What were these early UFOs that chased and harried World War II fighter pilots?

Were two waves of ax murders in the American south in the early 20th century truly associated with Louisiana Voodoo?

Proponents of alien visitation often claim the Alcubierre drive makes faster than light possible. Here's why it can't exist.

Skeptoid is looking for institutional partners and/or title sponsors for a proposed video series.

Was this infamous 1976 dioxin disaster as bad as reported, or might it have been much worse than we thought?

The carcasses of headless goats are floating in the Chattahoochee River; too many for a prosaic explanation.

A Benedictine monk is said to have built a device allowing him to see and hear historical events.

We break down four popular myths about Martin Luther King Jr. that just won't go away.

A failure mode analysis of my most-hated episode ever: #230 on the use of DDT to fight malaria.

Skeptoid rapid fires a bunch of mini-episodes in answer to your questions.

A year-end Ask Me Anything session to tell you everything you ever wanted to know about Skeptoid and more.

Help us say goodbye to 2023, Skeptoid style.

Does science have a way to reliably cure the hiccups?

This Brazilian island is said to be too dangerous to visit due to countless venomous snakes.

Some believe that taking a deadly frog poison confers a vast array of New Age wellness benefits.

Some believe this speculative rogue planet is on a collision course with the Earth.

Much content online is designed for high engagement, not for accuracy.

Skeptoid corrects another round of errors in past episodes pointed out by listeners.

Celebrating Halloween with the creepiest ghost stories sent in by you, our listeners.

Do lots of famous pop musicians really die at the age of 27, or is there something in science that just makes us think so?

Did the village of Nazareth exist at the time of Jesus, making it possible for there to have been a Jesus of Nazareth?

Some claim that artificial turf sports fields emit poisonous chemicals, making them dangerous for children.

What better way to celebrate 17 years of the Skeptoid podcast than a 17-question pop quiz!

Does a monster salamander the size of Asia's largest live undiscovered in the Pacific Northwest?

If you're going to be at CSICon 2023, join the Skeptoid Flashmob! skeptoid.com/store

Can you really make your eyesight better with a simple series of eye movements and exercises?

Severed feet have been washing up on the shores of the Salish Sea since 2007. What could be the cause?

How an old Italian UFO hoax became proof of alien visitation to the US Congress

This supplement is claimed by social media influencers to be Nature's Ozempic.

Reports from some extreme adventurers say that a benevolent presence sometimes appears to provide comfort.

Pop culture tells us the famous Norden bombsight from World War II was actually terribly inaccurate. Was it?

This greatest of all imaginable treasures from the Dead Sea Scrolls probably never existed.

Is the world record highest air temperature a solid measurement, or might it be invalid?

Are these remarkable stones natural, or proof of an ancient advanced civilization?

Were these two men from an Amazon tribe that had been massacred, or could their story be explained more simply?

A look into the origin story of swamp gas as the explanation for UFOs.

A roundup of the ways that work — and that don't work — to help a conspiracy theorist free himself from the rabbit hole.

In which I issue yet another round of corrections to past episodes.

Popular wisdom tells us that just touching fentanyl can produce a lethal overdose. What's the fact and what's the fiction?

Are ground sloths that somehow survived their extinction responsible for cryptid sightings in the Amazon?

Did giants really walk the Earth in our recent past?

Skeptoid answers a round of student questions recorded during a visit to the College of Central Florida.

Skeptoid answers a round of student questions recorded during a visit to the College of Central Florida.

This Bigfoot-like cryptid is said to haunt the swamps of Florida. But has the story been around as long as people think?

Watch out next time you take a poll... is someone trying to learn about you, or manipulate you?

The hunt for the greatest treasure of gold ever imagined.

The hunt for the greatest treasure of gold ever imagined.

The hunt for the greatest treasure of gold ever imagined.

A popular Internet claim asserts that the DNA of the octopus is literally alien in origin.

Although the Expanding Earth may seem like a silly conjecture, it was actually one of the leading geophysical models quite recently.

Is it true that the oil companies knew how much harm they were doing as far back as the 1970s?

Is it true that the oil companies knew how much harm they were doing as far back as the 1970s?

Today's quiz tests whether you've been skeptical of what you think you know about St. Patrick's Day.

Popular tales claim no plants at all will grow inside this round clearing in North Carolina, said to have been made by the Devil himself.

After every earthquake, there's always someone who claims to have predicted it. Is earthquake prediction possible?

The state of the climate so far... how we're doing, and what do we need to work on the most.

See if you can tell whether each of these popular beliefs about Valentine's Day are true or false.

Is there such a thing as a type of electricity running through your home's wiring that delivers horrific health impacts to anyone living there?

Stories of goat men are all over the world. Why is the Pope Lick goat man disproportionately famous?

Once again we round up the people working hardest to spread misinformation.

Skeptoid answers another round of questions sent in by friendly folks all over the world.

Some great ways to think about all the current UFO craze.

Was this megalithic site in the South Pacific built by the people who lived there at the time, or by aliens?

In which we wrap up 2022 by letting Skeptoid premium members Ask Me Anything.

The latest form of magnet therapy promises to cure everything from headaches to cancer.

Is it true that mosquitoes like some people better than others?

A look at some of the logically fallacious statements used to sell many of today's most popular products.

The latest news, and some clips, from my indie documentary The UFO Movie THEY Don't Want You to See!

Legend has it this ghost light has been spooking people in Missouri for hundreds of years.

A roundup of easy techniques anyone can employ to better discern accurate news reports from false ones.

