sun

Figure 2. The Sacred Tree and the center of the galaxy (X) on December 21, 2012. This is more nonsense.

Sun will be aligned with. In this case, it’s on the opposite side of the Sun from us passes only about five degrees from it. the Milky Way’s Great Rift. Throw a few than at other times. Thus, yes, it also Wow!) planets into the mix, and you can fashion seems to loiter for a long time in the So as you can see, there is absolutely up a “Sacred Tree” (figure 2; the Milky vicinity of the Sun. One must be igno- nothing unusual or special occurring on Way is the trunk of the tree and the four rant of planetary orbits to find any sig- or about December 21, 2012. It’s just the planets make the branches). Razetto ap- nificance whatsoever to having Mercury, same old “when the Moon is in the Sev- parently doesn’t care that Pluto has now Venus, and Mars in the vicinity of the enth House, and Jupiter aligns with been (quite properly) downgraded to the Sun at some random time. But forget all Mars.” I suggest that anyone who has rank of a minor planet. Maybe he should these facts. This is , plain and gotten even a little worried by all the include Ceres, Vesta, Sedna, and Chiron simple, and astrology is ancient supersti- doomsday talk about 2012 go over this in his alignment as well. tion, nothing more. It doesn’t matter information carefully. If you realize that I think any rational person can see where this planet or that planet is. It’s all you’ve gotten all worked up over a Sacred that this “Sacred Triple Rebirth” of the humbug. But since Gersten finds Ra - Tree superimposed over the Maya Birth Sun and the “Sacred Tree” is nonsense, zetto’s claims convincing—so convincing Canal, you’re going to feel rather silly especially coming from a website calling that he is willing to risk almost certain about it. At least I would. n

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[ THE SCIENCE OF MEDICINE STEVEN NOVELLA Steven Novella, MD, is assistant professor of neurology at Yale School of Medicine, the host of the Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe podcast, author of the NeuroLogica blog, executive editor of the Science-Based Medicine blog, and president of the New England Skeptical Society.

What Is Acupuncture?

cientific jargon can be impenetra- of action. Some definitions mention Tra- the insertion of thin needles into acu - ble, but it’s often necessary—ideas ditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and puncture points. Smust be precisely and unambigu- either directly state or imply that acu- Clinical studies into the effectiveness ously defined in order to be useful. It’s puncture works by influencing the flow of acupuncture have evolved over recent difficult to test a vague notion or subject and balance of chi, or life energy. Such years, and there have actually been quite an amorphous concept to examination. notions are little more than prescientific a few well-designed studies that ade- So we must first define what acupuncture superstition, so modern proponents are quately isolate these two variables actually is before we can ask whether often vague on mechanism or refer to (acupuncture points and needle inser- acupuncture works. This is not as easy as highly speculative and unproven physio- tion). For example, many studies com- it might seem. logical mechanisms. Regardless of any pare verum acupuncture (true acu - Acupuncture is often referred to as potential mechanism, there are two fea- puncture in which needles are inserted an ancient Chinese practice, but in ac- tures that seem to define acupuncture: into the alleged proper acupuncture tuality it’s neither very ancient nor ex- the existence of specific acupuncture points for the condition being treated) clusively Chinese. The modern practice points at various locations on the body to sham acupuncture (in which needles of acupuncture is only decades—not and the stimulation of these points by “a are inserted into the “wrong” locations). centuries or millennia, as is often variety of techniques,” most commonly These studies overwhelmingly show claimed—old (Ramey 2010). It has an- inserting thin needles through the skin. that needle location does not matter— tecedents in ancient times, but the prac- So-called electroacupuncture is very verum acupuncture is no more effective tice of needling in Asia was not much problematic in terms of scientific speci- than sham acupuncture (Moffet 2009; different from the practice of blood - ficity, because electrical stimulation Ernst 2009). letting in the West (Novella 2010). through the skin has known physiolog- Some trials also control for the vari- The National Center for Comple- ical effects independent of the existence able of needle insertion, using placebo mentary and Alternative Medicine of acupuncture points. Scientific exper- or simulated acupuncture in which iments are designed to control for as opaque sheaths are used and a dull nee- (NCCAM) has this to say about the many variables as possible; only by iso- dle is pressed against the skin when the definition of acupuncture: lating variables can we say which vari- plunger is depressed, but there is no The term “acupuncture” describes a able is having which effect. Electro - skin penetration. Alternatively, tooth- family of procedures involving the acupuncture mixes variables, making it picks have been used to simulate the stimulation of anatomical points on the body using a variety of techniques. impossible to separate out the ones spe- sensation of acupuncture without going The acupuncture technique that has cific to acupuncture from the effects of through the skin. Again, when this been most often studied scientifically electrical stimulation itself. variable is isolated, it turns out that involves penetrating the skin with Needle insertion also has nonspe- simulated acupuncture works as well as thin, solid, metallic needles that are cific physiological effects independent verum acupuncture. This is true of the manipulated by the hands or by elec- of any notion of acupuncture, but these largest and best trials of acupuncture for trical stimulation. (NCCAM 2011) are likely minimal, transient, and local. the most common uses, such as reduc- It appears the definition of acupunc- So for the purpose of experimentation, ing back pain (Haake et al. 2007) and ture is not tied to any alleged mechanism it is reasonable to define acu punc ture as treating nausea (Enblom et al. 2011).

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Therefore, if we define acupuncture We have known for decades that a and Symptom Management. 37(4) (April): as using needle insertion to stimulate good bedside manner, with some relax- 709–14. Haake, M., H.H. Müller, C. Schade-Brittinger, acupuncture points, and the best scien- ation and encouragement, makes peo- et al. 2007. German acupuncture trials tific evidence shows that acupuncture ple feel better. This may create the illu- (GERAC) for chronic low back pain: Ran - points do not exist (it doesn’t matter sion that whatever specific intervention domized, multicenter, blinded, parallel-group where you stick the needles) and needle accompanies these nonspecific effects is trial with 3 groups. Archives of Internal Medi- cine. 167(17): 1892–98. insertion has no effect (it doesn’t matter itself having some effect. That is the Moffet, H.H. 2009. Sham acupuncture may be as whether or not you stick the needles), very point of scientific experiments: to efficacious as true acupuncture: A systematic then does acupuncture work? I think isolate these variables. And when that review of clinical trials. Journal of Alternative the only reasonable answer is no; there is properly done, it becomes increas- Complementary Medicine. 15(3) (March): 213–16. is no reality to acupuncture or the con- ingly clear that acupuncture (the stick- National Center for Complementary and Al tern - cepts upon which it is based. ing of needles into alleged acupuncture ative Medicine (NCCAM). 2011. Acu - If anything can be said to have a points) does not work. n puncture: An Introduction. Available online measurable effect in acupuncture trials it at http://nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/ is the therapeutic ritual that surrounds References introduction.htm. Novella, S. 2010. Modern bloodletting (blog post). acupuncture (but not the acupuncture it- Enblom A., M. Lekander, M. Hammar, et al. 2011. Getting the grip on nonspecific treat- Neurologica ( July 6). Available online at self). Even these effects are modest and ment effects: Emesis in patients randomized http://theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=2099. nonspecific—they re sult from a subjec- to acupuncture or sham compared to patients Ramey, D. 2010. Acupuncture and history: The tive sense of well-being gained from the receiving standard care. PLoS ONE 6(3): “ancient” therapy that’s been around for sev- e14766. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0014766. eral decades (blog post). Science-Based Medi- kind attention and relaxation that attends Ernst, E. 2009. Acupuncture: What does the cine (October 18). Available online at the acu punc ture ritual. most reliable evidence tell us? Journal of Pain www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=7660.

July 31–August 6, 2011 cosponsored by the James Randi Educational Foundation The Center for Inquiry is pleased to announce its 2011 summer program for children ages seven to sixteen.

We live in an age of discovery and opportunity. Advances in technol- Camp Inquiry 2011’s Special Guests ogy and communication make information more widely accessible— Michael Cardus more facts available at your fingertips but also more fiction claiming Founder of Create-Learning, which provides team - to be fact. Asking the right questions can be difficult enough, but when there are so many answers, how do you decide what's right? building, leadership, and experiential development

Imagination. Investigation. Illumination. Critical thinking extends Jennifer Michael Hecht beyond the science classroom. It serves as a guide not for what to Philosopher, historian, and poet think but how to think and live in the world—how to discover truth and meaning. Are these grown-up concepts? Far from it. The ques- Ronald A. Lindsay tions are ageless and the tools are, too. The spark of inquiry is already there, and Camp Inquiry brings those sparks together in a President and CEO of the Center for Inquiry community of imagining possibilities, investigating claims, and illuminating answers. Benjamin Radford SKEPTICAL INQUIRER deputy editor In its sixth year, Camp Inquiry will take place July 31– August 6 at Camp Seven Hills in Holland, New York. James “ The Amazing” Randi The site boasts 620 acres of woodland paths, meadows, streams, Reknowned investigator of paranormal and and hills perfect for outdoor exploration. Camp Seven Hills is fully pseudoscientific claims insured and accredited with the American Camp Association. With its impressive 5 to 1 camper to counselor ratio, Camp Inquiry is run by a staff of fully screened and trained teacher-counselors, includ- ing a trained medical professional. Activist for science, , feminism, and skepticism

For more information, e-mail Ed Beck at [email protected] or visit our website at www.campinquiry.org.

Skeptical Inquirer | July / August 2011 29 SI July August 11_SI new design masters 5/25/11 12:17 PM Page 30

[ SCIENCE WATCH KENNETH W. KRAUSE Kenneth W. Krause is a contributing editor, books editor, and “The Good Book” columnist for the Humanist and a contributing editor and columnist for the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. E-mail: [email protected].

Women and High-End Science: Nurture or Nature, Prejudice or Preference?

n a letter to King Frederick II of ments were intellectually appropriate, the correct to attribute the gender gap to Prussia, Voltaire wrote of his lover, prominent cognitive scientist Steven persisting discrimination? Was Sum mers IFrench noblewoman Émilie du Pinker responded: “Good grief, shouldn’t justified in suggesting the possibility of Chate let, that he considered her “a great everything be within pale of legitimate disparate abilities? Or perhaps the issue man whose only fault was being a academic discourse, as long as it is pre- is substantially more complicated. If so, woman.” Du Chatelet was privately sented with some degree of rigor? That’s do the statistics represent a serious social trained and, among eighteenth-century the difference between a university and a problem demanding intervention or just females, exceptionally well-versed in madrassa. There is certainly enough evi- a natural and acceptable dissimilarity be- mathematics and physics. Her French dence for the hypothesis to be taken se- tween human genders? translation of Newton’s Principia Math - riously.” Summers resigned the following In the opening pages of a new book e matica remains the definitive text. year, but his provocative challenge—“I on the subject, Ceci and Williams rec- Nonetheless, as Voltaire’s ironic letter would like nothing better than to be ognize that although differences in ap- suggests, du Chatelet was less than de- proved wrong”—was not forgotten. titude occasionally register during early lighted with the plight of intelligent, No one seriously disputes the statis- childhood, “the size of the male advan- science-minded women. Writing around tical facet of female underrepresenta- tage accelerates” later, beginning in pu- 1735, she confessed to “feel the full tion among the higher echelons of the berty (Ceci and Williams 2010, ix–x). weight of prejudice which so universally science, technology, engineering, and By the end of high school, the authors excludes us from the sciences.” Plainly, math (STEM) fields. Recent data from continue, boys are much more likely to du Chatelet believed it was France’s cul- the United States—collected by Cor - be seated at the “right tail of the distri- ture and education system and not the nell University researchers Stephen bution”—in the top 10 percent, 1 per- female brain that was responsible for the Ceci and Wendy Williams—leave little cent, or 0.1 percent. inequity. room for disagreement. In 2005, PhDs Ceci and Williams offer three exam- In 2005, the blazing-hot topic of fe- were awarded to women as follows: 30 ples to illuminate the phenomenon. male underrepresentation in high-end percent in math, 21 percent in com- First, Honors Math 55 (Advanced Cal- science was addressed by American puter science, 14.3 percent in physics, culus and Linear Alge bra) at Harvard economist and then-president of Har- and 8.4 percent in mechanical engi- University. Reportedly the most intim- vard University, Lawrence Sum mers. “In neering. Tenure track university posi- idating math class in the country, the the special case of science and engineer- tions went to women in these propor- majority of enrolling students in Math ing,” he famously suggested, “there are tions: 26.8 percent in math, 20 percent 55 drop out within a few weeks each issues of intrinsic aptitude, and … those in computer science, 16.8 percent in year. The distribution by the bitter end considerations are reinforced by what are physics, and 18 percent in mechanical of 2006 was, for lack of a better word, in fact lesser factors involving socializa- engineering. Finally, full professorships dumbfounding. According to the Crim- tion and continuing discrimination.” were awarded to women as follows: 7.1 son newspaper, “45 percent Jewish, 18 A notoriously impassioned debate en- percent in math, 10.3 percent in com- percent Asian, 100 percent male.” sued. Within a few months, Har vard’s puter science, 6.1 percent in physics, Second, the Scholastic Assessment arts and sciences faculty passed a motion and 4.4 percent in mechanical engi- Test–Mathematics (SAT–M). Twice as demonstrating a “lack of confidence” in neering (Ceci and Williams 2011). many boys as girls achieve a score of their president’s leadership. Conversely, Rather, the real quarrel centers on the 650 (19 percent versus 10 percent) or when asked whether Sum mers’s com- disparity’s likely causes. Was du Chatelet 700 (10 percent versus 5 percent).

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According to Ceci and Williams, “The farther out on the right tail one goes (toward the top 0.01%, or 1 in 10,000), the fewer females there are.” Males, in fact, “are sometimes overrepresented by a factor of 7 or more to 1.” Finally, the Putnam Mathematical Competition—a six-hour intercollegiate test administered every Decem ber to un- dergraduate students in the United States and Canada by the Mathematical Association of America. Putnam winners have gone on to lead illustrious careers in math, and several have become No- belists and Fields Medalists. Pre- dictably, by this point, females are rare among the top five scorers, who are dubbed Putnam Fellows. Since 2000, in fact, only three of fifty-one Fellows were women. Clearly, we have cause to be con- cerned, but researchers aren’t convinced that girls lack the necessary skills. In 2008, for example, a team led by University of Wisconsin psychologist Janet Hyde concluded that at least “for No one seriously disputes the statistical facet of female underrepresentation among the higher echelons of the grades 2 to 11, the general population no science, technology, engineering, and math fields. The real quarrel centers on the disparity’s likely causes. longer shows a gender difference in math skills, consistent with the gender Quest et al. 2010). TIMSS tests were males. How ever, boys didn’t outperform similarities hypothesis,” which proposes generally easier and more sensitive to girls on the most challenging TIMSS that males and females are similar on curricula or institutions; PISA exams problems demanding creative or strate- most, but not all, psychological variables were more difficult and emphasized gic reasoning. “Thus,” the team cau- (Hyde et al. 2008). math literacy and its practical applica- tioned, “comparisons between TIMSS After analyzing the math scores of tion. Together, these data sets repre- and PI SA re garding test difficulty more than seven million students from sented 493,495 students aged fourteen should not be overplayed as support for across the United States, Hyde found to sixteen from sixty-nine nations. the greater male variability hypothesis.” “trivial differences” on average, coupled In terms of math achievement, Else- The second explanation spotlights with some “unexplained” evidence of Quest’s results, like Hyde’s, substan- society-based gender inequities. More slightly greater variability among males. tially support the gender similarities pertinent here, Else-Quest suggests, is Unfortunately, the state-administered hypothesis because the sizes of all mean the gender stratification hypothesis, tests were incapable of assessing the effects were “very small, at best.” The which posits performance gaps closely students’ relative abilities to solve more largest effect was in the space/shape related to cultural variations in oppor- complex problems—in other words, to domain of the PISA, consistent with tunities for females. Indeed, effect sizes test for skills most crucial for advanced historical evidence of male superiority revealed considerable variability across work in STEM careers. in mental rotation skills. The team was nations, and, despite similar achieve- In early 2010, two members of quick to point out, however, that gender ment levels, boys regularly reported Hyde’s team collaborated with Villa - disparities in this area can be mediated more positive attitudes and affects to- nova University psychologist Nicole through appropriate education, as other ward math. So, do societal valuations of Else-Quest to probe the issue more studies have shown. math proficiency among young females broadly and inclusively by evaluating Even so, Else-Quest offered two affect achievement? Consistent with data gathered from two previous stud- possible explanations for the PISA gen- stratification, the team judged that ies, the Trends in International Mathe - der gap. The first is rooted in the “girls will perform at the same level as matics and Science Study (TIMSS) greater male variability hypothesis, their male counterparts when they are and the Programme for International which predicts no discrepancies on av- encouraged to succeed, are given the Student Assessment (PISA) (Else- erage but more top performers among necessary educational tools, and have

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visible female role models excelling in ad vance. They are also more likely than rant, of small magnitude,” and “super- mathematics.” men to possess outstanding verbal com- seded by larger, more sophisticated At about the same time, Ceci, petence and, thus, the additional option analyses showing no bias, or occasionally, Williams, and Cornell colleague Susan to flourish in law, the humanities, or bias in favor of women.” Barnett reviewed more than 400 arti- medicine. In agreement with their most recent cles and book chapters to reconcile According to Ceci and Williams, work, Ceci and Williams surmised in- competing claims of biological and so- “The tenure structure in academe de- stead that the gender gap results prima- ciocultural causation (Ceci et al. 2009). mands that women who have children rily from women’s career preferences In the end, they pronounced the evi- make their greatest intellectual achieve- and fertility and lifestyle choices, “both dence for each contention to be both ments contemporaneously with their free and constrained.” Adolescent girls contradictory and inconclusive. greatest physical and emotional achieve- tend to gravitate toward careers focus- First, if underrepresentation were ments, a feat fathers are never expected ing on people as opposed to things, the solely the function of ability, women to accomplish,” resulting in career couple found, and female PhDs inter- should still occupy at least twice as choices “men are not required to make.” ested in childrearing are less likely to many high-end science positions as But in order to counteract the “child- apply for or maintain tenure track po- sitions. As a secondary explanation, Ceci and Williams again pointed to ev- idence for upper-tail disparities in cog- nitive ability. “The tenure structure in academe The authors briefly addressed the thorny question of solutions as well, demands that women who have emphasizing the need to move beyond children make their greatest intellec- historical causes. But if the existing bases of female underrepresentation are tual achievements contemporaneously mostly a function of female prefer- ences—for non-math or less math-in- with their greatest physical and tensive careers, or for reproduction and emotional achievements, a feat fathers childrearing—is it really “underrepre- sentation” in any meaningful sense of are never expected to accomplish....” the word? If so, does it represent a problem justifying remedies involving — Stephen Ceci and Wendy Williams sacrifices from others, average taxpayers in particular? Perhaps some arrange- ments would benefit many and harm none. But others implicating the com- mitment or reallocation of valuable re- they do. Second, although women still bearing penalty,” as they term it, the sources ought to be vetted thoroughly experience unequal childrearing re- team suggests that universities consider at all levels of society. n sponsibilities in many if not all cultures, deferred start-up tenure track positions such inequity should result in women and part-time work that segues into References having inadequate time for all profes- full-time tenure track employment as Ceci, S.J., and W.M. Williams. 2010. The Math- ematics of Sex: How Biology and Society Con- sional careers to the same degree, which children mature. spire to Limit Talented Women and Girls. New doesn’t seem to be the case. Finally, on February 7 of this year, York: Oxford University Press. Disparate abilities and cultural atti- Ceci and Williams published a hard- ———. 2011. Understanding current causes of women’s underrepresentation in science. Pro- tudes might play important roles, the hitting and no doubt divisive paper ad- ceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, trio agreed, but only a “confluence of dressing persistent and pervasive claims USA. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1014871108. factors” can account for all salient data. of sex discrimination in interviewing, Ceci, S.J., W.M. Williams, and S.M. Barnett. 2009. Women’s underrepresentation in sci- “Of these factors,” they concluded, “per- hiring, and grant and manuscript re- ence: Sociocultural and biological considera- sonal lifestyle choices, career prefer- viewing (Ceci and Williams 2011). tions. Psychological Bulletin 135(2): 218–61. Else-Quest, N.M., J.S. Hyde, and M.C. Linn. ences, and social pressures probably ac- After reviewing twenty years of data, 2010. Cross-national patterns of gender dif- count for the largest portion of Ceci and Williams—married with three ferences in mathematics: A meta-analysis. variance.” Math-proficient women tend daughters of their own—decided that Psychological Bulletin 136(1): 103–27. Hyde, J.S., S.M. Lindgerg, and M.C. Linn. 2008. to prefer non-math careers and are the evidence of discrimination against Gender similarities characterize math per- more likely to relinquish them as they women in math-intensive fields is “aber- formance. Science 321: 494–95.