In this bizarre psychiatric condition, healthy children lapse into a coma that may last for years.

Some say that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol actually has certain health benefits.

Skeptoid corrects another round of errors from past episodes.

Do humans use pheromones to turn each other on? The science so far says... uhh, we have no idea.

A look at six times when there was a major paradigm shift in science.

This story of alien visitation in Brazil from 1996 claims to be the most convincing proof we have.

Opponents of electric cars claim that the power grid can't keep up with the growing demand for electricity.

Is your smartphone eavesdropping on your conversation?

Beware of this creepy cryptid, or you might just fall in love with it.

Pop culture tells us that a conspiracy is what killed GM's EV1 in 2002. But is an exotic explanation really needed?

How much truth was there to the prison escape story of Henri Charrière?

Some more of the episodes where I went in with one idea, and came out with another.

Some of the episodes where I went in expecting one thing, but found something different.

The story goes that the Soviet Union had nuclear-powered underground vehicles for waging a whole new kind of war.

The arguments made by electric car haters no longer hold up. Time to upgrade.

How well do you know your Skeptoid? Today's pop quiz focuses on questions drawn from episodes about world religions.

It's said that in 1967, a UFO once deactivated an entire flight of US nuclear missiles in their silos.

The story goes that in England in 1921, driving a particular stretch of road meant an encounter with a terrifying foe.

Join me in producing this important feature documentary film on the modern UFO phenomenon.

Many believe that the true cause of the Lusitania's sinking was not the torpedo, but a mysterious second explosion that followed.

Some say these oval depressions all along the US east coast are craters from an ancient meteor bombardment.

Skeptoid is hiring a web developer. For complete details, see skeptoid.org/jobs

Amateur Internet researchers figured out in 5 days what the Chilean government UFO group couldn't in two years.

Some feedback and followups to a raft of previous Skeptoid episodes.

Can watching body language really tell you when someone is lying?

Officially, Israel's 1967 attack on the USS Liberty was accidental friendly fire; but many claim it was a deliberate conspiracy.

Colorado's Stanley Hotel is famous not only for its association with The Shining, but also for ghosts of its own.

This white dome in the California desert may house the secrets of the universe, or nothing more than delusions.

Skeptoid Media's first full-length feature documentary movie, Science Friction, is now available to stream on Prime Video.

This ancient weapon of terror struck fear throughout the ancient world, and stokes a number of mysteries today.

This discredited technique deceives loved ones into believing non-communicative people are able to communicate just fine by hiring one of these facilitators.

The complicated life of JPL's co-founder meant that his death was almost certain to be cloaked in conspiracy theories.

What is the state of the science behind this online video genre that combines relaxation with chills and shivers?

The science shows that dogs and cats bred to be flat-faced suffer from respiratory distress, but some argue otherwise.

The popular known history of Easter Island — that deforestation brought about its demise — is not generally accepted.

This relatively new and not-so-famous cryptid manages to have an outsized pop-culture footprint.

Whether cold reading, warm reading, or hot, there are simple explanations for even the most impressive psychic performances.

The unfortunate false narrative of the Winchester Mystery House obscures a wonderful story of one of California's great women pioneers.

Modern authors say that scientists didn't used to accept the idea of rogue waves. Is that true?

The real cause of washboarding on dirt roads is very different from the traditionally believed reason.

All those fancy-sounding forensic sciences you've come to trust might not be worth very much of your trust after all.

The origin story of some of the government's alleged alien wreckage is a little bit shaky.

Some corrections to errors made in recent shows.

The urban legend that train track gauge descends from Roman war chariots falls apart at every link in the chain.

In which we hear, analyze, and attempt to explain the ghostly personal stories you've sent in.

A controversial mental health framework is also being peddled by unqualified coaches.

An exploration into the chupacabra, and how that word came to be applied to so many unrelated things.

Popular tales of the occult underpinnings of the Nazis are largely modern fiction.

Concrete will remain one of our most important materials for decades — but there's a big problem with it.

20 years ago, Portugal decriminalized all drugs in an effort to reduce addiction, incarceration, and negative health impacts. How has it worked?

Trying to treat pain or cancer by exposing yourself to a radioactive carcinogen provides only risk without the benefit.

After the 2017 earthquake in Mexico City, rescuers dug through the rubble for a little girl named Frida Sofia — who never existed.

Conspiracy theories surround the cancellation of this advanced Canadian aircraft from the 1950s.

Some new facts and extra information on six previous episodes.

Huna blends generic New Age spiritualism with a concocted version of Hawaiian tradition.

This manmade debris permeates our bodies and our planet, but what's the harm?

The true and weird history of the two girls who fooled the world with their fairy photographs in 1917.

This modern sighting of a strange beast is claimed to have been a resurgence of a legendary medieval monster.

The true cause of one of history's most violent cataclysms remains a mystery... to a degree.

It's 15 trivia questions from 15 Skeptoid episodes, to celebrate our 15th anniversary!

Some people promote probiotics as a miracle cure for just about anything. What can they really do?

A strange radio broadcast from a very unique group of VIPs being whisked away on a UFO.

The most famous organ work in history has a surprising mystery -- we're not really sure who composed it!

A close look at the tales of large black predatory cats stalking Britain for centuries.

We focus a lot on carbon dioxide when talking about climate change. Should we be talking more about methane?

20 years after the worst terrorist attack on American soil, the conspiracy theories are still thriving -- just as we should expect.

A close look at what true science and true history can tell us about this most sacred Catholic relic.

A popular conspiracy theory claims that lots of people disappear under unexplainable circumstances in America's national parks.

Skeptoid gives our take on some spooky experiences sent in by listeners.

In which I take a shot at trying to explain some of the weirdest stories sent in by listeners.

If you need to find ground water, ask a hydrologist, not an occult magician.

Pop culture tells us that the existence of billionaires is harmful to the economy. Is that so?

Is clearcutting of forests for logging a public nuisance or a public benefit?

An unlikely group of paranormalists has persuaded the American public that the government takes UFOs seriously.

An unlikely group of paranormalists has persuaded the American public that the government takes UFOs seriously.

Horses went extinct in North America at the end of the last ice age, but oddly some are now saying they didn't.

A comparison of two popular ways to help cope with the new water reality of global warming.

The facts and fiction of what's possible and what's already been tried in switching human heads.

The story behind the story of the many paranormal events associated with this former island in the Aral Sea.

In which another round of corrections is made to previous episodes. Keeping it real!

The problem of a runaway catastrophe in Low Earth Orbit looms ever larger and closer.

Cannabidiol is sold as an additive to just about every kind of product you can imagine. Why?

Some of what we know about the Great Pyramid that exclude it having been built by aliens or Atlanteans.

Some of what we know about the Great Pyramid that exclude it having been built by aliens or Atlanteans.

Popular reports claim that a group of US Navy destroyers were buzzed by advanced drones in 2019.

Science refutes the claim made by some that the Moon is a hollow spaceship engineered by aliens.

Some updates and additional information to a few past episodes... better all the time.

What's true and what's not about the world's most popular cryptocurrency.

A roundup of all the best pro-science characters from your favorite books, movies, and TV shows.

This remote town in Alaska was said to have been abandoned because of violent Bigfoot attacks.

A host of strange monsters are said to lurk beneath the surface of the world's deepest lake.

A mishmash of eastern mysticism masquerades as psychometry.

Which came first: the publication of this famous vampire story, or its associated family tradition?

Myths, conspiracies, and coverups cloak this 1857 massacre of American emigrants.

My personal favorite Skeptoid episodes from each and every year of its production.

This Marian apparition from Egypt has some science fiction explanations and a sound one.

Some claim that all of world history is a coverup for the mighty ancient nation of Tartaria.

Most teachers believe that students have different learning styles and curricula can be tailored to it. Not so much.

People keep thinking Elvis is still alive -- and here's why that matters to you.

Australia's version of Bigfoot may -- or may not -- have its origin in Aboriginal mythology.

The lone exception to the science fact that radio cannot hurt you.

This popular tale claims 62 African schoolchildren were contacted by an extraterrestrial.

The most famous case in the history of Monsanto vs. small farmers might not be what you think.

This most famous ship disappearance from the Bermuda Triangle probably had nothing to do with it.

You ever wonder about the truth behind popular urban legends? Or how about the craziest conspiracy theories you hear about online, chemtrails, the Flat Earth, the Hollow Earth, is there anything to them at all? Famous mysteries like what happened to Amelia Earhart, what's up with the Bermuda Triangle, who was Jack the Ripper? What about famous ghost stories, like the Amityville Horror, or the Warrens? What was really going on with that? Or this stuff they show on television: Ancient Aliens, Hunting Hitler, the Curse of Oak Island? You know that junk isn't true but how do you find out what is? If you've always taken stories like these with a grain of salt, Skeptoid is the show for you. Each week, we take one famous urban legend that a lot of people believe, talk about how it got started, how and why people believe it, and what's the real science, the real history behind what's going on. It's like a short, 15-minute podcast version of Mythbusters, but exhaustively researched and referenced. If you're ready to be skeptical and ready to solve the deepest mysteries you always wondered about, listen to Skeptoid, a 501C3 educational nonprofit.

Some believe the government opened up time portals underneath Long Island, New York.

This ship was said to be discovered with all its crew dead under unexplainable circumstances.

Some researchers believe there is no such thing as Gulf War Illness, and the rest have more questions than answers.

Good scientists can get the wrong idea, but they don't need to make it worse by announcing bad science.

This famous UFO case is said to be proven by military radar data.

Skeptoid answers some... interesting feedback LIVE at the Outpost 2020 con.

How well do you know the Middle Ages? Can you tell what's fact and what's fiction?

Conspiracy theorists believe that Hollywood elitists torture children and extract drugs from their bodies.

Some research has found that crowds are apathetic and don't render assistance; some has found the opposite.

Many theories surround the mysterious sinking of the USS Maine that triggered the Spanish-American War.

Popular stories claim that the Nazis tried to assassinate Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin in Tehran in 1943.

Skeptoid corrects another round of errors sent in by listeners just like you.

The belief that Australia doesn't exist may not be as unique as you think.

A reexamination of the famous case of the man whose personality changed from a grievous brain injury.

The facts differ widely from what's generally believed to have been a mass poisoning.

This B-17 supposedly completed a mission and returned to base, all without an aircrew.

How the wisdom of crowds can sometimes allow groups of non-experts to reach an expert conclusion.

Skeptoid answers another round of questions sent in by students all around the world.

Some supplemental information on recent episodes, plus some listener feedback.

This growing conspiracy theory posits that a global cabal of pedophiles secretly controls the US government.

Why a UFO case you've probably never heard of got attention from a major TV network.

Some believe that traces of tobacco in Egyptian mummies prove the Egyptians were first to the New World.

Why is the world's greatest public health philanthropist charged with crimes against humanity?

Some believe that psychedelic drugs played an irreplaceable role in the evolution of Homo sapiens.

Updates to the episode on MSG sensitivity and the Miracle of Calanda.