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[ SKEPTICAL INQUIREE BENJAMIN RADFORD Benjamin Radford is a research fellow at the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and author or coauthor of five books, including Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast in Fact, Fiction, and Folklore.

Is There a 100C Grain of Truth to Homeopathy?

I recently read the book 13 Things That Don’t Make Sense by Michael Brooks. The last chapter, which was on homeopathy, indicated that : some researchers have found validity to homeopathy. Is there any truth to this claim? Q —R. James

It’s fitting that home - research showing that homeopathy is ef- claims made about homeopathy have opathy was included in a fective? In March 2010, the British Sci- never been tested. For example, the book about things that do ence and Technology Select Committee director of the Royal London not make sense, because released the results of a comprehensive Homeopathic Hos pi tal, Peter Fisher, asserted that for homeopathy to homeopathy is one of the analysis of whether homeopathy has any work it is very important that the so- world’s best known “alter- scientific validity. The report is devastating lutions be shaken. Asked how much native medicines” that is to the pseudoscience of homeopathy: shaking is required to make sure that ineffective and does not make any sense. The Committee concluded—given the medication is effective, Fisher Homeopathy was invented about 200 that the existing scientific literature said he didn’t know because that years ago by a German doctor named showed no good evidence of effi- issue “has not been fully investi- Samuel Hahne mann. He believed that cacy—that further clinical trials of ho- gated.” This is a stunning and reveal- medicines actually become more effec- meopathy could not be justified. . . . ing admission from one of England’s top experts on homeopathy. Home- tive the more they are diluted—an idea The Committee carried out an evi- dence check to test if the Govern - opathy has been around for over two contrary to what we know about ment’s policies on homeopathy were centuries, and yet during all that time physics and pharmacology. If homeop- based on sound evidence. The Com - apparently not a single homeopathy athy worked, it would imply that water mittee found a mismatch between the practitioner has bothered to do any has “memory” (Novella 2011), violating evidence and policy. . . . There is no ev- scientific testing to find out how to basic rules of physics and science. idence that homeopathy works beyond make sure the product is effective. n Homeo pathic medications are often so the placebo effect. . . . The Committee concurred with the Govern ment that literally watered-down that they don’t the evidence base shows that homeop- References contain a single molecule of the original athy is not efficacious and that expla- Ernst, Edzard. 2010. Homeopathy: What does medicine or substance. Depending on nations for why homeopathy would the ‘best’ evidence tell us? The Medical Journal how di luted the solution is—ex pressed work are scientifically implausible. . . . of Australia 192(8) (April 19): 458–60. on the label as X (a ten-fold dilution) Given that the existing scientific liter- House of Commons (United Kingdom). 2010. MPS urge government to withdraw NHS or C (a 100-fold dilution)—there may ature showed no good evidence of ef- ficacy, further clinical trials of home- funding and MHRA licensing of homeopa- be no active ingredient left in the “med- opathy could not be justified. thy. Report from Science and Technology ication”; it is just water. Homeopathic Committee (February 22). Available online at medicines have not been shown to work (See also Ernst 2010 for more on the www.parliament.uk/business/committees/ pseudoscience of homeopathy.) any better than placebos, yet many people committees-archive/science-technology/s-t- Even professional homeopathic homeopathy-inquiry/. use and endorse homeopathy. prac titioners admitted in testimony Novella, Steven. 2011. The memory of water. SKEP- Is there a body of quality, peer-reviewed be fore the Committee that basic TICAL INQUIRER 35(3) (May/June): 28–29.

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The 9/11 Truth Movement: The Top Conspiracy Theory, a Decade Later After ten years, the pesky 9/11 Truth movement has refined its arguments but still hasn’t proved the attacks were an inside job. Their key claims are refuted on multiple grounds. DAVE THOMAS

he conspiracy theories started flying just days after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, DC. Over the T decade since, several technically elaborate claims have been refined by the “9/11 Truth” movement. Do these intricate arguments—including the rapid collapses of the towers, alleged evidence of thermite usage at Ground Zero, and the collapse of World Trade Center (WTC) 7 (a forty-seven-story building damaged by the fall of WTC 1) “into its own footprint at freefall acceleration”— disprove the mainstream consensus that the September 11, 2001, attacks were the work of al-Qaeda terrorists using hijacked airplanes? In a word: No. SI July August 11_SI new design masters 5/25/11 12:17 PM Page 35

The Players physics easily shows that the tower col- of the proposition that the United Dylan Avery and Jason Bermas, the cre- lapses could not have happened from States secretly carried out the Sep - ators of the low-budget documentary gravity alone. He claims this proves that tember 11 attacks. This report will ex- film Loose Change, did much to give the explosives must have been used. amine the most enduring and oft cited 9/11 Truth movement significant mo- In the past few years, architect Rich - of these claims: “free fall” of the towers, mentum in 2005 and in following years. ard Gage’s group, Architects and Engi- reports of thermite and molten steel, The film, which has undergone several neers for 9/11 Truth (AE911 Truth), has and WTC 7’s curious collapse. Some of revisions, has been shown on many tel- provided “Truthers” with the ability to the factions that have developed (such as the “no-planers”) will also be de- evision stations but is primarily an In- claim that thousands of engineering and architecture professionals demand a new scribed briefly. ternet and DVD phenomenon. Its basic investigation into the cause of the attacks. claims are that Flight 77 could not have Claim One: Gage travels the world giving presenta- accounted for the damage at the Penta- “The Twin Towers collapsed at tions, and his group puts on news con- gon, that the Twin Tower fires were in- free-fall accelerations through ferences and mock debates several times sufficient to cause their collapse, and the path of greatest resistance.” a year (but most often around September that cell phone calls from the hijacked 11, the anniversary of the attack) Perhaps the most bizarre aspect of Sep- airplanes would have been impossible at (Thomas 2009; Thomas 2010c). tember 11 was the rapid destruction of the time (Avery 2009). Hollywood stars who have publicly both 110-story Twin Towers: after the David Ray Griffin is a theologian supported 9/11 Truth claims include collapses began due to cascading struc- whose voluminous writings on 9/11 are Rosie O’Donnell, Charlie Sheen, and Ed tural failures at the airplane impact lo- frequently cited by other 9/11 theorists. Asner. Sheen often talks 9/11 with cations, each tower fell completely in NASA scientist Ryan Mackey has writ- radio host Alex Jones (www.infowars. just fifteen to twenty seconds. Main- ten a very thorough critique of Griffin’s com). These celebrities frequently cite stream scientific analyses, including claims (Mackey 2008). (and sometimes mangle) claims made by years of work by the National Institute Once known as Fleischmann and Truther proponents like Griffin and of Standards and Technology (NIST), Pons’s competitor for “cold fusion” re - Gage. Former wrestler and Minnesota generally looked at the cause of each search in Utah, Steven Jones has written governor Jesse Ventura has done two collapse: the intense fires (started by jet several 9/11 Truth articles. His work with 9/11 conspiracy shows on his TruTV fuel and fed by office contents and high others (including chemist Niels Harrit of series Conspiracy Theory (see “Dave winds) eventually caused floor trusses Denmark) on detecting nanothermite in Thomas vs. Jesse Ventura: The Skepti- to sag, pulling the perimeter walls in- WTC dust is frequently cited as “peer- cal Smackdown” on page 41). ward until they finally snapped. At this reviewed re search” that proves “inside job” instant, the entire upper section of each claims. The Claims tower fell the height of one floor, initi- Physics teacher David Chandler has As with any well-developed pseudo- ating an inevitable, progressive, and ut- produced several papers and Internet science, literally thousands of individual terly catastrophic collapse of each of the vid eos contending that high school arguments can be advanced in support structures.

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9/11: Conspiracy Theories Ten Years Later

While the mainstream explanation “80,000 tons of structural steel,” would comes to over 420 billion joules of en- (dismissed as the “official story” by 9/11 simply resist collapse. ergy, or the equivalent of 100 tons of Truthers) usually ends with the initia- How could the buildings fall so TNT per tower. This energy, which tion of these unstoppable collapses, the quickly? It’s been explained very well in was re leased completely during the 9/11 Truth movement’s attacks begin the technical literature by North- collapses, is more than the energy of there. Gage of AE911 Truth says on western’s Zdenek Bazant, PhD, and some of the smaller nuclear weapons that group’s website, “Destruction [of others (see, for example, Bazant 2008). in the U.S. arsenal, such as the W-48 the Twin Towers] proceeds through the I’ve developed a simpler physics model (72 tons TNT) (Sublette 2006). This path of greatest resistance at nearly free- of the progressive collapses that agrees is where the energy required to break fall acceleration” (Gage 2011; emphasis quite well with the main points of columns, pulverize concrete, and expel added). Many 9/11 Truther pundits Bazant’s more rigorous results (Thomas debris through windows came from. drop the “nearly” and say simply that 2010b). Here are some of my findings: (Truthers often compare such expul- the collapses were at free fall. Truthers • Each floor of the towers contained sions of air and debris, visible several then insist that free fall acceleration in- over two million kilograms of mass. floors below the collapse fronts, to dicates a complete lack of resistance, The gravitational potential energy of “squibs,” explosive devices often used proving that the structures were demol- a standing tower with twelve-foot in demolitions. However, they are ished with explosives. We are also told floors extending up ward 110 stories readily explained by pressure changes that the sheer mass of the towers, can be calculated straightforwardly; it as the towers, acting like a gigantic bi-

Anatomy of the WTC Collapse

A B C

D E F G

In this stylized diagram (not to scale), a few steps in the collapse of one of the towers are illustrated. The first drawing, which shows a tower about an hour after the plane’s impact, indicates that the heated and sagging floor trusses are putting considerable stress upon the outer perimeter walls (A). The failure of the perimeter walls marks the start of the collapse at time zero (B). As the upper section falls twelve feet, it attains a velocity of 19 mph (C). As the upper section breaks, striking and incor- porating the first floor, its reduced momentum results in a slightly slower speed of about 18 mph (D). It takes less than half the previous fall time to drop the next twelve feet, as the upper section now has a head start; it ends this drop with a speed of about 26 mph (E). Another brief collision slows the growing upper section to about 24 mph (F), after which it drops another twelve feet, attaining a speed of about 31 mph (G). The collapse continues in this manner, with major increases of speed during the free-falls between floors and much smaller reductions of speed as each floor is broken and consumed by the growing mass. Although there is resistance at every step, there is less time between the collapses of each successive floor due to the ongoing speed increases. The very bottom floors are crushed in just 0.07 seconds at speeds of over 100 mph. The total time for the collapse is on the order of fifteen seconds.

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cycle pump being compressed, col- • Once progressive collapse began, that his estimate of the downward im- lapsed.) there were decreasing time intervals of pact force was too low by a factor of one free fall (between floors), punctuated hundred. In addition, I found that the •The Twin Towers used a “tube within by very brief, incredibly violent colli- actual process—a series of twelve-foot a tube” architectural design, which pro- sions—decelerations—of the upper free falls punctuated by violent and vided considerable open office space in mass, for each floor in turn. There was brief collisions with each floor—would the interiors of the Towers. Much of resistance at every step of the collapse, have re sulted in an average acceleration the structural support was provided by as the upper section collided with and of precisely what Chandler measured for a dense grouping of thick central core incorporated each floor below. Con - the start of the collapse of WTC 1, columns in the interior and the per - serva tion of momen tum shows that the namely 2/3 g. (By the end of the col- imeter walls on the outside. When the reductions in falling speed were slight lapse, my calculations indicate an aver- towers began to collapse, large parts of as each floor was impacted, going as age acceleration of only 1/3 g, but this the inner cores (called “the Spires” in the ratio of floors before to floors after can’t be measured in dust-obscured 9/11 Truth circles) were actually left (e.g. 14/15, or about 94 percent, for videos.) standing, briefly, before they, too, top- the first impact). Accordingly, the pled over. The perimeter walls were upper section fell from rest to about largely forced to peel outward in large 19 mph, was slowed down to 18 mph sections, producing the iconic images by the first impact, continued to fall of Ground Zero with which we’re all until a speed of 26 mph was reached, familiar. Between the outer perimeter was then slowed down to 24 mph by and the inner core, the weight of the another impact, and so on. While the upper sections plowed through one first plunge lasted about nine-tenths floor after another, breaking the floor of a second, the upper section took connection brackets and support col - only four-tenths of a second to fall umns, pulverizing concrete decks, and through the next floor, three-tenths of gaining momentum and mass with a second for the next one, and so on each additional floor failure. Had the until the bottom floors, which were buildings been constructed differently crushed at a rate of just seven-hun- (the Port Authority was allowed to cir- dredths of a second each, at speeds of cumvent some existing New York over 100 mph. Yes, there was resist- buildings requirements for the Towers), ance at every step, as many tons of the collapses might not have even hap- structural steel was demolished; yet pened (Young 2007). the entire process, like an avalanche, lasted only fifteen to twenty seconds, • Even the 9/11 Truth movement’s most about 50 to 100 percent longer than The thermite reaction is very hot, but it is also very eminent physicists are confused about true “free fall” would have lasted. the basic principle of the difference be- slow compared to high explosives. tween static and dynamic forces. A • Physics teacher David Chandler’s piece of paper, taped across a jar’s open- meas urements of the first seconds of Claim Two: ing, will support a heavy coin such as a the collapse of the North Tower “Nano-thermite and military- quarter indefinitely (static load). How- (WTC 1) showed that it fell with in- grade explosives were found ever, if the coin is dropped from just a creasing speed but at only two-thirds in dust from the towers. few inches up, it will tear right through of gravitational acceleration (g) (Chan- Tons of melted steel were the paper (dynamic load). Given the dler 2010). Chandler argues that this found in tower debris.” means the bottom section exerted a information at hand—for example, the Real controlled demolitions commonly constant upward force of one-third of mass of the upper section of the north use explosives to topple large buildings. the upper section’s weight upon its tower (fifty-eight million kilograms), However, the hallmarks of actual dem- mass, and he declares that this force the distance it fell (3.8 meters, about olitions (the characteristic “boom- should have been much larger, indi- twelve feet), and the stiffness/rigidity boom-boom-boom” sounds and the cating that “some sort of controlled of the lower structure itself, the dy- flashes of high explosives) were com- demolition was at work.” namic force imparted on the lower sec- pletely absent in Manhattan on the tion can be estimated as some thirty • Second, Chandler argues that being a morning of September 11, 2001. Many times the upper portion’s weight. This Newtonian action/reaction pair, the im- 9/11 Truth advocates, including archi- is many times the lower structure’s pact force of the upper section on the tect Richard Gage, insist that high ex- safety margin, which ex plains why it lower section was only a third of the plosives must have been used to bring was quickly overwhelmed. upper part’s weight. However, I’ve found down the Twin Towers, as they say this

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is the only process that can possibly ex- lots of flame and smoke but no actual material.” But while thermite may be plain the “ejection of debris hundreds damage to the massive I-beam tested. slow, it does not stop its reaction once of feet from the towers.” However, they However, Ventura’s TruTV Conspiracy it has begun. Be cause thermite supplies simultaneously insist that thermite or a Theory show slyly passed it off as a its own oxygen (via iron oxides), it can derivative (thermate, nanothermite, rousing success (Thomas 2010a). even burn underwater. Sug gesting that etc.) was used instead, so as to topple the samples show partially reacted ther- • Niels Harrit and Steven Jones, along the towers quietly. (This is but one of mite is preposterous. Claiming that with several coauthors, published the many instances in which 9/11 Truth thermite would explain molten pools of “peer-reviewed” paper “Active Ther- claims flatly contradict each other.) steel weeks and months after the attack mitic Material Dis covered in Dust Thermite itself fails as an explanation is equally preposterous. from the 9/11 World Trade Center for the destruction of the Towers on Catastrophe” in the Bentham Open • The article’s publication process was many levels: Chemical Physics Journal (Harrit 2009). so politicized and bizarre that the ed- • The thermite reaction, which takes This article does not make the case itor-in-chief of the Bentham journal place between iron oxide (rust) and for thermite use on 9/11. The paper that featured Jones’s article, Marie- powdered aluminum, is practical for examined “distinctive red/gray chips” Paule Pileni, resigned in protest welding train tracks in the field and found in WTC dust (unfortunately, (Hoffman 2009). for destroying engines of vehicles that with no chain of custody for the dust), • Thermitic demolition should have must be left behind during combat and these were claimed to be ther- created copious pools of melted steel operations. The self-sustaining reac- mitic because of their composition at Ground Zero, but nothing remotely tion, once initiated with heat, pro- (iron oxides and pure aluminum) and like this was ever found. Truthers say duces significant volumes of molten other chemical properties. However, iron, which can melt and cut iron the presence of rust and aluminum iron microspheres found in the rubble structures beneath it. For thermite to does not prove the use of thermite, indicate thermite; since hot fires and melt through a normally vertical steel because iron oxide and aluminum are spot-welding do produce very tiny beam, however, special high-temper- found in many common items that spheres of iron, though, these “micros- ature containment must be added to existed in the towers. Furthermore, pheres” are not unexpected. Pictures of prevent the molten iron from simply the authors admit that their “differen- cranes holding red-hot materials in dropping straight down uselessly. The tial scanning calorimeter” measure- the rubble are said to show molten thermite reaction is very hot, but it is ments of the supposed thermitic ma- steel. Had this been the case, however, also very slow compared to high ex- terial showed results at about 450 the crane rigs would have immedi- plosives. Thermite is simply not prac- degrees C below the temperature at ately seized up (Blanchard 2006). tical for carrying out a controlled which normal thermite reacts (Fana No reports of “molten steel” in the demolition, and there is no documen- 2006). Finally, the scan of the red side tower basements have ever been cred- tation of it ever having been used for of the “thermitic material” of Har - ibly verified (Roberts 2008). Some that purpose. rit/Jones is a dead-on match to material Truthers claim that a few pieces of Jones himself identified as “WTC Steel • Jesse Ventura hired New Mexico Tech sulfidized “eutectic” steel found in the Primer Paint” in his Hard Evidence to show how nanothermite can slice towers proves thermate (thermite Down Under Tour in November of through a large steel beam. The exper- with sulfur) usage, but this occurred 2009 (“Sunstealer” 2011). iment was a total failure—even in the because sulfur, released from burned optimum (horizontal) configuration, • Harrit’s article describes the red portion drywall, corroded the steel as it stewed the layer of nanothermite produced of the chips as “unreacted thermitic in the pile for weeks (Roberts 2008).