This mysterious creature actually killed over 100 people in France in the 1760s.

A survey of seven of the most popular out-of-place artifacts said to overturn human history.

A popular tale claims that the skeletons of two riveters were found between the hulls of this mighty ship.

A popular conspiracy theory claims the Vatican uses a telescope named LUCIFER to find an alien savior.

Some claim that when the Earth's geomagnetic field reverses, it could spell the end of humankind.

Some believe this relict dinosaur still survives in parts of the Congo.

Skeptoid corrects another round of errors found in past episodes.

How well do you know your Skeptoid? Today's pop quiz focuses on tales of the sea.

This archaeological site in Turkey is said to change everything... but what does that really mean?

The true history of the Holy Grail, the most precious of all artifacts.

How the conspiracy theories around today's pandemic compare to those of the past.

A look at some of the ancient artworks and artifacts that the show Ancient Aliens gets totally wrong.

A look at some of the ancient sites and cities that the show Ancient Aliens gets totally wrong.

A look at some of the ancient sites and cities that the show Ancient Aliens gets totally wrong.

Often dismissed as purely pseudoscientific and nonexistent, chronic Lyme disease is not necessarily nothing.

Bans on plastic drinking straws are a solution in search of a problem.

Popular stories on the Internet tell of people coming out of comas and suddenly speaking a new language.

This family's car is said to have been lifted off the road by a UFO and dropped.

Some possible explanations for this infamously deadly 19th century haunting near London.

The most elusive substance in pop culture also purports to be one of the most destructive.

A test of the many sensational health claims made for apple cider vinegar.

Science decides the question of whether plastic bag bans help or hurt the environment.

I give my thoughts trying to solve some of your weirdest experiences.

Wind turbines actually save many more bird lives than they destroy.

The topic of sex addiction and what to do about it turns out to be more complicated than you may think.

Popular claims that the painter Vermeer used a camera obscura contradict the evidence.

The history of this vilified flavoring is a wild ride through 20th century cultural influences.

Listeners offer some updates and new information to previous episodes.

In the 12th century, a pair of mysterious children with green skin surprised English villagers.

I give my thoughts trying to solve some of your weirdest experiences.

These risky medical devices are increasingly being sold to treat conditions they don't treat.

These mysterious cannon-like booms are heard all around the world, with no apparent source.

In which we celebrate 700 episodes of great storytelling... sea shanty style.

The true history behind one of the Bermuda Triangle's strangest legends.

Is this gas a risk you should worry about, or is it just another homeowner scam?

Conspiracy theorists and alternate science believers continue to claim triumph over the laws of nature.

The public's zeal for sensationalism over facts can sometimes have deadly consequences.

There's always been an easy solution to global warming on the table, and it won't hurt the economy.

Skeptoid corrects another round of errors in previous episodes caught by you amazing listeners.

Popular TV shows try to persuade us that Egypt's Great Sphinx is far older than archaeology tells us.

The number 13 may have more relevance in your life than you suspect.

One popular rubric for identifying the common techniques used by science deniers.

Data does not support the popular belief that video games promote violent behavior.

The facts behind the legend of a mysterious giant ape, said by some to be a chimp-gorilla hybrid.

Updates and newer information to some of the conclusions in your favorite Skeptoid episodes.

Popularly shared articles claim electric cars produce more greenhouses gases than internal combustion cars.

I give my thoughts trying to solve some of your weirdest experiences.

I take a shot at critical analysis of your weirdest experiences.

The real reasons for the disappearance of this amateur material said to be able to withstand even a nuclear blast.

A geophysical look at the idea that Earth's early history had enormous destructive tides.

Legend has it that radios and compasses will not work in this remote Mexican desert.

We can often get a good sense of a UFO story's accuracy even without researching all the details.

State-sponsored disinformation continues to drive treasure hunters who seek the legendary Amber Room.

A skeptical look at the time a ghost's testimony resulted in a murder conviction.

More updates and additional information for some recent Skeptoid episodes.

An examination of the claims that 5G cell phone data service is potentially harmful to life.

How misinformation spread over one of the safest herbicides becoming known as one of the most harmful.

Some believe this benevolent alien from Venus lived and advised at the Pentagon for three years.

Skeptoid answers another round of questions sent in by students all around the world.

The facts behind the urban legend that billions in Japanese gold lie buried in the Philippines.

Can starving people actually die immediately upon being given their first bite of food?

Addressing the facts and the fictions around China's ending its overseas purchases of recyclable plastic.

The 15th episode devoted to corrections in previous shows. If it ain't right, we fix it.

Test your knowledge on these subjects, all covered by Skeptoid, on false history claims.

How a TV ghost hunting show might look if they did what they claim, and used science.

For centuries, alternative history fans have been denying Plato's intent and trying to frame Atlantis as a real island.

A review of the evidence for and against the life of Jesus of Nazareth as a real living man.

The nature of the problem of ocean plastics, and the best solution, may both come as surprises.

It's the latest fad diet, and people are trying it for just about any benefit you can think of.

Test your knowledge of popular urban legends, and the science underlying them.

The surprising history of how medical science's greatest success has become vilified by so many people.

Myth and mystery surrounds the sisters said to have founded the modern spiritualism industry.

A handful of updates to past Skeptoid episodes... eyebrow raising to say the least.

It's proven the CIA tried to assassinate Castro, but the number of claimed attempts differs wildly.

An urban legend tells of a group of scientists who successfully escaped into another dimension.

The surprisingly humble beginnings and even more surprising modern rebirth of the Illuminati.