Thermite is simply not practical for carrying out a controlled demolition, and there is no documentation of it ever having been used for that purpose.

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could even be considered a design flaw. Its failure would have collapsed the building even without the other struc- How Will tural damage from WTC 1’s collapse bin Laden’s and the fires. Death Affect the • WTC 7’s brief 2.25 seconds of free fall 9/11 Truth is now the Truthers’ best “smoking gun.” The claim usually goes like this: “The Movement? fifty-eight perimeter columns would “9/11 was an Inside Job” banners have resisted and slowed the collapse to were nowhere to be seen at the spon- much less than freefall. The ‘freefall’ of taneous celebrations at Ground Zero WTC 7, admitted to by NIST, proves and the White House upon the an- it was controlled demolition.” The nouncement of the death of Osama bin problem is that this is a straw man ar- Laden at the hands of U.S. Navy SEALS gument. NIST found the collapse oc- on May 1, 2011. And, in a stunning ap- curred in three stages. The first stage, parent reversal of his position on 9/11, which lasted 1.75 seconds, is when the Charlie Sheen tweeted “Dead or Alive. WE PREFER DEAD! Well done SEAL Courtesy of the Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress and Photographs Courtesy of the Prints fifty-eight perimeter columns were team! AMERICA: #WINNING that’s how Claim Three: buckled; during this interval, the we roll.... c.” “Tower 7, which wasn’t hit rooftop actually fell only about seven Bin Laden’s apprehension will do by a plane, collapsed neatly feet. This is because the breaking of little to change the minds of dedi- into its own footprint.” columns saps speed, indeed making the cated 9/11 Truthers, however. The day collapse slower than free fall. In the sec- after bin Laden’s death was an- The enigma of WTC 7 is becoming in- ond stage, which lasted 2.25 seconds, nounced, 911blogger.com was flood - creasingly popular in Truther circles. the already-buckled columns provided ed with comments like these in its We’re told that it wasn’t hit by a plane negligible support, and the north face comment sections (http://911blog- and was subjected to just a few “small of the structure free-fell about eight ger.com/news/2011-05-01/sources- al-qaida-head-bin-laden-dead): office fires.” Yet it collapsed anyway, late stories. (Try taking a plastic drinking in the afternoon of September 11, straw and buckling it by folding it over • “So, they buried Osama bin Laden “falling neatly into its own footprint at and then pushing down on the bent AT SEA! Incredible....Just like at freefall acceleration, just like a normal straw with your hand. The crimped the WTC, the Pentagon and that controlled demolition.” In particular, straw provides almost no resistance to field in PA, they disposed of the evidence.” Truthers point to a brief period of vertical forces, and neither did the freefall (2.25 seconds) that was con- buckled columns of WTC 7.) The • “This is cover for the 10th firmed by NIST in its WTC 7 final re- third stage described by NIST, which anniversary, which is just port (Sunder 2008; NIST 2010) as lasted 1.4 seconds, was again less-than- around the corner.” proving that the building was purposely free fall, as the structure fell another 130 • “I think Osama bin rottin’ imploded. However, WTC 7, too, fails feet as it impacted more non-buckled for years now.” to prove 9/11 was an “inside job”: structures toward the bottom of the • “I don’t know when Bin Laden • What is often conveniently left out of building (NIST 2010). died, or even if he’s dead though the story are actual reports from • The other half of the equation is that I think we can assume that he is NYFD firefighters at the scene, which WTC 7 resembles a “classic controlled dead. We also know he didn’t describe huge, raging, un fought fires on demolition” because it supposedly “im- topple the towers. He may have thought he was flying planes into many floors at once and visible defor- ploded, collapsing completely, and the towers, he may not have.” mations and creaking of the building landed in its own footprint” (Gage prior to its collapse (Roberts 2008). 2011). In actuality, it twisted and tilted • “Our top Special Ops team, with Tower 7 was not hit by an airplane; over to one side as it fell, and parts of night vision goggles, that could however, it was struck by a 110-story the building severely damaged two hit a dime from far away, could not hit his gun hand?” flaming skyscraper, the North Tower. neighboring buildings (the Verizon The fires raged for hours, and they and Fiter man Hall structures). When • “I wonder if the people that eventually caused a critical column challenged with the obvious fact that created Obama's Birth Certificate (#79) to fail because of thermal ex - Tower 7 spilled far outside its footprint, will be the same ones that create pansion; NIST determined that this however, Truthers will often change Osama's Death Certificate.” column was crucial to the building and their tune and start saying that any re-

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over Steven Jones’ paper. Danish Science News Service (April 28). Available online at http://vi- denskab.dk/content/dk/naturvidenskab/chefre 9/11 Internet Resources daktor_skrider_efter_kontroversiel_artikel_om _911. (Translation available online at The James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) Forum http://screwloosechange.blogspot. http://forums.randi.org, 9/11 Conspiracy Theory area. com/2009/04/bentham-editor-resigns-over- steven.html.) If you need every single 9/11 Truth claim sliced and diced a Mackey, Ryan. 2008. On debunking 9/11 de - thousand ways, this is your site. bunking: Examining Dr. David Ray Griffin’s latest criticism of the NIST World Trade Cen- Mark Roberts (“Gravy”) ter investigation. Journal of De bunking 911 Con- spiracy Theories 1(4). Avail able online at http://sites.google.com/site/wtc7lies. www.jod911.com/drg_nist_review_2_1. pdf. Screw Loose Change blog NIST. 2010. Questions and answers about the http://screwloosechange.blogspot.com. NIST WTC 7 investigation (updated Sep tem - ber 17). Available online at www.nist.gov/ AE911Truth.Info (Joseph Noble) public_affairs/factsheet/wtc_qa_082108.cfm. Roberts, Mark. 2008. World Trade Center building “Answering the questions of Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth” 7 and the lies of the ‘9/11 Truth movement.’ http://ae911truth.info/wordpress/. Available online at http://sites.google.com/site /wtc7lies/introduction. 9/11 Myths: Reading between the Lies Sublette, Carey. 2006. Complete list of all U.S. nu- clear weapons. Nuclear Weapon Archive Or- www.911myths.com/indexold.html. ganization. Available online at http:// nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Weapons/All- bombs.html. Sunder, Shyam, Richard G. Gann, William L. semblance to a natural collapse is part ments, or will it stick with the polished Grosshandler, et al. 2008. NIST Final Report of the cover-up. claims discussed here? Either way, it on the Collapse of World Trade Center Build- ing 7. Available online at http://wtc. appears this American conspiracy the- nist.gov/NCSTAR1/PDF/NCSTAR%201A. Factions within 9/11 Truth ory classic is here to stay. n pdf. “Sunstealer.” 2011. The sad case of Niels Harrit. Early on, it was mainly MIHOP (“Made JREF forum. Available online at http:// it happen on purpose”) versus LIHOP References forums.randi.org/showpost.php?p=6959549. (“Let it happen on purpose”). Nowadays Avery, Dylan. 2009. Loose Change 9/11: An Ameri- Thomas, Dave. 2009. How I debated a 9/11 can Coup. Distributed by Microcinema Inter- Truther and survived. Skeptical Briefs 19(4) most serious Truthers down-pedal the national. Released September 22. (December). Available online at www.csicop. “no-planers,” who say no plane hit the Bazant, Dzenek, J. Le, F.R. Greening, and D.B. org/sb/show/how_i_debated_a_9_11_truther_ Benson. 2008. What did and did not cause col- and_survived/. Pentagon or even the Towers. There is lapse of World Trade Center Twin Towers in ———. 2010a: The video Jesse Ventura doesn’t considerable friction between some New York? Journal of Engineering Mechanics want the world to see! NM Skeptic Blog (March ASCE 13(10): 892–906. Available online at 24). Available online at http://nmskeptic.blog groups, with certain 9/11 Truth groups www.civil.northwestern.edu/people/bazant/ spot.com/2010/03/video-jesse-ventura-doesnt- attacking others as “disinformation PDFs/Papers/476%20WTC%20collapse.pdf. want-world.html. agents.” However, 9/11 Truth is mostly a Blanchard, Brent 2006. A critical analysis of the ———. 2010b. Institute of Theoretical and Exper- collapse of WTC Towers 1, 2, and 7 from an imental 9/11 Physics 9-11 ‘Truth’ re sources. big tent. Many “serious” groups such as explosives and conventional demolitions view- New Mexicans for Science and Rea son (Au- AE911 Truth quietly champion “no- point. Journal of Debunking 911 Con spiracy The- gust). Available online at www.nmsr.org/nmsr ories 1(2). Available online at www.jod911.com 911.htm. planers” such as former pilot Dwain /WTC%20COLLAPSE%20STUDY%20BB ———. 2010c. 9/11 truth: The Coast-to-Coast AM Deets, engineer Anders Bjorkman, and lanchard%208-8-06.pdf. debate. Skeptical Briefs 20(4) (Decem ber). Craig Ranke of Citizen Investigation Chandler, David. 2010. Destruction of the World Young, Jeffrey R. 2007. A Berkeley engineer Trade Center North Tower and fundamental searches for the truth about the Twin Towers’ Team (CIT) (Gage 2011). Gage for- physics. Journal of 9/11 Studies 28 (February). collapse. Civil and Structural Engineers on mally withdrew his support of CIT in Available online at www.journalof911studies WTC Collapse. Available online at http://911- .com/volume/2010/ChandlerDownwardAccel - engineers.blogspot.com/2007/06/berkeley- February 2011, even as his website touted erationOfWTC1.pdf. engineer-searches-for-truth.html. 9/11 articles in Foreign Policy Journal, an Fana, Run-Hua, Hong-Liang Lü, Kang-Ning Sun, online publication notorious for its fre- et al. 2006. Kinetics of thermite reaction in Al- Fe2O3 system. Thermochimica Acta 440(2) quent forays into Holocaust denial. (January 15): 129–31. Dave Thomas, a physi- Gage, Richard. 2011. Architects and Engineers cist and mathematician, Conclusion for 9/11 Truth. Available online at www.ae911 is president of New truth.org. As Ted Goertzel pointed out in his re- Goertzel, Ted. 2011. The conspiracy meme: Why Mexicans for Science conspiracy theories appeal and persist. SKEP - cent SKEPTICAL INQUIRER article “The and Reason and a fellow TICAL INQUIRER 35(1) (January/February): of the Committee for Conspiracy Meme: Why Conspiracy 28–37. Skeptical Inquiry. Theories Appeal and Persist,” “When Harrit, Niels H., Jeffrey Farrer, Steven E. Jones, et al. 2009. Active thermitic material discovered He is currently a scien- an alleged fact is debunked, the con- in dust from the 9/11 World Trade Center ca- tist/programmer at spiracy meme often just replaces it with tastrophe. Bentham Open Chemical Physics Jour- IRIS/PASSCAL in Socorro, New Mexico, and also another fact” (Goertzel 2011). In an- nal 2: 7–31. Available online at www. bentham.org/open/tocpj/articles/V002/7TOC teaches classes in physics, psychology, and other ten years, will the 9/11 Truth PJ.pdf. critical thinking at New Mexico Tech. E-mail: movement have developed new argu- Hoffman, Thomas. 2009. Bentham editor resigns [email protected].

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Dave Thomas vs. Jesse Ventura: The Skeptical Smackdown Jesse Ventura, television host and coauthor of books about conspiracy theories, chose to ignore skeptical and scientific rebuttals to his claims. BENJAMIN RADFORD

n April 2010, I received a review copy of Jesse Ventura’s book American Conspiracies, in which I the former pro wrestler, Navy SEAL, and for- mer Minnesota governor examines conspiracy the- ories, “looking closely at the theories that have been presented over the years and examining the truth as well as the lies.” Ventura is also the host of TruTV’s Conspiracy Theory.

As I skimmed through it, pen- was a perfect chance to have in- ciling notes in the margins about formed people from both sides logical fallacies I encountered, I fi- present their evidence and answer nally zeroed in on Chapter 12: their critics—to arrange a dialogue “What Really Happened on Sep- between skeptics and believers. tember 11?” I had recently read I contacted the publicist for physicist Dave Thomas’s work de- Ven tura’s book, Jen Hobbs, who bunking several 9/11 conspiracy assured me that Ventura would be theories, and it occurred to me that happy to do an interview and an- I should try to get Ventura’s answers swer any questions about the claims to some of Thomas’s questions. in his book. I then contacted On the cover of his book, Ven- Thomas, head of New Mexicans for tura looks tough and confronta- Science and Reason, who had not tional, ready to challenge anyone only written about 9/11 conspira- in his pursuit of the truth. In fact, cies but whose colleague Van the first blurb on the back of the Romero, vice president of research book lauds Ventura’s “refreshing … at New Mexico Tech, had actually willingness to defend his positions ap peared on Ventura’s show. and attack his interrogators.” Here Thomas sent me a dozen or so Jason Webber / Splash News/Newscom Jason Webber

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questions he wanted to ask Ventura for into the issues. Six weeks later, on June ident 190-pound skeptical physicist who the proposed interview. I contacted 15, Hobbs finally responded: “He hasn’t is pushing sixty. Hobbs, told her I had a physicist ready had the time to answer the questions. I refused to change the questions; I to debate Ventura, and asked her when He is filming the second season of his wanted real answers. If Ventura was un- we could arrange the live interview. A TV show. If you’d like, I can ask his co- willing or unable to answer questions few days later I was told that Ventura author Dick Russell to answer the about his own book, then Ventura’s was in Mexico and would not, after all, questions … or you can come up with coauthor Dick Russell was apparently be available for either a live or taped in- different questions to ask him.” the best I was going to get. I agreed, terview. But if I could e-mail her the The response was interesting. Ven- and the questions were sent to Russell questions for Ventura, she’d see that he tura had seen Thomas’s questions and around June 15. Another five weeks got them and responded. apparently refused to answer them. It went by, and I still had gotten no re- sponse from Ventura, Russell, or their publisher. Weeks came and went; After my fourth unanswered e-mail, I finally sent the publicist the following I sent follow-up reminders e-mail: I have been in touch with you over and e-mails asking when I the past months regarding Jesse Ven- tura’s recent book on conspiracy the- could expect Ventura to reply. ories. I wanted to interview Ventura, but after a few weeks you said he was Surely if Ventura’s facts not available for an interview; I was then asked to submit a series of ques- and arguments were solid, tions which he would respond to by e-mail. I waited over a month before being told that he would not reply to he would be happy to the questions, and I was then told that his co-author would respond to demolish Thomas’s the questions; that was six weeks ago. Since then I have sent repeated arguments. e-mails inquiring about the status of the interview you offered to set up, and have not heard back. Deadline after deadline, promise after promise I was disappointed, but I figured that seemed that if I wanted to ask some dif- passed. I have been in the publishing something was better than nothing; at ferent questions—say, softball questions business for 15 years, and I have least Ventura would have to answer about his TV show or whether he never encountered such a staggering Thomas’s questions. I sent the list of thought Lee Harvey Oswald was a lack of professionalism. If Ventura was not going to do interviews to questions and waited. And waited. On patsy—then Ventura would be happy to promote the book, you should not May 4 I received an e-mail from Hobbs answer those questions. have offered them. I understand that stating, “I sent the questions to Jesse I suspected that both Ventura and authors are sometimes uncooperative, Ventura—I will forward them on back to Hobbs were shocked by the depth and but if that was the case you should you when he answers them.” Weeks knowledge behind the questions. Typi- have made that clear and not strung came and went; I sent follow-up re- cally authors and experts do not expect me along for literally months while you promised less and less, and in the minders and e-mails asking when I could to be challenged or questioned by know - end delivered nothing. expect Ventura to reply. Surely if Ven- ledgeable interviewers during publicity tura’s facts and arguments were solid, he interviews. It’s far more common to be Jesse Ventura was given multiple would be happy to demolish Thomas’s interviewed by a weekend anchor who chances to answer simple, straightfor- arguments. knows nothing about the topic than by ward questions about claims he made Still, some of the questions may have an expert. Ventura, who had made a ca- in his book and on his TV series re- required time and research, and I reer out of talking and challenging oth- garding the September 11 conspiracies, wanted to give Ventura all the time he ers, suddenly had nothing to say. It seems and he refused to respond. As Thomas needed; I didn’t want him to claim that that the tough, no-nonsense Jesse Ven- Paine noted, “It is error only, and not he hadn’t had time to adequately look tura was scared of Dave Thomas, our res- truth, that shrinks from inquiry.” n

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A Bestiary of the 9/11 Truth Movement: Notes from the Front Line Two social scientists describe their experience confronting the 9/11 Truth movement in the United Kingdom after they published a paper linking conspiracy theories with extremist ideology. They argue that the 9/11 Truth movement is composed of three groups and that each accepts the conspiracy meme for different reasons. JAMIE BARTLETT and CARL MILLER

(Hardwig 1991); an ideological response “I was fifty-five years old when I began to understand the world in my view. ... I’m to structural inequalities (Fenster 1999); actually quite certain, and I don’t want to believe it . . . that the people we call the gov- and a natural human tendency to seek ernment murder us in order to start wars that make money for them.” 1 order in an ever more complex, confusing world (Popper [1945] 2006). Once im- n his article “The Conspiracy Meme: Why Conspiracy planted, it is incredibly difficult to shake. Theories Appeal and Persist” (SI, January/February Over the past year we have been 2011), Ted Goetzel suggests conspiracy theorizing is a watching and confronting one particu- I lar version of this meme: the 9/11 Truth meme—a way of thinking that spreads, survives, or dies ac- movement. In August 2010, we released cording to a process analogous to genetic (termed mimetic) a paper about conspiracy theories, “The selection. The conspiracy meme competes with others, such Power of Unreason.” Within hours, the online conspiricist community hit back. as the scientific meme or the fair debate meme, as a way of Our paper was featured, or mirrored, on describing and making sense of the world. literally thousands of websites, blogs, and discussion forums; appeared as a Conspiracy theorizing is, according entific evidence.” It is a surprisingly re- topic on conspiricist radio shows; was to Goetzel, a rhetorical meme that silient and successful meme, a growing mentioned in a dozen YouTube videos; “transforms scientific controversies into body of scholarly literature suggests, be- and attracted hundreds of pages of human dramas. ... It uses controversial cause of a growing mistrust in “experts” comments and critique from the 9/11 facts and speculations to undermine sci- and established sources of knowledge Truth movement.2

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The crucial point is that “The Power Many of these comments came from ment is composed of different kinds of of Unreason” was not actually about the people who freely confessed that they people who are involved in the move- 9/11 Truth movement. As a study of had not read our paper. ment for different reasons and derive the role of conspiracy theories in ex- Quickly, the focus turned onto our different types of fulfillment and satis- tremist and terrorist groups, it mentions organization, Demos, a non-govern- faction from this engagement. This is a 9/11 Truth sparsely and incidentally. ment public education charity. The story of a dominant meme finding fertile That the 9/11 Truth movement re- Greek letter theta, taking the place of ground in several psychological habitats. sponded in such an aggressive manner the o in the Demos logo, became the We’ve observed groups from three of prompted us to analyze the response it- eye of the Illuminati.4 As authors, we these habitats. The first can be called self as a means of understanding this were roundly accused of being part of the “hardcore” group. Much of the noise broadly nonviolent movement that the conspiracy itself: at best unknowing, of the 9/11 Truth movement is caused nonetheless represents a damaging cul- naive, and myopic writers; at worst dis- by a relatively small, tight-knit group of tural habit. information specialists or government highly connected, highly motivated in- The response illustrated, and contin- agents openly supporting state terror- dividuals. They are prodigious produc- ues to illustrate, Goertzel’s conspiracy ism.5 This technique of folding any dis- ers of information and theories who theory meme in action. First, the online senters into an ever-growing conspiracy spot anomalies and technical inconsis- conspiracy community wrapped the re- is precisely what Goertzel predicts: cas- tencies. They are veterans of the John F. Ken nedy assasination and Moon-land- ing-hoax theories, and so their worldview favors the “super-conspiracy,” linking conspiracies to a hidden overarching, sin- The recommendation to teach ister master plan (Cline 2007). In our debates with them, hardcore critical thinking in schools 9/11 Truthers claim to be interested only became “pushing propaganda in “facts”: the physical “fact” of the free fall speed of the Twin Towers, the col- on our children.” The recommen- lapse of World Trade Center (WTC) 7—which to them proves a demoli- dation to introduce alternative tion—or the “fact” that traces of super information into conspiracist sites thermite have been identified in the Lower Manhattan dust by Steven Jones. became a dark, Orwellian plot Their arguments, however, are not scientific at all, because the methods to end free speech. used are nonscientific: proponents de- cide on the answer and then search for corroborating evidence while ignoring the overwhelming peer-reviewed, inde- port around faulty preconceptions. The cade logic. Here, it was a spontaneous, pendent research that suggests that, for paper was misrepresented in an exag- semi-concerted effort to discredit the example, WTC 7 collapsed in a manner gerated, distorted, inaccurate way that report and its arguments. consistent with severe damage from was soon recycled and re-presented According to various polls, belief in falling debris and fire (National Institute within the conspiricist community. The the 9/11 conspiracy is incredibly high. In of Standards and Technology [NIST] recommendation to teach critical the United Kingdom, only 56 percent of 2008). This self-avowedly dispassionate thinking in schools became “pushing the population believes al-Qaeda was re- search for truth is emotional.7 The propaganda on our children.” The rec- sponsible for the attacks; some smaller hardcore group’s involvement in 9/11 ommendation to introduce alternative polling suggests that as many as one- Truth is monochrome and Mani chean: information into conspiracist sites be- third of Americans consider it “very it’s a “good/bad,” “black/white” struggle came a dark, Orwellian plot to end free likely” or “somewhat likely” that U.S. against an oppressive influence whose speech. The key finding that terrorist government officials either al lowed or existence hardcore members believe organizations often use conspiracy the- actually carried out the attacks on Sep- they are on the cusp of proving. ories as part of their propaganda be- tember 11, 2001.6 In fact, it is not quite The second layer could be called the came “Demos accuses the 9/11 Truth as simple as that. Based on our encoun- “critically turned” group. It is often a Movement as [sic] being terrorists.”3 ters, we believe the 9/11 Truth move- source of surprise that many young stu-

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dents and political activists are part of journalism—accurate quotation, avoid- The hardcore group claims to share at the 9/11 Truth movement. Some are ance of misrepresentation, and fidelity least the same epistemological rules—ra- influenced heavily by that heady bundle of source—and their contributions, al- tionalism, empiricism, and a grounding of postmodern theory and the critical most entirely devoid of genuine intent of basic scholarly practice and conduct— turn that Geoffrey Elton so memorably to find truth, are almost always nakedly as skeptics. Yet the emotionalized sub- termed “the intellectual equivalent of and transparently propagandistic. For strate of this conduct makes broad at- crack” (Elton [1991] 2002). Their ap - them, it is the thrill of the chase and tempts at logical reasoning—such as proach and language center on the participating in a largely online struggle pointing out the cascade logic suggested dizzying ideas of relativism and subjec- that animates their involvement, not the by Goetzel—insufficient. Any chance to tive truth and the post-structural de- end result. believe conspirators exist is good enough construction they allow and demand Though the conspiracy theorizing for them. Any hanging anomalies or (Sokal and Brickmont 1998). meme is the same, its success within the unanswered challenges of the official But more than anything, the criti- 9/11 Truth movement depends on quite narrative will be taken as proof of the cally turned’s membership in 9/11 Truth different characteristics depending on its conspiracy. So the necessary response arises from anger at the political order adherent. These unlikely comrades in here is most painstaking: their claims they will soon inherit. It is too closed. arms have joined to make a formidable must, as far as is possible, be rebuffed fact There is too much power in the hands movement. The hardcore group supplies by fact, anomaly by anomaly, with the of too few. Their sense of justice and much of the physical organization and scientific tools they claim to be using. idealism is rudely confronted by a world structure: its members organize events, The critically turned might not ac- of state espionage, links between big discussions, and marches; distribute cept this approach, because conspiracy business and government, and lies over weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). These are as significant as any specific theories about WTC 7 or the size of the Though the conspiracy theorizing hole in the Pentagon outer wall. Their interests often span to other forms of re- meme is the same, its success sistance against perceived oppression within the 9/11 Truth movement and injustice: support for Palestine, af- filiation with the anti-war movement, depends on quite different and hatred of greedy bankers. It is this group that produces much of the cool, characteristics depending on countercultural content of the move- its adherent. These unlikely ment. A recent YouTube video about Demos was set to the electronic comrades in arms have joined to track “Could This Be Real (Joker Remix).”8 Some of the most popular make a formidable movement. conspiricist films, such as Loose Change and Zeitgeist, make great use of atmos- pheric drumbeats and eye-catching graphics. leaflets; and edit the “peer reviewed” theories for them fit in with what they Finally there is a much larger, more journals. The critically turned have done see happening in the world—it is part diffuse group, which we term the il- much to manufacture its broad appeal— of a bigger story. The use of logical rea- literati. They are people for whom giving it a countercultural street cred soning could help. Highlighting cas- membership in 9/11 Truth is as much a and, through the production of content cade logic might stick, as might em - social and recreational pursuit as an ex- and the skillful exploitation of virtual phasizing other tools of logic and ercise in critical inquiry.9 Their involve- networks, exposure to millions. The il- rhetoric. For example, why would the ment is predominantly through web 2.0 literati form the group’s mass-member- American government, if it wanted to social networking. Often this user-gen- ship backbone. They provide the thou- keep this secret, fly planes into the Twin erated commentary really acts as inter- sands of comments and millions of Towers before bringing them down active entertainment mas querading as a YouTube hits on which the movement’s with a controlled demolition? Was fly- public-spirited, free-thinking quest for exaggerated claims of popularity and in- ing fully fueled passenger jets into the the truth. They are the worst offenders fluence are founded. So can anything be Pentagon and the center of U.S. busi- for flouting the basic tenets of good learned from this? ness not sufficient? Why did the U.S.

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8. www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqLOtQb1DwE. 9. See Cass Sunstein for a study of reputational cascades, in which people “profess belief in a conspiracy theory, or at least suppress their doubts, because they seek to curry favor.” Memes must exist within a Sunstein and Vermeule, Law and Economics Research Paper human ecology. Conspiracy Series, Paper No. 387, p.12. 10. UK children’s media literacy. 2009. Ofcom. theorizing is not only, or even London. Digital lifestyles: Young adults aged 16–24. predominantly, an intellectual 2009. Ofcom. London. process. It is “whole-person”: References Cline, Austin. 2007. Flaws in reasoning and ar- both emotional and social. guments: Subjective validation, seeing pat- terns and connections that aren’t really there. About.com (September 10). That is why changing the Elton, Geoffrey R. (1991) 2002. Return to Essen- tials: Some Reflections on the Present State of dominant meme must be Historical Study. Cambridge: Cambridge Uni- versity Press. done in person. Fenster, Mark. 1999. Conspiracy theories: Secrecy and power in American culture. Minne apolis: University of Minnesota Press. Goertzel, Ted. 2011. The conspiracy meme: Why conspiracy theories appeal and persist. government not plant WMDs in ing, discussing, and arguing face-to- SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 35(1) (January/Febru- ary): 28–37. Iraq—a far easier and equally impor- face. The 9/11 Truth movement has Hardwig, John. 1991. The role of trust in knowl- tant subject? successfully done that. The skeptics edge. Journal of Philosophy 88(22). The illiterati have not actually must continue to do the same. n National Institute of Standards and Technology. 2008. Final report on the collapse of World looked at much of the material, but it Trade Center building 7. fits not only with their worldview but Notes Popper, Karl. (1945) 2006. Conspiracy theory of society. In Tom Rockmore and Daniel also with an explicit position to which 1. A direct quote from a very angry man at an event we attended (publicized by 9/11 Breazele, eds, Rights, Bodies and Recognition: they have committed socially and Truthers as “Demos vs. 9/11 Truth”). He sat New Essays on Fichte’s Foundations of Nat- around which they have formed an in the front row directly across from coauthor ural Right, 13–16. Riso, Lawrence P., et al. 2007. Cognitive Schemas identity. This makes ideas very difficult Carl Miller and yelled this fairly typical out- burst into his face. (Available online at and Core Beliefs in Psychological Problems: A Scientist–Practitioner Guide. Washington, DC: to dislodge (Riso et al. 2007). Neither www.vimeo.com/16395101, approximately American Psychological Association. forty-six minutes and twenty seconds into the facts nor logic are likely to do much Sokal, Alan, and Jean Bricmont. 1998. Fashion - here. We can only address the real video clip.) able Nonsense. New York: Picador. 2. See, for example, www.infowars.com/govern - structural inequalities that condition a ment-think-tank-calls-for-infiltrating- Jamie Bartlett is the milieu as fertile for such beliefs. This, conspiracy-websites an www.911truth.org/ head of the Violence and of course, is a major endeavor. Some article.php?story=20100829144303310 (both Extremism program at ac cessed October 11, 2010). smaller changes may help too, such as 3. See the Demos blog for a good overview of the Demos, one of the United more critical thinking in schools: a re- response at www.demos.co.uk/blog/engaging-. Kingdom’s leading think cent study by an independent organiza- 4. http://seeker401.wordpress.com/2010/09/06 tanks. He is a leading /demos-calls-for-governments-to-infiltrate- tion in the United Kingdom found that commentator in the conspiracy-sites (accessed October 11, 2010). United Kingdom on 43 percent of sixteen- to twenty-four- 5. http://kevboyle.blogspot.com/2010/10/demos religious and political year-olds base their trust in web con- me ets-911-truth.html (accessed Octo ber 11, 2010). extremism. He is co author of “The Power of tent on how the site looks, while 32 6. See www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/art - Unreason” (2010). percent of twelve- to fifteen-year-olds icles/international_security_bt/535.php and believe that Google search results are Lev Grossman’s article “Why the Conspiracy Carl Miller is a freelance 10 Theories Won’t Go Away,” Time magazine in listed in order of accuracy. 2008 (www.time.com/time/magazine/article / researcher and an hon- Memes must exist within a human 0,9171,1531304,00.html). orary research fellow at ecology. Conspiracy theorizing is not 7. See, for instance, the “personal validation ef- King’s College London. fect”: a cognitive bias of considering a piece only, or even predominantly, an intel- He has written and con- of information to be correct if it has a per- sulted for the European lectual process. It is “whole-person”: sonal significance. See B.R. Forer’s 1949 ar- Union and the Interna- both emotional and social. That is why ticle “The Fallacy of Personal Validation: A classroom Demonstration of Gullibility,” tional Atomic Energy changing the dominant meme must be Journal of Abnormal Psychology (volume 44, pp. Agency. He is coauthor done in person: the hard graft of speak- 118–21.) of “The Power of Unreason” (2010).

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‘Messages’ from the 9/11 Dead

The terrorist attacks of 9/11 triggered a massive investigation and a retaliatory war. They also prompted numerous surviving family members to believe they were receiving otherworldy communications from their deceased loved ones. But were they?

JOE NICKELL

n the morning of September 11, 2001, concerted terrorist attacks on New York’s World Trade Center Oand the Pentagon building in Arlington, Virginia, claimed nearly 3,000 victims. They also resulted in Amer- ica’s largest criminal investigation, a war in Afghanistan, and endless controversy sparked by conspiracy theorists. Many of the family members and friends of the victims also began to convince themselves that there was a mystical aspect to the tragedy. Some claimed there had been intu- itive foreshadowings of the event; others claimed that they had received certain signals from, five-level garage capable of parking two or even experienced actual encounters thousand vehicles. The World Trade with, their deceased loved ones. Now Center was a huge target for terrorists. Bonnie McEneaney, whose husband, Indeed, more than eight and a half years Eamon, was a 9/11 victim, has collected before the towers were brought down, numerous such anecdotal accounts. Her the garage was the site of a massive book, Messages: Signs, Visits, and Premo- bombing that rocked the towers, led to another target—probably the U.S. nitions from Loved Ones Lost on 9/11 an intense investigation by the FBI and Capitol—and instead caused it to crash (2010), bears a jacket blurb from spiri- the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Fire - in a rural Pennsylvania field. tualist medium . The arms and Explosives (ATF), and culmi- The attacks prompted an immediate evidence is revealing—if not in the way nated in the arrest and conviction of four investigation by the FBI, which linked McEneaney intended. terrorists, each sentenced to 240 years in the strikes to the terrorist organization the U.S. penitentiary (Nickell and Fis- al-Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Background cher 1999, 237–45). Laden (who initially denied involve- At a quarter of a mile high, only eighty- The horrific events now known as ment). On July 22, 2002, the National six feet shorter than the Sears Tower in “9/11” occurred on September 11, 2001. Commission on Terrorist Attacks Chicago, the Twin Towers of Man - Nineteen al-Qaeda terrorists comman- Upon the United States issued its re- hattan’s World Trade Center were the deered four commercial airplanes, port, which gave an account of the cir- second- and third-tallest buildings in the crashing one into each of the World cumstances that surrounded the suicide United States. One steel tower was Trade Center’s Twin Towers and an- attacks—including issues of prepared- crowned with a restaurant; the other with other into the Pentagon near Wash- ness and response. an observatory. Far below, be neath the ington, DC; only the heroic actions of The United States Department of multi-building complex at the towers’ passengers and crew aboard a fourth hi- Commerce’s National Institute of Stan- bases, was a giant basement containing a jacked plane prevented it from reaching dards and Technology (NIST) con-

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ducted a technical investigation of the and his al-Qaeda followers) and enacting writes, “Everything around me was Twin Towers’ collapse, culminating in a the USA PATRIOT (Uniting and still—not a ripple in the air. Then all of 10,000-page report explaining that the Strengthen ing America by Providing [a] sudden, somewhere above me, I crashed planes caused severe initial Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept heard the beginning rush of a gust of damage and that the subsequent fires and Ob struct Terrorism) Act, which ex - new wind building up in intensity” weakened the floors’ support trusses, panded both anti-terrorism legislation (McEneaney 2010, 10). As she looked causing floors to sag and pull on the ex- and law-enforcement powers. Osama up, “I could see the wind! It created terior steel columns, which then buck- bin Laden has been caught and killed, an such a pattern through the leaves and led and became unable to support the architect of the terrorist attacks, Khalid the trees that it was easy to follow. It structures (Dunbar and Reagan 2006). Sheikh Mohammad, and other cocon- had the outline of a river.” She con- As it happens, I was invited to lecture spirators have been apprehended, repair cludes, “I didn’t know how to explain on critical thinking at NIST on June of the Pentagon has been completed, re- the river of wind I had just seen and 28, 2007, and I was able to view some building has begun at the World Trade felt…. Yet I knew absolutely it was con- of the steel girders from the collapsed Center site, and various memorials to the nected to Eamon and that the sad mes- Twin Towers that had been analyzed by dead have been created. sage it brought was true and real.” NIST experts (see figure 1). (In 2002, I This seems a classic case of wishful had visited the “Ground Zero” site where Signs thinking and the power of expectation. the towers had stood.) It is not surprising that controversies McEneaney reveals (2010, 11) that her In time, however, conspiracy theorists and irreparable damages remain, among father had twice promised, before his began to make outlandish claims—some them the effects of the loss of so many own death in 1993, “You know, Bonnie, based on “scientific” evidence—that the victims. Although surviving family when I die, I’ll speak to you through the towers’ collapse was due not to airplane- members and friends have tried to get wind.” Thus she was predisposed to ac- crash damage and fire but to explosives on with their lives, much grief and long- cept wind as a form of spirit communi- previously installed in the buildings! ing remains—and the lure of supersti- cation, and when she witnessed a partic- Supposedly the U.S. Govern ment in- tion is not far away. Hence the quest for ular breeze after her husband’s death, she tended to frame terrorists and so gain an “messages” from the dead and the like- interpreted it accordingly. Those looking excuse to launch the Iraq War (Griffin lihood of a book such as Bonnie Mc- for a sign are likely to find something 2007, 2). Eneaney’s Messages appearing. they can interpret as such. Some pored Meanwhile, the United States has re- McEneaney gives a personal exam- over the things their loved ones left be- sponded to the 9/11 attacks by launching ple of one of the myriad “signs” that hind and selectively mined them for the War on Terror, beginning with the supposedly indicates contact with vic- signs, engaging in a process of after-the- invasion of Afghanistan (whose Taliban tims. Seeking some such indicator re- fact matching known as retrofitting. rulers had harbored Osama bin Laden garding her husband, Eamon, she Many of the supposed signs cata-

Figure 1. Steel girders from the collapsed WTC Twin Towers that have been analyzed by NIST experts. (Photo by Joe Nickell.)