We compare vocalizations attributed to Bigfoot with the sounds of real animals known to be in the area.

There are things we don't know about Stonehenge, but does that mean we know nothing at all?

How well do you know your Skeptoid? Today's pop quiz focuses on consumer ripoffs.

A rain of meat is said to have fallen in rural Kentucky one day in 1876.

The UFO story seems to defy debunking because of the physical injuries suffered by witnesses.

Some believe that everything we know about the universe is wrong — and it's all electric.

Your beliefs are fallible and can fool you. Be willing to change your mind based on new information.

George Soros remains the focus of many anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.

How well do you know your Skeptoid? Today's pop quiz focuses on aliens and UFOs.

An examination of this super-trendy meditation technique to see whether it lives up to the hype.

Many people believe animals have the ability to predict earthquakes. The facts tell a different story.

How well do you know your Skeptoid? Today's pop quiz focuses on ancient mysteries.

A roundup of conspiracy theories from various countries all around the world.

Some believe these stone structures in New England to be evidence of ancient cultures.

How well do you know your Skeptoid? Today's pop quiz focuses on cryptozoology.

Even in the 21st century, vets and pet owners are turning to prescientific, magic-based medical care.

Many people believe this ancient scroll container was actually an early type of battery.

Once again, Skeptoid corrects another round of errors found in previous episodes.

A closer look at how bad the evidence is that a cave exists filled with golden alien wonders.

Some people believe that this cave in Ecuador harbors an alien library etched on metallic plates.

This exciting new(ish) field in genetics has brought with it a slew of snake oil claims.

We have good evidence for what to expect from mandated labeling of GMO foods, and it's not good.

The last show on alcohol myths wasn't good enough for many of you, so here are some more.

This early-1900s horse appeared to be able to do math and other feats, and we learned a lot from him.

Some people can control their dreams and do anything they want in them -- or can they?

Skeptoid gets some interesting letters from listeners pertaining to radioactive skeletons and lefties.

Although many regard Koko as an ape who used sign language, science tells us that ability probably doesn't exist.

When we set aside pop food woo, we find that even multiple Big Macs can be part of a healthy daily diet.

This rash of UFO sightings over Sweden in 1946 has long been considered to be Soviet missile tests.

These mischievous creatures that sabotage airplanes are claimed by some to be actual physical beings.

We put this ancient system of divination based on numbers to the test.

We try to figure out some of the creepiest stories ever sent in by Skeptoid listeners.

The malfunction said to have doomed this spacecraft may have just been a cover story.

This company's annual press releases are intended to frighten you into buying organic.

An exploration of the thought experiment that seeks to determine whether we're living in a computer simulation.

The Pentagon gave $22 million to a very unlikely group of UFO proponents.

Listeners write in with extra information that adds a whole new dimension to some past shows.

We point the skeptical eye at five popular beliefs about alcoholic beverages.

Another round of famous names from the past: Can you guess whether each is real or fictional?

A look at those few times when hoaxers came closest to fooling those who knew better.

Some believe that oil comes from geological processes rather than from ancient biomass.

Three of the most popular conspiracy theories surrounding the sinking of the Titanic.

Why no, in fact you should not avoid certain foods to reduce your body's inflammation.

Children throughout India are being taught to see while blindfolded... apparently.

This boy thought he had lived a past life as a fighter pilot. He had some help getting there.

Some New Agers believe that you can heal virtually any ailment simply by taking off your shoes.

Mystery clouds the story of what happened to these three vanished lighthouse keepers.

Online articles claiming the first slaves in the Americas were white are fictional and racially motivated.

Is it a medical miracle, an environmental disaster, both, or neither?

What the science says on whether we need to change the way we eat crustaceans.

A murder was said to have been solved by the intervention of the victim's ghost.

This famous Internet photo of Civil War soldiers posing with a pterosaur has a surprising source.

A skeptic's guide for organizing the issues raised by Net Neutrality.

There is a much better explanation than sonic weapons for reported attacks against US diplomats in Cuba.

The modern practice of Western mothers eating their placentas is a new and strange attention-seeking behavior.

This infamous scandal was said to have proven global warming was all just a hoax. Umm, no.

Everything you didn't know about ten years of Skeptoid musical episodes, including the reason.

Some updates, notes, and extra information sent in by listeners about recent episodes.

Hundreds of people watched this UFO over the Hudson River Valley many times between 1983 and 1984.

Skeptoid corrects a round of past errors, that they might become the wisdom of the future.

Some tips to assess whether a documentary is good science or just propaganda.

A roundup of the conspiracy theories and the probable true fate of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370.

The origins and history of the urban legend that Paul McCartney died and was replaced.

A further look at ten more scientists who experimented on themselves for the benefit of mankind.

In 1979, a mysterious flash occurred over the southern ocean that could have been a nuclear bomb.

Real effects far more interesting than spiritualism claims are behind these famous talking boards.

The line between skepticism and cynicism is a bit too blurry for many people. Today we bring it into focus.

Popular claims of a Big Pharma Conspiracy don't stand up to any rational scrutiny.

A look at which celebrities are currently working hardest to erode the public intellect.

Stories about urban legends are at their best when there are real people at their center.

In the wake of VW Dieselgate, the government took the wrong steps to solve the wrong problem.

How factual are the urban legends about Japanese soldiers in the Pacific who never heard the war ended?

A look at the science-based myths and misconceptions about eclipses, plus some things you might not know.

Skeptoid responds to some listener feedback, updating a few episodes and clarifying some others.

This famous 1964 UFO sighting by a New Mexico police officer has several interesting explanations.

Let's have a look at the traits that define a crank, to make sure your new hero isn't one.

Through their constant promotion of false history, TV networks may have done Amelia Earhart's legacy irreparable harm.

The Grand Canyon is millions of years old, not thousands; despite the efforts of Young Earthers.

Skeptoid answers another round of questions sent in by students all around the world.

We analyze some of your stories of precognitive experiences.

How likely is the most common type of UFO report to be an alien spacecraft?

Here are the podcast episodes with conclusions that surprised me the most (part 2).

Here are the podcast episodes with conclusions that surprised me the most (part 1).

A study of how a conspiracy theory as absurd as "There is no Finland" can even exist.

False pregnancies are not only real, they're probably more complex than you imagined.

This sideshow attraction convinced a few real scientists that it was an actual ape-man.

We take a look at some more of the most exciting space missions, past, present, and future.

Three simple steps anyone can follow to learn to tell what's true and what's not.

I respond to some listener feedback that enhances some recent episodes of the show.

Those stories about children raised by animals probably aren't what you've been led to believe.

A miniature of all China's waterways in liquid mercury is said to be at the heart of the First Emperor's tomb.

Comparing the actual evidence to the Canadian claim of best evidence for alien visitation.

Skeptoid issues another round of corrections to past episodes.

The unexpected facts behind this famous ghost story from the 1970s.

Rhinos are still being killed for their horns, but probably not for the reasons you thought.

Popular stories claim Beethoven died of lead poisoning, but the science so far doesn't hold up.

Some claim that certain common false memories are evidence for alternate realities.

Deconstructing a wild tale about a Nazi military base deep inside Antarctica.

Skeptoid answers another round of listener feedback, keeping the show on the straight and narrow.

These mighty Norse warriors fought with a frenzy that seems all but inexplicable.

Some say a marvelous cave of Egyptian wonders is hidden in the Grand Canyon.

These next-generation reactors have attracted a nearly cultish following. Here are the real facts.

Here are the most likely ways that your credit card got stolen, and how you can prevent it in the future.

The facts, fiction, and real risk to you of all these high-profile data breaches online.

The world's only unsolved hijacking case is filled with misinformation.

A roundup of the most exciting and important space missions you really need to know about.

In 1944, a strange night prowler is believed to have made poison gas attacks in Illinois. Here's what we know.

The two most basic Smoking Guns proving that carbon from fossil fuels is warming the Earth.

More mythology than fact surrounds this enigmatic figure from martial arts films.

Published accounts tell of a mysterious fighter plane that came into Pearl Harbor a year after the Japanese attack.

Genetically, race does not exist; but there are still inconvenient places for it in science.

You always thought the Wright Brothers were the first to fly a plane? Well, it depends what country you're from.

Some nifty extra information for a few recent episodes supplied by listeners in the know.

Sometimes the best way to scrutinize an open access journal is to hoax them.

Pop culture tells us that some people have photographic memories, but the truth is quite different.

The facts behind an urban legend claiming a nuclear war in India some 12,000 years ago.

Feng shui is much more than just a debunked way to magically arrange furniture.

Some say that exposure to small amounts of dangerous radiation can protect you from cancer. No, it probably doesn't.

For two years, some say the Belgian skies were filled with triangular alien UFOs.

The hard, testable, scientific proof that we actually did land humans on the moon.

The science behind many of the specific claims made by Apollo moon landing hoax conspiracy theorists.

The history of the Apollo moon landing hoax conspiracy theory, and those who believe in it.

One of those things everyone seems to believe in, but for which there's almost no evidence.

Try it before you knock it… unless you want to know if it really works.

A look at which of the six competing claims for who killed the Red Baron was probably true.

Evidence suggests a doomsday cult may have successfully tested a nuclear bomb in Australia in 1993.

Pop wisdom continually reminds us to Question Everything -- an idea which is rarely either practical or useful.

Skeptoid corrects another batch of errors from previous episodes.

These purported UFO documents changed the course of the culture of UFO belief.

The Conjuring 2 tells a story that is fictional in a way you might not have guessed.

From all over the world come reports of strange trumpet-like blasts from the sky.

The surprising origins of the claim that the Clintons kill any who get in their way.

Everyone loves to point the finger at the cause of Colony Collapse Disorder; here's what we actually know.

The latest and greatest research reveals that we still have no clue how birds accomplish this amazing feat.

The true origins of the Dark Watchers, said to go all the way back to Chumash Indian stories.

The reinvented Flat Earth fad is less about geophysics and more about conspiracy mongering.

It is said to be the world's most haunted forest. Here's what we actually find there.

Some of those who believe they've been abducted by aliens also think they were left with a souvenir.

Skeptoid answers some feedback sent in by listeners.

One of pop food woo's favorite claims is that drugs given to beef cattle pose a danger to humans.

Just about everything you think you know about the Shaolin Monks was made up for tourists.

This mysterious alcoholic drink is the subject of more urban legends than any other liquor.

A proposal for how we can make skeptical programming more attractive to a larger audience.

Reliance on universal mathematical principles may mean alien music is similar to our own.

It's popular to criticize Mother Teresa, but that criticism might be better directed at the real culprit.

The FBI did not deliberately murder the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas.

Skeptoid answers another round of questions sent in by students all around the world.

These superheroes of martial arts lore may not be exactly what you thought they were.

More pseudohistory than fact surrounds this ancient order's depictions in pop culture.

There is no truth to the popular myth that Hitler escaped Berlin and went to Argentina.

From swamp gas and waterspouts to alternative medicine, the harm of not challenging popular assumptions.