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logued by McEneaney seem truly mun- awake helps identify the experience as claim to encounter spirits during waking dane: finding a coin (25–32, 195), hav- a common “waking dream,” which oc- activity, it is usually when they are tired, ing an experience with a bird or butter- curs in the interface between being performing routine work, concentrating fly (25, 28, 158), seeing a rainbow over awake and asleep. This is the explana- on some activity such as reading, or in an the place where the World Trade Cen- tion for many paranormal encounters altered state of consciousness such as ter once stood (134), and so on. A color through the ages: visits from demons, daydreaming. [Nickell 2001].) photo that graces the back cover of ghosts, aliens. Along with ordinary Children also often have ghostly ex- Messages was taken by a woman whose dreams, events that are surely waking periences just like adults. Lisa’s little husband died in the South Tower on dreams are reported frequently in Mes- daughter Jacie once told her: “Daddy is 9/11. It shows their daughter with a sages (56–59, 101). here too. He comes in the middle of the streak that she interprets as a “beam of A rather typical waking dream was night and sits at the bottom of the bed. light” (4) but is probably only an effect described by another friend of Welles Sometimes he pats your hair and kisses caused by the intrusion of her camera Crowther, who—while lying on the sofa you” (69). Such experiences typically ex- strap. (As is typical of photographic watching television (and having possibly press the percipient’s own hopes and glitches, nothing was seen until the drifted toward sleep)—heard footsteps fears: the desire for a comforting message photo was processed.) Over and over, and saw his late friend, who said, “Chuck, from a deceased loved one or the fear of McEneaney and those whose stories it’s okay. I’m okay.” Like most people who an encounter with an extraterrestrial. she features emphasize that an occur- experience a waking dream, he thought Jacie, at age four, was also seen at rence is “something that we can’t ex- he was not dreaming: times to laugh and appear “to have con- plain” (e.g., 117), as if therefore it is First of all I don’t dream very much. versations with invisible companions.” proof of the paranormal. This is a type When I do, my dreams aren’t realistic. She said they were her daddy and his of logical fallacy called arguing from ig- If this was in fact a dream, it was com- friends from work. Having invisible norance. (“We don’t know what actually pletely realistic. I was wearing exactly companions is common to those with a happened, so it must’ve been paranor- what I was wearing; the television was propensity to fantasize (Wilson and playing exactly what it was playing. mal.” In other words, “we don’t know; Everything was exactly as it is, and Barber 1983) and is not, of course, therefore we do know!”) there was no break between sleeping proof of spirit communication—no and waking ... between what hap- matter how often the former is equated Visits pened and what was going on around with the latter. Supposed visitations by the deceased me. It was of a piece. 9/11 victims are among the most pro- He also said: “I don’t remember what Premonitions found experiences described in Messages happened next. I don’t remember if I McEneaney begins her discussion of and are also among the most easily ex- blinked or if he just went away” (101). premonitions by relating a premonitory plained. Consider the seeming visit of This case illustrates many of the char- dream experienced by Abraham Lin - victim Welles Crowther to a former acteristics of a waking dream, wherein, coln, who “told several people about his roommate who stated: “I don’t remem- as the late psychologist Robert A. Baker dream, and he also wrote it down in his ber if it was one or two days after 9/11. noted, the experiencer “is unalterably journal” (119). Lincoln described seeing I don’t know if I fell asleep or not. But convinced of the ‘reality’ of the entire a corpse upon a catafalque, around what I remember clearly is Welles experience.” Baker also called attention which were military guardsmen and standing in the doorway to my bed- to the fact that after the supposed en- many mourners: “‘Who is dead in the room, saying, ‘Hey, man, everything’s counter, the percipient typically just White House?’ I demanded of one of going to be all right.’ He was there just goes back to sleep (Baker and Nickell the soldiers. ‘The President,” was his an- a second and then he said, ‘I’ve got to 1992, 130–131, 226–227). swer. ‘He was killed by an assassin.’ Then go now’” (97). Another seeming visita- Some percipients, like Lisa O’Brien, came a loud burst of grief from the tion was reported by Deborah Calan- whose husband, Timmy, was a 9/11 ca- crowd which awoke me from my dream. drillo, whose husband, Joe, had worked sualty, appear to have had both dreams I slept no more that night and although as an accountant in the North Tower. and waking dreams. “Lisa feels that it was only a dream, I have been strangely “He appeared suddenly in the bedroom Timmy is frequently in her bedroom,” annoyed by it ever since.” they had shared,” writes McEneaney states McEneaney, “communicating with Now, putting aside the fact that (2010, 51). “She was lying in bed. her in the night, sometimes when she is McEneaney’s text is corrupted (differ- His arm was draped around her pillow. asleep and dreaming and sometimes just ing from the original in some of There was a solemn expression on as she drifts off ” (67).1 Not surprisingly, its punctuation and containing—hor- his face. Deborah told me that she Lisa’s experiences have occurred only at rors!—a gram matical error) and given is positive she was awake when this night; “she has never actually seen that Lincoln did not keep (as she re- happened.” Timmy when she is wide awake and ports) a journal, he probably did relate That insistence on having been moving about” (68). (When people such a dream. However, he thought at

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New York. Grab the dogs and get them away from the windows in case they It is really not surprising that shatter” (qtd. in McEneaney 2010, 132). Another woman, known as “Julia C.,” World Trade Center workers says she had a dream just two days before and their family members had 9/11 concerning a previous country home: suddenly a big truck raced up the forebodings of disaster. driveway and disappeared into the house, whereupon she saw “this huge gaping The towers had already been black hole with jagged edges” then “a the target of a most serious flicker of a fire and black smoke”—im- ages of a truck bombing she later equated attack in 1993. with the destruction of the Twin Towers by crashing planes (135). As still another example, one victim’s the time that it was someone else who such a disaster and nothing happens” dream journal contained a reference to an was killed, as he told Ward Hill Lamon, (Gardner 1986, 9). Not only will some “atom bomb” that was “in the shape of a a friend who had accompanied him to people be motivated for various reasons paper plane,” but if that seemed signifi- Washington for his protection (Nickell to exaggerate or even fabricate such a cant in light of 9/11 (it was the last entry, 1999, 17). It was Lamon who, from dream (for personal aggrandizement, for made a month before the tragedy), it ap- memory, reconstructed Lincoln’s words example, or to promote supernatural pears less so when we note that the 9/11 some three decades after the fact beliefs), but even a completely honest disaster did not involve an “atom bomb” (Lamon 1895, 115–17). person may unconsciously exaggerate. and that, in any case, the journal’s dream The important point to make is that Gard ner explains: bomb “did not go off.” Actually, the there is nothing remarkable about Lin- After telling about a precognitive woman’s dream occurred the day after coln having dreamed of death—even dream for the umpteenth time, one she was hired to work at the World Trade his own assassination. In the Civil War no longer recalls the dream’s actual Center (McEneaney 2010, 143) and may strife, death was all around him. More- details, especially if it occurred many over, not only had an assassination plot years ago. Dreams are hard enough simply have been prompted by the pre- been thwarted prior to his first inaugu- to remember accurately ten minutes vious bombing there. It is simply retro- ration in 1861, he had subsequently re- after waking! One is soon recalling fitting to so selectively equate dream im- not the dream itself but pictures that ceived numerous death threats and ages with the 9/11 events. This is what formed in the mind during previous yet another person (with only a late once had a hole shot through his top tellings. The only way a precognitive hat by an intended assassin. Lamon and disaster dream can have evidential connection to the WTC site) obviously others around him constantly remon- value is when its details are written did. She had had a dream of “two preda- strated with him about his safety. down before a disaster and dated in tory birds”; however, McEneaney (2010, Likewise, it is really not surprising a way that can be verified, such as 139) states: “It wasn’t until later” that she being described in a letter or pub- “came to see the birds as lethal aircraft.” that World Trade Center workers and lished before the event or stated on a their family members had forebodings radio or television talk-show. Mediumistic Offerings of disaster. The towers had already been the target of a most serious attack in (In at least one instance—a prediction Following the WTC disaster, before the 1993. Osama bin Laden had issued fat- of the assassination attempt on Pres - month was out some family members was in 1996 and 1998 calling for jihad ident Reagan—even that was faked by had begun to visit so-called and (holy war) against the United States. a later, backdated taping [Frazier and mediums (those who supposedly inter- And the WTC workers had not just the Randi 1981]!) cede on our behalf to relay messages same unease as everyone has about their So the after-the-fact stories Mc- from the spirit realm). Unlike the “phys- unforeseen future (even in the most Eneaney relates are simply not impres- ical mediumship” of the past—when peaceful times); they were working in sive. Take that of a woman who formerly spirits seemed to actually materialize or what was proven to have previously been worked in the South Tower who produce distinctive effects in dark-room a prime terrorist target. As Martin dreamed she was looking at “the south- séances, practices that repeatedly proved Gardner wrote (concerning supposedly ern tip of Manhattan” (i.e., in the direc- fraudulent—today’s “mental medium- precognitive dreams of the sinking of the tion of the WTC) when she beheld “a ship” carries fewer risks of exposure. At Titanic), “with respect to dreams about huge explosion” and “saw something that the same time, the dead often seem un- major disasters that make the headlines, looked almost like a mushroom cloud certain, or perhaps they mumble, as we have no inkling of the millions and over the city.” In the dream, she said to when McEneaney herself received men- millions of times that people dream of her husband, “Bin Laden just blew up tion of a man whose “name was John or

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began with the initial J ” (201). Not sur- found such offerings neither helpful nor tasizers or charlatans. Sadly, this is the prisingly, her husband indeed had a comforting (202). legacy of McEneaney’s Messages. n friend of that name. If not, a Jim or The same woman, however, was more Jason or Jesse or another would have impressed with the clever, fast-talking Acknowledgments filled the bill. “psychic medium” (real As usual, CFI Director of Libraries Timo- McEneaney was really impressed name John Edward McGee Jr.). Yet he thy Binga provided essential research mate- rials for this article. with the psychic offering, “Your hus- had mentioned not a husband and son band’s name starts with E. Is it Emile?” but a husband and father-in-law (appar- Note (200). The fact is, his name was ently the latter was also deceased). Ed- 1. There are two types of waking dreams: the Eamon—yet McEneaney is willing to ward fared much better when he told her hypnagogic experience, in which one is going to credit the reader with a hit. She won- that she was “wearing a piece of clothing sleep, and the hypnopompic experience, in which one is waking up. Sometimes the person is unable ders how a psychic could have gotten so that had belonged to her husband,” to move—experiencing what is called sleep paral- close by identifying the first letter. Per- which she was (203). That seems quite ysis—because the body is still in the sleep mode. haps it was a lucky guess; perhaps accurate, but suppose he had actually (See Baker and Nickell 1992, 130–31.) McEneaney remembers exactly what asked if she had with her something of References was said and when. Or perhaps a friend her husband’s (which would perhaps be Baker, Robert A., and Joe Nickell. 1992. Missing of hers, who had apparently been to more likely than not) and the woman Pieces: How to Investigate Ghosts, UFOs, Psy- the psychic and recommended her to retrofitted the more specific “clothing” to chics and Other Mysteries. Buffalo, New York: Prometheus Books. McEneaney, had mentioned her (and the “something.” It is difficult to judge Dunbar, David, and Brad Reagan, eds. 2006. De- her husband’s name) to the psychic— the accuracy of such claims without bunking 9/11 Myths: Why Conspiracy Theories something the friend might not even complete and precise facts. Can’t Stand Up to the Facts. New York: Hearst Books. remember having done. Edward uses a number of techniques, Frazier, Kendrick, and James Randi. 1981. Predic- McEneaney appears woefully un - including a shotgun approach: a state- tion after the fact: Lessons of the Tamara Rand aware of psychics’ techniques. Consider ment to an area of the audience rather hoax. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 6(1) (Fall): 4–7. (so called because the psy- Gardner, Martin, ed. 1986. The Wreck of the Ti- than a single person, whereby he has tanic Foretold? Buffalo, New York: Prom - chic works “cold,” without advance multiple opportunities for someone to etheus Books. knowledge about the sitter). It is a validate one of his offerings. He has also Griffin, David Ray. 2007. Debunking 9/11 De- method of artfully fishing for informa- been known to use the technique of hot bunking. Northampton, Massachusetts: Olive Branch Press. tion while giving the impression that it reading, passing off information gleaned Houran, James, and Rense Lange, eds. 2001. comes from spirits of the dead. Often earlier as having just come from the Hauntings and : Multidisciplinary the reader uses what I call “the question Other Side. He was caught cheating in Perspectives. Jefferson, North Carolina: Mc - Far land and Company. trick”: he or she asks a question that, if this way on a Dateline NBC episode (for Lamon, Ward Hill. 1895. Recollections of Abraham answered in the affirmative, is consid- which I was both an advisor behind the Lincoln 1847–1865. Chicago: A.C. McClurgy ered a hit, whereas otherwise the psy- scenes and an interviewee on camera and Co. chic will treat it as only part of the lead- McEneaney, Bonnie. 2010. Messages: Signs, Visits, [Nickell 2010]). If Edward or any other and Premonitions from Loved Ones Lost on up to a statement or to additional medium could actually communicate 9/11. New York: William Morrow. questions. Using body language, the sit- with the dead under scientifically con- Nickell, Joe, and John F. Fischer. 1999. Crime Sci- ter’s own responses, and other cues and trolled conditions, he or she could accept ence: Methods of Forensic Detection. Lex ington: University Press of Ken tucky. clues, the shrewd medium operates like James Randi’s Million Dollar Challenge, Nickell, Joe. 1999. Paranormal Lincoln. SKEPTICAL a skilled magician but employs instead retire, and enjoy the accolades of science. INQUIRER 23(3) (May/June): 16–19. of legerdemain what might be call ———. 2001. Phantoms, Frauds, or Fantasies? In Conclusions Houran and Lange 2001, 214–23. “sleight of tongue.” ———. 2010. John Edward: Spirit huckster. SKEP- Such readings work better with the Given the overwhelming tragedy of 9/11, TICAL INQUIRER 34(2) (March/April): 17–18. credulous, who often count only hits, made very personal to those whose loved Wilson, Sheryl C., and Theodore X. Barber. 1983. while misses are either interpreted as ones perished, we can well understand The fantasy-prone personality. In Imagery: Current Theory, Research and Application, ed- necessary (retrofitting again) or forgot- the emotions involved: the grief, the ited by Anees A. Sheikh, 340–87. New York: ten. McEneaney does concede “that not longing for a connection with the de- John Wiley and Sons. everyone who received a message from a ceased, the wish for a final goodbye. Per- medium or psychic was happy with the ceived signs, apparent visits, premoni- Joe Nickell is CSI’s senior experience” (202). One psychic told a tions, or even pretended messages research fellow and author woman that “in another life,” her hus- supposedly relayed by psychics and (or coauthor or editor) of band and son (both of whom had per- mediums may seem comforting—but at some thirty books, includ- ished at the WTC) “liked to go out in a what expense? Such illusions come at ing one in progress, The bang and they were to gether when least at the cost of sinking into supersti- Science of Ghosts. Mount Vesuvius blew up.” The woman tion, at worst of falling vulnerable to fan-