Skeptoid corrects another round of errors from past episodes.

As long as people lose their hair, the market will remain flooded with sham remedies.

The reasons why PBS is so quick to promote pseudoscience informercials during pledge drives.

Your comments on our decision to remove the comments from Skeptoid episode transcript pages.

Whatever you think you know about Schrödinger's famous cat is probably wrong.

If you haven't yet found your curiosity in the first 500 episodes of Skeptoid, find it here.

Find out how the obviously false story of a curse came to be associated with this famous diamond.

Popular stories tell of WWI soldiers laying aside their rifles on Christmas 1914. The facts are not quite so simple.

The famous Rorschach inkblot test is not a window into the subconscious, and doesn't tell us anything useful.

Russian test subjects are said to have done unspeakably horrible things when sleep deprived.

A new live show from Skeptoid Media: Bad Skepticism!

The worst offending sites on the Internet for promoting bad misinformation.

Black mold is commonly believed to harbor many deadly diseases; but in fact removing it is often worse than leaving it.

While the Stockholm syndrome sounds like a mere media buzzword, it does actually sometimes happen.

Questioning whether this new spa treatment provides all the medical benefits it claims.

Myths and competing claims fog the origin of the term 420, a slang code for marijuana.

Some say this tribe of "gentle savages", discovered in 1971, was just a hoax. The truth isn't quite so simple.

These products advertised in the back of comic books promised improbable feats of science.

This enigmatic author of the strange continues to confound.

No, climatologists in the 1970s did not believe we're headed into another ice age.

The true, interwoven history of flying saucers in American folklore.

Why some people think the Holocaust never happened, and what to do about it.

Some women you haven't heard of who made significant contributions to science.

These important scientists are virtually unknown. Let's see if we can fix that.

The fate of Sir John Franklin's Lost Expedition gives a valuable lesson in types of evidence.

Think you're going to find Captain Kidd's buried treasure on the US east coast? Think again.

This most unlikely of guardian angels saved hundreds of thousands of Chinese lives.

Chemicals are deadly, delicious, essential and basically, everything.

Today we're going to answer questions sent in by listeners pertaining to episodes having to do with our natural world.

They say that a half-canine cryptid stalks the woods of Northern Michigan. Are they right?

An overview of the amazing chess playing robot of the 1700s.

Brian responds to listener feedback about past history episodes.

Certain specific sonic frequencies are not the key to love, intuition, or spiritual order.

A series of sightings of a frog-like humanoid in the suburb of Loveland, Ohio prompts an enduring folkloric legend.

Trofim Lysenko mixed pseudoscience and ideology to set back Soviet biology.

Infant male circumcision remains common in the United States. Today we look at the reasons and the implications.

In the last 50 years, marijuana has gone from menace to medicine. Which is it?

Conspiracy theory that a military training exercise is going to lead to martial law.

Brian responds to some listener feedback concerning the topic of fads.

A look at some common myths about babies and children.

Creationists have presented 5 questions they don't think 'evolutionists' can answer. Here are some answers.

A look at the conspiratorial hysteria and sensationalism surrounding the United Nations' Agenda 21.

There is a region in the Great Lakes where, some say, ships and planes mysteriously disappear. Not so much.

The Internet believes a lot of things about transgender people, but much of it isn't true.

The history of claims that secret Satanic cults are abusing children.

Sometimes speculative animals do turn out to be real, but that still doesn't validate cryptozoology as a science.

Deciding whether you want "paper or plastic" at the supermarket turns out to be a remarkably complex choice.

Brian responds to listener feedback on past episodes about environmental topics.

Science has let you down time after time, and that's one reason why it gets better and better.

The myths and facts behind the events that made the Alamo famous reveal it may not be worth remembering much.

Cow mutilation may have a simpler explanation than alien experimentation.

The history of ghost photography and its many problems as evidence.

See if you know how many of these GMO "facts" are right.

As the busiest part of the house, the kitchen has collected more folklore than any other room in it.

In Costa Rica, mysterious stone spheres left behind by the country's previous inhabitants seem to defy explanation.

The Ideomotor Response underlies a number of occult phenomena and alt-med practices.

We examine Believe it or Not! and determine if we can believe this stuff.

Did aliens visit the ancient Earth and inspire human cultures? Some people claim so.

This poltergeist in Columbus Ohio turned out to be, like nearly all such cases, a mischievous teen.

We respond to questions about cryptids asked by listeners to our recent episodes.

We are a story our brain tells itself. And our brains are habitual liars.

The Discovery Channel wants you to think that a giant prehistoric shark may still swim our oceans.

Alcatraz Island is veiled in the fog of myth.

This large riverboat is said to have vanished without a trace on the Mississippi River in 1872.

Griffins, considered absurd mythological beasts today, were actually our first attempt to explain fossils.

The first "full body cast" of an alleged Bigfoot left many experts with a different impression.

Some say fibromyalgia is a real disease, while others question the diagnosis.

How we look at the news is as important as where we get it.

On October 30, 1938, Orson Welles panicked a nation with a single broadcast. Or did he?

The audiophile preference for tube amps over solid state is based more on emotion than on science.

Ionithermie is not effective for slimming or cellulite removal -- or, for anything, really.

In 2000, Illinois police chased what has come to be known as the St. Clair Triangle UFO. We found out what it was.

A group of 7 West Virginians looked for a crashed UFO in the hills and ended up getting the fright of their lives.

Masaru Emoto invented a New Age mythology in which water crystals reflect human consciousness.