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[FORUM

Deliberate Ignorance

KEITH TAYLOR

erhaps fearful that even a small amount of knowl- holds forth on the virtues of ethanol in protecting us from the climate change edge is a dangerous thing, many Americans hold he doesn’t believe in. I’ve never heard it in disdain. Yet the same people accept ridiculous him own up to the scientifically tested P and vetted fact that ethanol made from claims as long as the claims support ideas they believe in corn or soybeans gives us a net increase

or want to hear. And legislators know what that is. Turn of CO2 in the atmosphere while de- on C-SPAN, and the chances are good that you’ll see a creasing the world food supply. member of Congress leading a blind charge into the land Deliberate ignorance, along with jingoism and dogmatic stubbornness, of make-believe. shapes too much of America’s intellect. During the Cold War, we simply would Some time back, a U.S. senator who not be beat by the Soviet Union, even in denies human-caused global warming regard to the paranormal. In the late invited a science-fiction author—not a 1960s, our intelligence services suspected scientist, and certainly not a climatolo- gist—to testify about climate change. that Soviets were keeping tabs on us via Then, having heard from the science- remote viewing. Not to be outdone, the fiction author what he wanted to hear, U.S. Army set up a program headed by the senator joined the author in declar- the Stanford Research Institute (which ing that scientists’ concern over the loom- had no direct connection to the univer- ing disaster was a myth. That year was the sity). By 1985, no useful information had hottest on record. So was the next, and so been gleaned by folks sitting around thinking really hard, so the Army ceased Keith Taylor is a former was the next. The pattern continues, funding it. But when an idea—no matter president and current but—thanks in part to the senator—the program chair of the San myth about the myth persists. how scientifically baseless—gets the at- Diego Association for Ra- Science is sometimes touted by leg- tention of Congress, its life is extended tional Inquiry and lives in islators, but only if it reflects what the and the money keeps coming in. Chula Vista, California. legislator thinks the majority of his or Operation Stargate, as the U.S.’s re- He can be reached at her constituents wants to hear. One rep- mote-viewing project was sometimes [email protected]. resentative from the Midwest regularly called, was kept alive. It only cost $20

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million and had some interesting re - ing president of the Confederacy. knowledgeable populace. Will it be sults that couldn’t be denied—because Because Texas is one of the largest averted? Probably not—unless more of they were never tested. In 1996, the buyers of textbooks—and is therefore the populace starts looking for real an- Science Applications International very influential regarding what text- swers, which won’t be easy in the face of Corp, a San Diego-based think tank, books are sold nationwide—such dan- such a relentless barrage of sophistic an- conducted some Operation Stargate gerous ideas will be taught as fact to swers from deniers of hard facts. The last experiments. When I checked on this children across our nation. Pious Tex- refuge for deniers of hard facts is religion; organization for a story, the people I ans want us to understand that we were every congressman except Pete Stark of talked with admitted they participated founded as a Christian nation, which Oakland claims a belief in a supreme in the program but told me all the re- might have surprised many of its being. sults were classified. I called the FBI, founders. John Adams signed the I hate to be contrary, but was anybody and a public relations representative Treaty of Tripoli, which emphatically other than I frightened when three viable also told me told he couldn’t comment designated America as in no sense a candidates at a political debate of would- on the project because it was classified. Christian nation. That treaty was rati- be presidents admitted that they do not The best information I could get was from a less reticent source: the grapevine. There I “learned” that one remote viewer got a peek inside a Russ- ian submarine but wasn’t able to see anything classified. Nor was she able to Pious Texans want us to determine which ocean the U-boat was understand that we were founded in, but it was somewhere! As a retired Navy cryptologist, I was amazed at the as a Christian nation, which might ability of an outfit to spend so much money for information that could be have surprised many of its founders. gleaned by just thinking. Thomas Jefferson warned us, “An enlightened citizenry is indispensable for the proper functioning of a repub- lic.” You have to wonder what Jefferson fied unanimously by the Senate and has believe in evolution? And how different would have to say about the citizenry never been withdrawn. are these candidates from those who that elected today’s leaders. Today America is galloping blithely grudgingly admit they believe in the Where do we get our wacko ideas? down the road to blind faith in non- most tested scientific theory of all time Try the Internet. The brightest scholars sense. Such uncritical thinking is sup- but refuse to openly endorse it? in history would have envied today’s ported by those who want their next Science can’t compete with charisma Americans, who have so much valid quarter’s interest protected whether an except in the real world. scientific information available to them. interminably long summer bodes ill for And don’t forget the money! A Yet today’s Americans also believe what our grandchildren or not. recent headline in the San Diego Union they want to believe—verification be We hear the phrase “scientists don’t -Tribune blared: “Oil Billion aires Back- damned! know everything” so often that it ought ing Prop. 23”—an effort to thwart an Then they vote. to be a red flag for every skeptic. We earlier law designed to fight global Is there hope for stemming this tide who believe in science are also dis- warming. Yup, and that included a mil- of deliberate ignorance? Not in Texas, it missed with the canard that we are lion dollars from Koch Industries, seems. Last May, the Texas State Board merely eccentric. After all, deliberate ranked by Forbes as the second-largest of Education adopted a social studies ignorance works wonders for the delib- private company in the United States. It and history curriculum that undermines erately ignorant. To those of us who is also among the top ten polluters. I’m much of what we know about science want our history untainted and scien- proud to say my state rejected the self- and our past. Jefferson, who worried tific findings tested, deliberate igno- serving proposition. about such credulity, had his historical rance is a disaster. We’re in a world of hurt here folks, role downplayed—perhaps to make Can this disaster be averted? Sure, but and you can take that from a very wor- room for Jefferson Davis, the slave-own- it will take a massive effort backed by a ried but eccentric curmudgeon. n

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[FOLLOW-UP

The 2012 Doomsday Hoax: Update II

DAVID MORRISON

he 2012 doomsday hysteria I have written about can take the initiative and provide five facts to prove that Nibiru does not exist: twice before in SI (“The Myth of Nibiru and the 1. Any planet that passed frequently TEnd of of the World in 2012,” September/October through the inner solar system would 2008, and “Update on the Nibiru 2012 Doomsday,” No- disturb the orbits of the inner planets. vember/December 2009) has not declined. As 2012 ap- If such an intruder existed, our Moon would have been stripped away, and the proaches, I still receive several questions per day sent to orbits of Venus and Earth would have “Ask an Astrobiologist,” including questions from people become highly elliptical. The current who think the world will end and from children who say orbits of the Moon and planets provide strong proof that no large object has they are contemplating suicide. Here are three answers penetrated the inner solar system for about the 2012 hoax that I have written recently for the millions of years. “Ask an Astrobiologist” column on NASA’s website. 2. Any large object in the solar sys- tem—even out as far out as Neptune or Pluto—would have been seen in nu- Nibiru Is Not Real merous telescopic surveys, such as those David Morrison is a long- Many people believe in the existence of time NASA senior scientist that are discovering thousands of new Nibiru (or Planet X) in spite of the ab- and Committee for Skepti- asteroids and Kuiper Belt objects every cal Inquiry fellow. He now sence of evidence that it exists today or year. These surveys have not found divides his time between that it was a planet observed by the an- Nibiru because it is not there. the SETI Institute and the cient Sumerians. The burden of proof 3. NASA’s space-based infrared sur- NASA Lunar Science Insti- should lie with those who claim there is veys, such as the recent WISE (Wide- tute. He hosts the “Ask an a planet (or a brown dwarf) on a 3,600- field Infrared Survey Explorer) mission, Astrobiologist” column at NASA’s website year orbit that passes through our inner (http://astrobiology.nasa.gov/ask-an-astro are even more sensitive than optical sur- biologist). Many more of his answers to ques- solar system and will ap proach Earth in veys for finding objects in the outer tions about 2012 can be found on CSI’s website 2012. These claimants have failed to pro- solar system. None of these infrared (www.csicop.org/specialarticles). vide any such credible evidence. But we surveys has found Nibiru. If Nibiru ex-

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isted, it could easily have been picked up by its infrared emission at any time in the past several decades. 4. If Nibiru were just months from its closest approach to Earth in 2012, it would already be well inside the orbit of Jupiter and visible to the naked eye from all over the world. Even if it were an unusually small or dark planet, it would be seen and tracked by tens of thousands of professional and amateur astronomers. 5. Any planetary mass approaching the inner solar system would perturb other planets due to its gravitational at- traction. Astronomers would already be seeing changes in the orbits of Mars and Earth. There have been no such changes detected. Nibiru, like all of the fears about 2012, is a hoax.

Solar Activity Is Cyclical and Not Disastrous The Sun is not our enemy and will not hurt us. There is increasing public con - cern over solar outbursts (flares or coro- nal mass ejections [CMEs]). One source of this fear is the science-fiction disaster film 2012, in which some sort of solar outburst “destabilizes the core of the Earth” and leads to the destruction of the planet. Luckily, most people have the good sense not to look to Hollywood plots for science information. The truth is that the Sun goes through an eleven- year activity cycle. Near peak activity, there are solar flares and CMEs that can cause some damage to space satellites, although engineers have learned to de- sign electronics to withstand such events. Such outbursts could also be a problem for astronauts in space beyond Earth’s magnetosphere, but humans have not ventured into deep space since the end of the Apollo program in 1973. We don’t expect peak solar activity until well into 2013, although the Sun is never entirely predictable. NASA has never suggested that the solar maxi-

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mum could bring death or disaster. 2001, and earlier, we will also survive mers in history. I find it distressing that For several years around the peak of the next one in 2013. some people are becoming afraid of the the solar activity cycle there will be As a precautionary measure, NASA Sun, just as many are already afraid of many solar flares, but there are no spe- runs a study called Solar Shield at its black holes or comets or cosmic align- cific predictions. The Sun was unusu- Goddard Space Flight Center. The ments. This is apparently a revival of as- ally quiet for the three years from 2007 study’s purpose is to use a combination trological superstition that should have through 2009, and scientists now pre- of Earth-based and space-based obser- died out generations ago. dict that the next maximum, sometime vations of the Sun and the solar wind in 2013, will probably be unusually to provide several hours of warning 2012 Doomsday weak. Statements that this cycle will be about incoming particles from CMEs. Predictions Are All Wrong unusually strong or that NASA has un- This system is still in the testing phase, There is no evidence that anything bad derestimated the level of solar activity but it could allow utility companies that will happen in 2012—certainly not a by a factor of twenty are false. control power grids to take preventative “doomsday” on December 21. The peo- ple who promote the 2012 hoax are doing a great deal of harm by frighten- ing people. They are doing it to make money or maybe to make themselves feel important. With just two years to go, not one of the doomsday predictions In describing solar activity, use of has come true. Nibiru, which according to claimants was supposed to be visible such phrases as “solar tsunami” to the naked eye starting in the spring of 2009, was a no-show. None of the or “solar storm” is unfortunate. more than one hundred thousand pro- It makes people think of destructive fessional and amateur astronomers around the world has seen Nibiru or tidal waves or storms on Earth—but the Planet X. There has been no change in the orbit of the Earth, and the many Sun is 150 million kilometers away! predictions of changes in the tilt of our rotation axis did not come true either. Nor has there been any change in the orbit or rotation of any other planet. The Earth’s magnetic field has not changed, and we are not headed for a magnetic pole reversal in 2012. Your In describing solar activity, use of measures, such as shutting down key compasses still point north as they al- such phrases as “solar tsunami” or “solar transformers at the time the charged ways have. Earthquakes and volcanic storm” is unfortunate. It makes people particles arrive. eruptions are no more frequent than is think of destructive tidal waves or Most of the dangers that some peo- normal. Solar activity, which the doom- storms on Earth—but the Sun is 150 ple associate with flares or other forms sayers claimed would reach an intense million kilometers away! There is an es- of solar activity are not real. Solar activ- peak in 2012, has been low and probably pecially confusing Fox News interview ity cannot cause forest fires, such as the will not peak until 2013. No asteroids with cosmologist Michio Kaku that is summer 2010 fires in Russia or the have been discovered on a collision popular on YouTube. Kaku states that September 2010 fires in Colorado. The course with Earth. Governments are not at solar maximum the Sun’s magnetic main reason Colorado had such severe building shelters or bunkers or doing field suddenly flips and a giant shock fires was the widespread killing of trees anything else to prepare for a danger wave of radiation heads for Earth, by a beetle, which is in turn related to that simply does not exist. Every which he warns could disable our civi- global warming. Dead and dying trees doomsday prediction has turned out to lization. This is not the way the solar burn much more easily than healthy be wrong. Yet many people are still cycle works, and it raises unwarranted forests. The fires in Russia were also re- frightened. It is very sad, but I am afraid fears. Remember, if our civilization sur- lated to climate: they were associated that this nonsense will persist right up vived previous solar maxima in 1990, with one of the hottest and driest sum- until December 21, 2012. n

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REVIEWS] A Slam-Dunk Debunk MATT CROWLEY

enjamin Radford is a longtime sci- Bentific investigator of fringe-science Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast in Fact, topics with an emphasis on cryptozool- Fiction, and Folklore ogy. The University of New Mexico By Benjamin Radford. University of New Mexico Press, Press has published Radford’s latest Albuquerque, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-82635-015-2. book, Tracking the Chupa cabra: The Vam - 202 pp. Softcover, $24.95. pire Beast in Fact, Fiction, and Folklore. Though modestly titled, this book is ar- guably the greatest cryptozoological book ever written. It’s a winner in every way, a slam-dunk debunk of the mystery surrounding the new monster on the of the 1970s, virtually all cases of alleged ent from normal, healthy animals. block: el chupacabra. chupacabra attacks involve animals dying The real death blow to the chu- Radford builds his case methodically, by ordinary predation, not by having pacabra legend was Radford tracking starting off with a history of vampire leg- their blood sucked. Using both photo- down and personally interviewing the ends in general. After all, chupacabra lit- graphs and drawings, Rad ford illustrates first known chupacabra eyewitness, a erally means “goat sucker” in Spanish and how an untrained individual might Puerto Rican woman named Madelyne as such falls squarely within the realm of come to misinterpret an animal’s death Tolentino. To borrow a term from epi- vampiric tradition. Many people become as the result of a blood-sucking beast. demiology, Tolentino was “patient familiar with vampires through popular Sometimes asking a simple question zero,” i.e., the single person from whom media such as books or movies. In leads to a surprising result. By the time the tale originated and spread. This is America, the emphasis is on European or the chupacabra legend went north to the the point at which everything falls into American monsters. Yet Radford dem- United States, the beast had changed place, giving Radford’s investigation an onstrates that vampiric legend is a world- from a bipedal being with spikes down almost Euclidian elegance. A careful wide phenomenon that goes far back in its back to a quadruped, something examination of Tolentino’s account history. Not surprisingly, each culture has along the lines of a dog, wolf, or coyote. demonstrates virtually beyond a doubt a slightly different spin on the legend, These animals are all canids, and as such that her sighting was a confabulation and the culture of Puerto Rico, where the have certain familial characteristics. with a work of fiction. first chupacabra reports originated, is no Radford works through a very simple, As with a geometric theorem, the el- exception. non-intuitive question: Is a canid even egance lies in the process of the proof, The Puerto Rican version of the chu- physiologically capable of sucking blood not just the result. Radford freely ad- pacabra legend incorporates elements of from an animal’s wound? mits that it may seem like overkill to anti-American sentiment as well as con- The technology behind DNA put so much time and energy into de- spiracy theories and religious “end times” analysis has progressed so quickly dur- bunking an intrinsically unlikely mon- notions. The chupacabra myth sprang up ing the beginning of the twenty-first ster. Yet the beauty of Radford’s book is to explain dead animals left behind that century that it’s not surprising that it that we get to watch how things ought to had been killed (and supposedly left has been used to identify the carcasses be done. The investigative process is as bloodless) by unknown predators. Rad - of animals claimed to be chupacabras. important as the ultimate conclusion. ford methodically investigates how these Without fail, DNA analyses of these Radford’s book is a must-have in any animals probably died. animals have shown them to be known good crypto-library. n There’s an entire branch of science, species or, occasionally, hybrids of taphonomy, that deals with what hap- known species. In many cases the car- Matt Crowley earned a bachelor of science de- pens to animals after they die. Radford’s casses are hairless, or nearly so. Radford gree in pharmacy in 1987 from the University of account is both accessible to the lay includes a treatment of the nature of Montana. He has given presentations at several reader and sparing in unnecessary gore; sarcoptic mange, which can cause an conferences on the subject of “Dermal all photos are in black and white. A animal to lose most if not all of its fur. Ridges and Casting Artifacts.” He currently lives near-reprise of the cattle mutilation flap Hairless canids often look very differ- in Seattle, Washington.

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[NEW BOOKS

Listing does not preclude future review.

BELIEVING BULLSHIT: How Not to Get Sucked Personal Genomics: The Fine Line into an Intellectual Black Hole. Stephen Law. Prometheus Books, Amherst, New York, 2011. between Science and Narcissism 271 pp. Softcover, $19. How do ridiculous views get entrenched in the minds of sane, intelligent, college-educated people? U.K. philosopher MASSIMO PIGLIUCCI Stephen Law identifies eight key mechanisms that can suck people into belief systems like light unable to escape a black hole. He devotes a chapter to each: “Playing the Mystery Card”; “‘But It Fits!’ and the Blunder buss”; “Going Nu- clear”; “Moving the Semantic Goalposts”; “‘ I Just Know!’”; “Pseudo profundity”; “Piling Up Anec- dotes”; and “Pressing Your Buttons.” (To be re- viewed in our next issue.) —K.F. he Human Genome Project began Here Is a Human Being: Tin 1990 with much fanfare. We At the Dawn of Personal THE FACT OF EVOLUTION. Cameron M. Smith. were promised the essence of a human Genomics Prometheus Books, Amherst, New York, 2011. being served on a CD, with the impli- By Misha Angrist. 250 pp. Softcover, $18. This is a welcome and HarperCoillins, cation that we would gain a much bet- highly readable book by an an- New York, 2010. thropologist (Portland State ter understanding of what it is to be ISBN: 978-0-06162-833-7. University) and writer (coau- human—and also cure cancer and a 352 pp. Hardcover, $26.99. thor of The Top Ten Myths bunch of other nasty diseases. None of about Evolution). Smith shows that has happened. The project was not only that evolution does completed in 2003 at a cost of $2.7 happen but that it must hap- pen. Evolution is the natural billion (1991); cancer is still here, and haps even several, health and scientific consequence of three independent facts of we haven’t acquired much more in- benefits. But reading Angrist’s book the natural world: 1) the fact of the replication sight into the essence of humanity. did not exactly make me a fan of the of life forms (producing offspring); 2) the fact Of course, there have been bene- idea—despite the fact that the author that the offspring are not identical (variation); fits, from the development of new se- clearly is. and 3) the fact that not all offspring survive (se- quencing technologies (so that more Largely, the book is (unintention- lection). Viewed in these terms, evolution is simply the inevitable consequence of these genomes, including those of many ally, I’m sure) about the incredible three obvious, observable natural phenomena. other species, can be sequenced) to amount of narcissism characterizing Smith also covers new discoveries of the past some patenting of new genetic most of the people involved in various twenty years, during which the genomic revo- screening tests for Alzheimer’s and aspects of the new quest for personal lution has strengthened Darwin’s basic ideas certain types of cancer. But it is fair to and produced abundant new evidence of evo- say that the broader scientific com- lution in action. A final chapter, “The Grand Illu- sion,” discusses how humans are conditioned munity and the public at large were to think that complex things, like plants and hu- substantially oversold on the import mans, can be the result of only intentional mak- of the project—particularly its prac- It is fair to say that ingrather than the consequence of natural phe- tical applications. nomena. This accounts for much of the Now, as former doctoral and post- the broader scientific misunderstanding and rejection of evolution doctoral student in human genetics among the public. —K.F. community and the and former genetic counselor Misha THE GLOBAL GRAPEVINE: Why Rumors of Ter- Angrist tells us, we are about to step public at large were rorism, Immigration, and Trade Matter. Gary into the era of personal genomics. And substantially oversold Alan Fine and Bill Ellis. Oxford once again, we are being promised University Press, New York, cures for all sorts of human ailments as on the import 2010. 252 pp. Hardcover, well as, to paraphrase the title of the $27.95. The Glo bal Grapevine, of the project. a new book by folklorists Gary book, a hard-science view of what it is Alan Fine (John Evans Profes- to be human. As in the case of the orig- sor ofSociology at Northwest- inal project, I have no doubt that per- ern Uni versity) and Bill Ellis sonal genomics will result in some, per-

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REVIEWS]

(professor emeritus of English and Amer ican studies at Pennsylvania State University), deals with rumors and gossip. The authors genomics, from scientific luminaries- duh. I had had a grandparent on each argue that rumors are a valuable window into turned-embarrassments like James Wat- side die before age sixty from a heart at- social and global anxieties and fears; indeed, son to people (in cluding Angrist himself) tack. My dad had had a quadruple by- “rumors let us talk as a community about volunteering for the Harvard-sponsored pass when he was sixty.” some very inflammatory issues—issues that may be embarrassing or disturbing to dis- Personal Genome Project. It’s a tale of In the course of his quest, Angrist dis- good science mixed with a dangerously cuss—allowing us to act as if we are talking covered many more largely useless but about real events, not personal beliefs. We can careless attitude about personal privacy, to highly scientific facts about his health: his air our hidden fears and desires without claim- which of course one must add quite a bit risk of colon cancer is 5 percent, which is ing these attitudes as our own.” The Global probably not statistically different from Grapevine covers four major social themes that generate rumors: terrorism, immigration, the population average of 6 percent; he international trade, and tourism. These rumors has almost twice the population’s risk of (often encompassing everything from anti-im- Graves’ disease, an autoimmune condition migrant hostility to urban legends about organ Angrist discovered, caused by a hyperactive thyroid. But there theft) reflect social anxieties about contact is nothing he can do about it because the with foreign cultures, and they can cause gen- for instance, that “I was uine harm and danger when acted upon. This seven times more likely condition is currently incurable, and he book is a fascinating and indispensable guide shouldn’t worry too much about it any- to understanding the folkloric and cultural to go bald than most way because his actual chances of getting functions of rumors and myths. —B.R. it are only 0.93 percent (free advice: never MULTI-SECULARISM: A New Agenda. Paul Kurtz. men. Duh. I needed only trust two-digit precision after the decimal Transaction Publishers, New Brunswick, New to look in the mirror point in this sort of data). But if he is a Jeresy, 2010. 263 pp. Hardcover, $39.95. The normal human being, he will probably philosopher Paul Kurtz, who has been intimately to confirm that...” fret about anything for which his ge- involved in the campaign for secularism and En- nomic profile deviates from the average lightenment values through- out his career—and who (which, I imagine, is not likely to help his founded the Committee for self-admitted propensity for depression), Skeptical Inquiry and the Cen- and his health insurance company will ter for Inquiry, among other in- of private financial interest on behalf of likely take advantage of even statistically stitutions—here presents the a number of startup companies that insignificant deviations to save a buck at case for secularism and the stand to profit handsomely if they can secular society, which he con- convince us (and our doctors, who typi- the cost of making his life more difficult. siders part of the battle for the open demo- cally know little of genetics) that we re- I am certainly not advocating hard- cratic society. It’s a battle that has leaped to ally ought to be able to read our anno- core skepticism toward personal ge- center stage worldwide; it is being contested tated genomes online (or maybe on an nomics; this isn’t astrology or homeopa- or defended everywhere. The first principle of thy. But it is precisely the sort of complex secularism was eloquently ex pressed in the iPhone app). First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Angrist writes toward the end of the subject matter—at the interface of basic which barred establishment of a religion and book: “After three years, I had done it: science, applied science, technology, the prohibition of its free exercise. In Kurtz’s while I’d hardly conquered it, I had come business, informatics, and, last but cer- view, multi-secularism recognizes that the and seen my genome, or at least some tainly not least, ethics—that should have forms secularism takes must be adapted to tiny fraction of it. . . . This journey of inspired an equally complex and nu- the unique socio-cultural traditions of each self-exploration had turned out to be country or region. After introductory chapters anced book. Alas, Here Is a Human Being on secularism in historical perspective and more of a speculative intellectual exercise is not that book. naturalism, sections deal with secular morality than a life-changing clinical one.” And (asserting that morality is natural, affirming no wonder. Angrist discovered, for in- Massimo Pigliucci is professor of philosophy at life, and encouraging the pursuit of excellence stance, that “I was seven times more the Graduate Center of the City University and good will toward others); secularism and likely to go bald than most men. Duh. I of New York, a fellow of the American Association religion (including republication of his fine 2004 article “Skeptical Inquiry and Religion” needed only to look in the mirror to for the Advancement of Science, and author of from the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER); humanism and pol- confirm that. I had plenty of [genomic] Nonsense on Stilts: How to Tell Science from itics; the rise of India and China; and some risk factors for coronary artery disease, Bunk. His essays can be found at www. rationally moving personal reflections, including “Final type 2 diabetes, stroke, obesity. Again, speaking.org. Reflections,” written in 2007 when he was in

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the hospital awaiting open-heart surgery and “perhaps facing death” (fortunately, he sur- vived and is still writing). —K.F.

THE MYSTERY ANIMALS OF IRELAND. Gary Cun- Escaping Mortality ningham and Ronan Coghlan. CFZ Press, North Devon, Great Britain, 2010. 167 pp. Softcover, $17.99. The bulk of Mystery Animals of Ireland DANIEL GRASSAM comprises lake-monster and sea-serpent sightings. Though some of the chapters could have used more depth in their discus- sions and analyses, the book o any fan of science fiction, immor- Long for This World: surveys a broad range of sub- Ttality is a familiar topic. Some sci-fi The Strange Science jects, including mysterious readers believe it’s inevitable that we of Immortality swine, sea serpents, were- will one day achieve it; the more opti- By Jonathan Weiner. wolves, mermaids, hairy ho- mistic among them believe it will HarperCollins, minids, and big cats. The evidence for these happen within their lifetimes. But as New York, 2011. creatures varies widely, and in most cases it is ISBN: 978-0-076536-1. pretty thin. As is often the case, the bulk of ev- Jonathan Weiner discusses in Long for idence is reports and sightings. The book is in- This World, the science of immortality 310 pp. Hardcover, $27.99. formed by some actual research and investi- might not be moving fast enough for gation by its authors—a welcome rarity in the this goal to be reached. Weiner spoke to again above the tower of St. Benet’s. The field. The authors were let down, however, by a number of scientists from gerontology sun flared against the pub’s window- the book’s production values. There are more (the study of aging) and related fields typos than should be acceptable in any profes- panes with the tawny light of August.” sional book, and the quality of the images for his book, but there is one scientist in In addition to the expressive language, ranges from mediocre to poor. With these limi- particular who receives special treat- Weiner uses personal stories of the sci- tations in mind, The Mystery Animals of Ireland ment. That scientist is used to connect entists for embellishment. On one or is a worthwhile addition to the literature on the others and all aspects of the book two occasions these seemed too per- mysterious Irish monsters and creatures together. His name is Aubrey de Grey. sonal, crossing the line. Learning that specifically, with information that would be dif- De Grey is a good choice for this Aubrey de Grey met his wife at a party ficult or impossible for North American readers pivotal role. He is outspoken and has a and re searchers to obtain. —B.R. is an interesting anecdote; indicating tendency to use visionary language that that they were physically intimate on SEARCHING FOR SASQUATCH: Crackpots, is inspirational and makes good copy. that night is dispensable information. Eggheads, and . Brian Regal. De Grey talks of 1,000-year-old hu- With the amount of space dedi- Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2011. 250 pp. mans and of humans achieving escape cated to Aubrey de Grey, one could see Hardcover, $85. Brian Regal, an assistant pro- velocity from mortality. He alleges that de Grey as the protagonist of the War fessor of the history of science at Kean Univer- “the engines of biomedicine are lifting sity, has written a fascinating and well-researched book on us upward faster than the forces of de - those who have searched for cline and decay are dragging us down.” Bigfoot. Bigfoot itself is barely Despite these outlandish claims, de De Grey talks of 1,000- mentioned and only periph- Grey is no crackpot. Origin ally a com- year-old humans and erally discussed. The real puter scientist, he is now one of the value in the book lies in its in- leading theorists in longevity research. of humans achieving sights into who searches for His approach favors Gordian-Knot Bigfoot and why. For example, Regal notes that escape velocity from “for non-scientists, Bigfoot was tailor-made for style solutions to the slow progress of aspiring cryptozoologists. The primary require- day-to-day science. He lays out some of mortality. He alleges ment for entering the hunt was simply a desire these solutions in his Strategies for the that “the engines of to do so.” Furthermore, “depending on where Engineered Negligi ble Senescense one lived, enthusiasts wanting to take part in (SENS), which aim to bypass the need biomedicine are lifting the adventure need only walk out their back for a full understanding of metabolism doors to enter the world’s largest anomalous us upward faster primate laboratory. Unlike the amateur natu- and instead focus on cleaning up “the ralists of the eighteenth and nineteenth cen- detritus that metabolism lays down.” than the forces of turies ... the North American Sasquatch com- Weiner starts and ends the book with munity consisted mostly of working-class and conversation with de Grey at a pub in de cline and decay are lower-middle-class white males in their thirties Cambridge. In his description of this dragging us down.” and forties with outdoor experience ... and discussion Weiner displays some of his modest or no college education.” A virtually identical statement could be made about the expressive style: “Through the windows of the Eagle, I watched the clouds part

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amateur ghost hunters and ghost-hunting groups that have proliferated over the past decade, due in large part to television shows like Ghost Hunters. If Bigfoot does not exist on Aging. Weiner portrays de Grey as a therefore immortality, he writes, “We had (and the evidence seems to suggest that con- larger-than-life character who embodies it in our hands ... and we lost it forever.” clusion), then perhaps the next most interest- the optimistic side of immortality research. In the index there are eight entries for ing mystery is why people believe it does and But although he plays the lead role in the Adam and Eve (as many as there are for what motivates their search. Those who aren’t book, de Grey is not Weiner’s hero. Weiner James Watson and one fewer than the Bigfoot buffs may find Regal’s book too “in- house,” but it is a brilliant, in-depth examina- states clearly and repeatedly that he is not number of en tries for Francis Crick.) tion of those who search for Sasquatch. —B.R. a disciple of de Grey and that “he and I In addition to outlining some of the were not of the same faith.” current research and challenges facing the TRUE GIANTS: Is Gigantopithecus Still Alive? Weiner’s use of terms like disciple and science of aging, Long for This World also Mark A. Hall and Loren Coleman. Anomalist faith seem ordinary for the first chapter or explores questions that the subject of im- Books, New York, 2010. 174 pp. Softcover, two; then it starts to stand out. Weiner ref- mortality raises: How would it affect our $15.95. Writers Mark Hall and Loren Coleman erences the Bible extensively in the book. address the question of whether or not stories humanity? Do we want to live forever? and evidence of giant bipedal creatures (such In reference to the length of time people How much does death give meaning to as Bigfoot and the Yeti) might may live, he states, “our descendants in an- life? Wouldn’t we get terribly bored? There really be of Gigantopithecus other few generations may expect to live as aren’t answers to these questions; the ma- blacki, the largest known ape long as Moses, who is said to have lived terial is intended to highlight that im- in the world at up to nine feet 120 years; Noah, who lived 950 years; or mortality is not for everyone and that tall. Coleman is of course well- Methuselah, the oldest man in the Bible.” known for his books on cryp- utopia is not necessarily a consequence of tozoology, and both authors Weiner does not state whether he accepts eternal life. n do an admirable job of collect- these stories as truth, but the language ing information and lore about these “True Gi- seems to indicate that he does. After dis- Daniel Grassam writes from Auckland, New Zealand. ants.” The main problem is that the authors are cussing the fall of Adam and Eve, and E-mail: [email protected]. assuming that the answer to the question in the book’s title is yes. They note that “True Gi- ants are still around.... They are living success- fully beside human beings.... They have large hands and seem capable of making crude cloth- ing and using simple weapons. They have en- gaged in some herding of animals ... and been He Sees Dead People associated with taking up some technological pursuits such as smithing.” All this is interesting speculation and conjecture, but it’s reminiscent ROBERT SHEAFFER of debates about the number of angels that can fit on the head of a pin. You can muster all the stories and folklore you like, but the inescapable fact remains that there is no scientific evidence n 1987, Whitley Strieber, already well The Key: A True Encounter whatsoever that the premise of the book—that Iknown as a writer of fantasy and science By Whitley Strieber. Jeremy P. Gigantopithecus blackiexist in modern times— fiction for Wolfen, The Hunger, and other Tarcher/Penguin Group, is true. The best evidence shows that it died out as recently as 300,000 years ago, though Hall New York, 2011. ISBN: 978-1- tales, published the supposedly nonfiction and Coleman suggest that the scientific evi- book Communion: A True Story about his 58542-869-4. dence supporting the existence of True Giants ongoing encounters with E.T.-like beings 256 pp. Softcover, $15.95. has been ignored at least in part because “pro- he calls “the visitors.” It was on the New fessional anthropologists are paralyzed by fear York Times bestseller list for many weeks, and ignorance.” True Giants is a valiant and orig- followed up by Transformation in 1988 and inal attempt to make the case for the existence of these beasts based on little or no hard evi- then by numerous other paranormal- perience between 1985 and 1993 with dence. As an exercise in cryptozoological folklore themed books, some admitted to be novels, creatures that appeared to be alien was as- it’s interesting, but you don’t need to be a scien- others not. Imagine if Steven King had writ- sociated with a surprising side effect, tist or a skeptic to realize that Hall and Coleman’s ten a masterful horror novel but claimed that which was simultaneous contact with the case is never made. —B.R. all of the ghostly goings-on really happened dead, who would appear along with the to him, although he could offer no proof of visitors, and not as ghosts.” What a pity he —Kendrick Frazier and Benjamin Radford any of it. That’s where we stand with didn’t mention those dead people when he Strieber. wrote about the visitors in Communion and In The Key, Strieber writes, “My ex - Transformation.

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The Key begins in 1998, when Strie - ing, each and all of us.” It seems The lous eco-disaster novel The Coming ber claims a mysterious man unexpect- Master would be on the fast track to a Global Superstorm, on which the movie edly knocked on the door of his hotel Nobel Prize in physics if it weren’t for The Day After Tomor row is based.) room late one night during a long and one disqualification: his admission that As you might surmise of a skilled sto- grueling book-promotion tour. Against he is dead. ryteller, Strieber’s Master walks out the his better judgment, he let in the man, There is also some dark conspiracy door and disappears mysteriously into who then proceeded to engage Strieber about Mars that is only hinted at in such the night. Say what you want about in “the best conversation I’ve ever had,” statements as “Mars was murdered by Strieber’s credibility, but he does know which Strieber describes as “deeply, you.” As for crop circles, they are “two di- how to turn a fine phrase and spice up a profoundly new” and “richly textured.” mensional portraits” created by dead peo- story. Still, Strieber, The Master’s ventril- What did this ordinary-looking man, ple. The Master also warned, “Warmth oquist, comes across as a rather loopy and who came to be called “The Master of being retained near the surface by green- preachy social activist—but as the late the Key,” have to say? Gems such as house elements results in cooling aloft. A George Adamski surely realized, nobody would care about his political statements “The energetic body has a spin, or vi- massive and extremely powerful convec- unless they actually came from the Venu- bration. This can go infinitely fast. It tion can arise that results in a storm so sians. And however preachy, at least The can reach beyond the speed of light, great that it changes the climate perma- Master isn’t as long-winded as John Galt and exit time altogether.” And “All nently. The next ice age will begin soon, of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. n being includes all elements of the earth, and this will lead to the extinction of and thus all are part of all bodies. We mankind.” (Strieber is the coauthor, Robert Sheaffer is the author of UFO Sightings: are the consciousness of the planetary along with the late-night conspiracy The Evidence (Prometheus Books, 1998). His level that it has spent all of its life evolv- talk show maven Art Bell, of the ridicu- blog is at www.BadUFOs.com. [INBOX

Bem’s Astounding may very well attempt to view Claims www.hotmormonhoneys.com sometime within the next 2 years or so, give or take some Wow! Finally a psychic break- un known parameters due to through with real impact (cri- experimental error. Please take tiqued by James Alcock in “Back appropriate action. from the Future: Sincerely, Charles Keating III and the Bem Affair,” SI, March/ - April 2011)! Now that Daryl Steve Aldrich Bem has shown, unequivocally, Aurora, Colorado that some psychics may some- times be able to predict, with an accuracy that is sometimes better Seven Deadly Medical than mere chance, that an erotic Hypotheses image might appear on a com- puter screen, Christian Repub - I read Dr. Reynold Spector’s lican congressmen can now fund “Seven Deadly Medical Hy- a much needed Federal Psychic potheses” (SI, March/April 20 - Department of Homeland De- 11) with interest. I am mostly cency. concerned about his perpetuat- Imagine the tremendous ing the mythical danger of estro- benefits to society when Salt gen in menopausal women. He Lake City housewives can re- asserts “the well documented fact ceive e-mail messages such as: that estrogen is a carcinogen that causes breast cancers that kill Dear Mrs. Smith, the Psychic women.” Interestingly, the data Department of Homeland De- from his reference (Chlebowski’s cency predicts, with an accu- racy that exceeds mere chance, WHI study) actually shows a that there exists a reasonable protective effect from estrogen likelihood that your son Joseph regarding breast cancer. The

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question of breast cancer and fore it can cause colon cancer” lining,” I came to an explana- doesn’t happen every day, but it hormone therapy needs much and describes a study published tion of this behavior slightly happens. It is difficult to blame more study before anyone can in 2008 in the Journal of Oncol- different from Levy’s. Are they those who benefited from these claim a cause and effect. Even ogy that showed that taking Vi- not saying (though not ac- very improbable events for women who have been previ- tamin D improved survival knowledging to themselves): thinking they have been singled ously treated for breast cancer among those who were already “This tyrant has struck again out by some divine force. find a lower chance of cancer re- diagnosed with colorectal can- and has offered some small Nearly anything is possible. currence and mortality when cer. Not true? mercy so that I might praise Unless probability is zero, it can prescribed estrogen for meno - Spector also claims that “No him for all this suffering in- and likely will happen over the pausal symptoms. Many studies cancer-preventing phytochem- flicted [he is that much of a course of billions or trillions of have found overall decreased icals have been found in fruits tyrant! Indeed, a super-tyrant!]. opportunities. We skeptics tend mortality in estrogen users and vegetables.” Really? Are all And I must praise him in order to ride the high probability com pared to nonusers. the articles I regularly read say- to be spared the next blow. Fur- curve and look askance at any- Finally, I would direct your ing differently also flawed? thermore [and perhaps this is a thing with very long odds. But readers to your May/June 2010 Reading Spector’s article, Christian twist with a further we should acknowledge that issue of SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. poorly supported by presented turn of the knife], since he is however improbable, if proba- The article entitled “The evidence, is disturbing. Was this all-knowing and can see right bility is not zero it can happen Alarms of Hormone Replace- peer reviewed by other medical into my heart I must be sincere and it doesn’t take a divine hand ment Ther apy” (by Bluming and experts? in this praise so I have to even to make it come to pass. Tavris) is certainly more akin to feel grateful! I must even de- Robert J. Millar Robert Veitch the clear-thinking, skeptical ceive myself about this grateful- Professor of Social Science Minneapolis, Minnesota thought process than Dr. Spec- Reading Area Community ness.” After a while of repeated tor’s misleading narrative. College practice of conjuring up feelings of gratitude from happy life James Kolter, MD Reading, Pennsylvania Stem Cells’ Rough Ride events (birth of first child, etc.) [email protected] the “sincere” feeling of gratitude Kenneth Krause’s column “Re- becomes second nature at times See the Follow-Up section in the ligion on Politics on Science” of disaster. As a longtime skeptic, I’m un- forthcoming September/October (SI, March/April 2011) high- satisfied by Dr. Reynold Spec- 2011 SI issue for more critical Mike Petzold lights another example of why tor’s seemingly too-easy dis- commentary on Spector’s article. Goulais River, Ontario, religion cannot be rationally missals of a positive role of fresh We also expect his reply in that Canada reconciled with the scientific fruits and vegetables in disease issue. —EDITOR worldview. The motives behind prevention. There is, of course, the judicial assault on stem cell nothing “deadly” about eating Responding to Mark Levy’s re- research expressed in the Dickey- multiple servings of fruits and God in the News Again port on God in the news, mira- Walker amendment to provide vegetables, especially if they are cles do happen—or at least what legal protection for human em- replacing servings of burgers Mark Levy is right-on to state, appear to be to us mor- bryos are totally religious. Hu - and fries. “If you’re a theist, you ought to tals who can only detect the most man embryos, especially pre-em- Spector quickly dismisses acknowledge, at least occasion- blatant of cause-effect relation- byros, are not persons by any more than one hundred epi- ally, that God is responsible for ships. A ten-year-old Dutch boy rational definition and have a demiology/observation studies terrible events as well as miracu- was the only survivor in a fiery air lesser claim to protection of their from the 1970s and 1980 be- lous ones” (“God in the News crash that killed 103 in Libya last lives than fully developed exist- cause they were, he says, “flawed Again,” SI, March/April 2011). spring. Conversely, only one died ing persons (Decoding the Lan- studies.” According to what ev- Along similar lines, I often won- and 131 survived in the South guage of God, pp. 217–30). The idence were they flawed? And is der why, if God can make such American air crash that Mark research use of pre-embyro, i.e., there general agreement in the miraculous saves during terrible Levy described. A bit of research voluntarily donated before four- medical community on that? occurrences, he, she, it, them, or uncovers fourteen other air teen days gestation when there In addition to the general whatever can’t or won’t intervene crashes with a single survivor, in is no brain, no nerves, no sensa- media, I regularly read some of to prevent terrible things (acci- most cases a child, and numerous tion, is morally defensible from the major health newsletters dents, diseases, wars, earthquakes, air crashes with multiple sur- a secular scientific point of view. and journals produced by vari- birth defects, etc.) from occurring vivors. Searching for people who The Dickey-Walker amend- ous medical groups and institu- before the fact. have fallen more than twenty ment is an unconstitutional vi- tions, and I also routinely read Herman M. Heyn stories and survived results in olation of freedom of con- summaries of research support- Baltimore, Maryland many hits. The same is true of science, and I agree with Krause ing the consumption of fruits searching for parachutists who that it ought to be repealed and and vegetables as reducing var- survived jumps where the chute not left to religious ideologies ious health problems, including While reading Mark Levy’s art- didn’t open. or an activist Supreme Court. cancers. An article from Men’s ful description of the profusion There are medical miracles However, Krause’s use of Health cites Vitamin D as help- of praise that bystanders and too: complete remission of stage Francis Collins, who believes he ing the body to “detoxify and unfortunate victims offer for four cancer; eyesight restored has reconciled science with his expel excess lithocholic acid be- some “inconsequential silver after years of blindness. It faith in Jesus (as illustrated in his

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book : A Sci- Both of these characteristics On Time Travel ing food for future articles. The entist Presents Evidence for Belief would be absolutely impossible point here is that there seem to ), raises some interesting points. to render while taking verbal Massimo Pigliucci’s column “On be no logical impediments to us First, and others ex - dictation. Time Travel” (SI, March /April becoming viewers in time com- pressed concerns about his ap - Some traits shown in the 2011) reminds us once again of pared to the tortuous loops and pointment as Director of Na- writing, which I can only assume the physical and logical barriers flaws blocking any attempt to be tional Insti tutes of Health are traits belonging to Vassula that stand in the way of our travelers in time. (www.project-reason.org/archive Ryden herself, are extreme vanity, dream of journeying into the past. David Werdegar /item/the_strange_case_of_fran- conservatism, self-consciousness, As restricted as time travel may Naperville, IIlinois cis_collins2/). As a geneticist objectivity, no generosity, no en- be, it is important to remember who had observed Collins for thusiasm, very little willpower, that these are limitations im posed some time, I was less concerned on time travel but not on time and lasting determination; a de- I was disappointed with Mas- and was not surprised by his tes- viewing. No logical or physical tailed person, she is creative, simo Pig liucci’s “On Time timony in favor of limited em- restrictions prevent us from con- artistic, and keeps others at a dis- Travel.” Why didn’t he point out bryonic stem-cell research. As I ceptually viewing the past. In fact tance. Maybe some of these the virtual impossibility of time demonstrated in detail in my we experience time viewing every travel since it requires travel in traits could be attributed to God, day. For example, the bus coming book Decoding the Language of space as well? but some would definitely be toward you, as you wait at the God: Can a Scientist Really Be a Everything is in rapid mo- human traits. corner, comes out of the driver’s Believer? (2009), the possibilities tion. Earth rotates, orbiting the past into your present. So does feared by Harris remain a con- Mary-Dean Phifer sun, which orbits the galaxy, your reflection in a mirror. cern. For example, I am unaware Mount Sterling, Kentucky which heads who knows where. What we need to brainstorm of any statements Collins has Con sidering only Earth’s rota- as armchair “time viewers” is first made on abortion. Let us hope tion, to time travel one hour a definition of exactly what it that he will continue in his offi- Wegman’s ahead requires simultaneously means for time to contain past cial capacity to defer to science in Kentucky Factor moving some thousand miles to information. Unfortunately, time any future conflicts. the east just to remain at the is as vaguely defined as God, In the second paragraph of his same location on Earth. George Cunningham, MD which makes it so easy to discuss article “Strange Problems in the Even if it were possible to San Francisco, California in the abstract. It may be that calculate where in space to go, Wegman Report” (SI, March - time, as Julian Barbour asserts, is and you (and your machine) /April 2011), John Mashey mis- nothing more than a human- could tolerate the g-forces for Ryden’s takenly identifies Ed Whitfield manufactured continuum, many suddenly moving so rapidly so Impossible Claims as a U.S. Congressman from knife-edged presents stored and far, there remains the difficulty of Tennessee. He is the representa- sequenced as our brain’s personal locating your grandfather, or Joe Nickell’s skepticism in his tive from Kentucky’s 1st Con - movie. Plato, or Jesus, or whomever you column “Heaven’s Stenogra- gressional District. Kentucky is a Second, we need to consider might wish to visit. There’s more: pher” (SI, March/April 2011) is major producer of high-sulphur- what kind of apparatus or for example, if visiting some- justified. I am a master grapho- content coal. This makes the process would be able to capture where 2,000 years ago, where analyst (Certified by the Interna- and create a continuous picture basis for his interest in anything were the materials of which you tional Graphoanalysis Society) of non-local past events. Could that debunks global warming and your machine are composed? who has studied hand writing for we really intersect with the more obvious. In the past, the Time travel is only a dream. twenty-five years, and I have also state also spent untold sums in an enormously complex pattern of mastered speed writing. Gregg effort to “prove” that acid rain is a photons that were once emitted P.M. deLaubenfels shorthand and other methods myth and, prior to that, in the from a prehistoric Neanderthal Corvallis, Oregon of speed writing were created to campaign to “clear up” any con- community or from the first enable people to write words on cerns about the connection be- farming village? If the visual ev- paper as fast as they are spoken. idence of an event travels in all ‘Ooooh…..Shiny!’ tween smoking and health risk. You need only look at the writ- directions, would our time ma- The congressman is thus the ing of Vassula Ryden to realize chine’s view be restricted to a nar- In Benjamin Wolozin’s Com- latest in a long and sordid that it would be completely im- row slice of the dawn of history? mentary “Washington Rally to possible to write script that per- history of anti-science activity. Science fiction devotees will Restore Sanity a Plea for San- fect while jotting down words Mark Twain’s famous observation recognize the genesis of this ity,” (SI, March/April 2011), he being spoken to her, even for a about Kentucky still applies! quest as the basis of T.L. wrote, “and finally, some [signs] short while. Nickell reports that Jack B. Wood Sherred’s engrossing novella E were just nonsensical, such as she takes four to six hours of Princeton, Kentucky for Effort. And it may be that the one that stated, ‘Ooooh “guided-hand dictation” in this dream of a time screen may for- ...... Shiny!’” script each day. As noted, the John Mashey replies: ever be limited to the pages of It’s not quite nonsensical; it’s lines of writing sit perfectly on fiction. Whether or not such a a catchphrase used occasionally the lines of the paper; also the I apologize to the citizens of device could ever pass physics by one of the principal charac- T bars are marked perfectly Tennessee for mislabeling Whit- muster, and whether or not it ters in Joss Whedon’s series along the lines on the paper. field as theirs. could be constructed, is intrigu- Firefly and his movie Serenity

64 Volume 35 Issue 4 | Skeptical Inquirer SI July August 11_SI new design masters 5/25/11 12:18 PM Page 65

(specifically, by Kaylee Frye, the sound judgment, and proof. Her construction of several au- of Wolfgang von Kempelen ship’s engineer). It denotes writing was amusing, thought tomata as “attempts to discern ( Journal of the Acoustical Society of something spiff, cool, neat, nice, provoking, and entertaining, which aspects of living creatures America, March 1950), describe wonderful, and/or just plain while repeatedly exposing the could be reproduced in machin- in detail a speaking machine built good, said with a certain inability, and un willingness, of ery … and what such reproduc- by Wolfgang Ritter von Kempe- amount of cheery innocence (as humanity to simply think. tions might reveal about their len in 1791, accompanied by a befitting the character). Thank you for a beautifully natural subjects” (“The Defecat- volume that made clear that he revealing magnifying glass. ing Duck, or, the Ambigu ous was attempting to scientifically Ted Eisenstein Origins of Artificial Life,” Criti- describe the mechanisms of Fayette, Missouri Hans Beuche cal Inquiry, Summer 2003). For speech production. (The scien- Port Elizabeth, South example, Vaucanson invented an tific value of Kempelen’s efforts Africa automated flute player in 1738, should not be tarnished by his A Revealing in part to test his theory of the chess-playing machine, which Magnifying Glass biomechanics and acoustics of was a hoax—it had a small man Early Androids flute playing. Riskin describes hidden inside!) Erasmus Darwin, I live in South Africa and have other eighteenth-century at- grandfather of Charles Darwin, To expand on part of Massimo no affiliation to, or afflictions tempts to reveal nature’s design made a simpler version of Kem- Polidoro’s excellent column of biological mechanisms by from, Isagenix, but I loved Dr. pelen’s speaking machine in 1803. “How to Make a Monster! The means of mechanical simulation, Hall’s article “A Case Study in As Riskin ex plains, Vaucanson, Legend of Creating Arti ficial illustrating an erosion of Carte- Kempelen, Darwin, and others Flawed Thinking” (SI, Janu- Life: From the Golem to sian dualism in favor of “an ary/February 2011). began a tradition of understand- Pinocchio” (SI, November/De- emergent materialism and ... a ing nature by means of mechani- I found it enlightening (and cember 2010), some early en- growing confidence ... that ex- mildly disturbing) that she cal simulation that remains very lightenment attempts to build perimentation could reveal na- productive today. could make so many enemies by androids were in reality philo- ture’s actual design.” presenting a fair argument for sophical experiments. Jessica Dudley and Tarnoczy, in their Charles Cairns scientific inquiry, rationality, Riskin describes Vau can son’s article “The Speaking Machine Ray Brook, New York [FEEDBACK The letters column is a forum on mat ters raised in previous issues. Letters should be no longer than 225 words. Due to the volume of letters we receive, not all can be published. Send letters as e-mail text (not at- tachments) to letters@csicop. org. In the subject line, provide your sur- Cause Page: Committee for Skeptical Inquiry/SKEPTICAL INQUIRER magazine name and informative identi fication, e.g.: “Smith Letter on Jones evolution Fan Page: SKEPTICAL INQUIRER art icle.” In clude your name and ad dress at the end of the letter. You may also mail your letter to Letter to the Editor, 944 Deer Dr. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87122, or fax it to 505-828-2080.

AUGUST 11–14, 2011 EUGENE, OREGON

REGISTER TODAY: www.skepticstoolbox.org

Smart and accomplished individuals, sometimes even scientists, often support outrageous and unsubstantiated claims. For skeptics, it is important to understand why even intelligent people often think and behave irrationally. This year’s Skeptic’s Toolbox will look at examples of such wrongheaded thinking in medicine, science, finance, and other areas of human endeavor. Both the faculty and the participants will explore the various factors that contribute to bad reasoning by otherwise smart people.

RAY HYMAN | JAMES ALCOCK | | HARRIET HALL, MD | LINDSAY BEYERSTEIN

Skeptical Inquirer | July / August 2011 65 SI July August 11_SI new design masters 5/25/11 5:01 PM Page 66

[ THE LAST LAUGH BENJAMIN RADFORD

HIDDEN MESSAGES by Dave Thomas

The following letters are a simple substitution cipher. Ask the Outlaw Skeptic If R stands for L, it will do so everywhere. Solution is by trial and error. Hint: look for patterns in words; for example, the Where no question or answer is too stupid. scrambled phrase “JRXJ JRQ” might represent “THAT THE.” By Pablo DesOrmeaux PUZZLE

Hey Outlaw Skeptic, Would el chupacabra make a good house pet? “UPC BIIU IS REE GFACBGUHUHIJ HG —Animal Lover UPRU XCJ ITGCBOC VPCJ R UPHJM

Dear Animal, PHUG, TFU JIU VPCJ HU XHGGCG.” Well, muchacho, let’s look on the plus side: Since it’s supposed to be hair- —SBRJDHG TRDIJ less, there will be zero animal hair to clog up your vacuum cleaner. And you won’t have to spend a fortune feeding the critter: you can simply let it CLUE: M = G run loose at night. It will in all likelihood find a goat or some other docile animal and suck its blood, and possibly entrails, for nourishment. (By the way, chupacabra actually means “goat sucker” in Spanish and “a com- PREVIOUS PUZZLE SOLUTION (March/April 2011): “THE ONLY REASON FOR TIME IS SO THAT EVERYTHING DOESN’T HAPPEN AT ONCE.” mon dog with serious mange” in Skeptish.) And since el chupacabra is — ALBERT EINSTEIN considered even uglier than a Chihuahua, gives off a sulfur-type odor, is SUPER-SECRET WORD: STORYLINE covered in greenish-grey skin, and may sport sharp spines running down (Instructions: www.nmsr.org/secretword.htm) its back, there is no danger of having your beloved pet snatched off your front porch any time soon. On the negative side, well, there’s not much literature on how to house train the little pup or much else about chupacabra house pets for that Hidden Messages Puzzle Contest matter. However, before actually purchasing a “chupa,” be careful. There Submit your solution by e-mail to [email protected] have been rumors floating around that some pet shops and online sellers or via postal mail to: Benjamin Radford have actually pawned off some coyote-canine hybrids—with bad cases The Last Laugh of alopecia—as “genuine chupacabras” on more than one unsuspecting P.O. Box 3016 paying customer. In my unhumble opinion, I suggest you catch your own. Corrales, NM 87048 Your best bet is to purchase a large Havaheart trap and stuff a blood- Winner will be chosen at random from the first three correct submissions received by both e-mail and postal mail. gorged goat into it as bait. Leave it outdoors for a few nights and see what transpires. And if you suspect you’ve actually trapped el Chupacabra, call This issue’s prize: a signed copy of skeptic me immediately! I know Oprah. Keep us posted, Pedro. musician ’s CD Interrobang

Bizarro (New)©2008 Dan Piraro King Features Syndicate

66 Volume 35 Issue 4 | Skeptical Inquirer SI July August 11_SI new design masters 5/25/11 12:18 PM Page 67

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Tel.: 517-799-4502; e-mail: bark- [email protected]. 3596 Butternut St., Saginaw, MI 48604 The organizations listed above have aims similar to those of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry but are independent and autonomous. Representatives of these organizations cannot speak on behalf of CSI. Please send updates to Barry Karr, P.O. Box 703, Amherst NY 14226-0703. International affiliated organizations listed at www.csicop.org