Legend says that Grigori Rasputin, the "Mad Monk", was hard to kill; but the truth about his life is the real story.

Acupuncture, the safe and effective ancient Chinese medical treatment, turns out to be none of those things.

The clash between the champions of scientific skepticism and supernaturalism.

Frank's ghost box is a radio designed to hear communications from ghosts. Here's how it works (or not).

A popular tale tells of a haunted Jewish wine box that brought ill fortune upon its owners... apparently.

The real source of the ancient nautical legends of the Flying Dutchman ghost ship.

The surprising truth behind Canada's most famous ghost story.

Skeptoid supporters reveal the reason they decided to join the team.

Even in developed countries, myths persist about people who have albinism.

Stories of a lethally hot storm wind in Santa Barbara in 1859 persist to this day.

Religious-based twelve step programs are no better at stopping addiction than other programs.

Polygraphs are no better than a roll of the dice at determining whether you're lying.

Giving the Skeptoid listeners a chance to have their say.

Skeptoid answers another round of questions sent in by students all around the world.

From the evidence we have, it seems clear there's no way Mallory could have beaten Hillary to the summit of Everest.

Clicking a "Like" button on a web site is not only useless, it may actually be counterproductive.

Pop psychology tells us we're all either left brain or right brain dominant, a concept with no scientific support.

The 1945 disappearance of five fighter planes in the Bermuda Triangle was real, but hardly how it's portrayed.

Skeptoid listeners are always asking for conspiracy theories that turned out to be true. Here are the best I found.

Skeptoid corrects another round of mistakes made in previous episodes.

Some say the death of Princess Diana in 1997 was actually a murder plotted by her government.

This mysterious code representing vigilante justice has a history steeped in mystery.

Despite many examples being promoted in the press, animals do not have psychic powers.

There is no such thing as your body's energy field.

An urban legend says that children with completely black eyes go around trying to be allowed inside.

This New Age alternative health fad is not, in fact, based on ayurveda.

Donations to Skeptoid Media are now fully tax deductible.

Phobias are irrational, yet the brain surprisingly has a good reason for creating them.

What we do and do not know about the mysterious death of Bavaria's Mad King who built castles like Neuschwanstein.

This popular bandleader disappeared over the English Channel during World War II, and here's what happened.

If you're expecting the pleasant aroma of certain flowers and herbs to be a medical treatment, you may be disappointed.

The Boggy Creek Monster captured our imaginations, but its true story is even more fascinating.

Some objects found around the world seem to defy rational explanation.

I respond to questions and feedback sent in by listeners around the world.

A popular urban legend claims that William Randolph Hearst conspired to make cannabis illegal in the United States.

Some pseudoscience promoters attack the messenger rather than the evidence.

An old tale tells of coffins that jumbled themselves up in a crypt in Barbados.

Two dead bodies were found in Brazil in 1966 with mysterious masks made of lead.

Years after the disaster, some claim that Fukushima radiation is still going to cause widespread death.

A tour of the Earth's biggest, oldest, and most lethal living creatures.

Skeptoid answers questions sent in by students, all of them this week pertaining to popular food pseudoscience.

Stories that outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid might have made it back from South America don't hold up.

Hold onto your hats: Growing your hair long will not confer super strength or vitality upon you.

Skeptoid responds to comments sent in by listeners who don't accept that they've been ripped off.

Guess which of these secret military bases around the world are real.

Some say that an early Native American tribe were giant cannibals.

After so many decades, the number of incompatible conspiracy theories about the death of JFK continues to grow.

Despite activist claims, wind turbines are not making anybody sick.

Of all the many claims of Europeans being first to the New World, only one is true.

Some say this extinct Tasmanian marsupial may still roam the forests. The evidence is against them.

A young pilot who disappeared in 1978 might have been having a little fun, Spielberg style.

A line of reasoning named for Socrates helps us help believers in the strange re-examine their beliefs.

Some people who enjoy raw milk also make up false claims that regular milk is more dangerous.

A look into the plausibility and historicity of the ferocious maelstrom of legend.

A quick look at many of the most common scientific study types.

The crew of a blimp mysteriously vanished in 1942, but their blimp came back OK... without them.

Skeptoid corrects a bunch of errors made in previous episodes.

We look at twelve legendary places that you've heard of, but may not know whether they're real or not.

Skeptoid answers another round of questions sent in by students all around the world.

A new trend in spas is to let people relax in salt caves, and it's based on solid pseudoscience.

The true history behind the iconic Bigfoot film that launched the legend.

Skeptoid answers a raft of listener emails pertaining to alternative medicine.

The urban legend that the CIA conducted unethical mind control experiments has a grain of truth.

If you can demonstrate a power unknown to science, there are people looking to write you a check.

The legend of the disappearing Eskimo village of Angikuni Lake turns out to be simple pulp fiction.

Background music really can influence our buying decisions in a shopping environment.

Skeptoid answers another round of questions sent in by students all around the world.

Lawmakers are often pressured by ideologues to pass laws based on bad science.

A mysterious "grinning man" is said to appear and terrorize UFO witnesses.

Vortexes of spiritual energy are claimed to exist in Sedona, but science suggests we remain skeptical.

An object claimed to be 13,000-year-old alien satellite orbiting the Earth is just a piece of an old space shuttle.

Skeptoid answers questions sent in by listeners pertaining to conspiracy theories.

In fact, handwriting analysis tells us nothing useful about the personality and aptitudes of the writer.

The infamous arcade game Polybius, said to drive players to suicide or madness, was never more than an urban legend.

The book and movie "Sybil" told the story of a woman purported to have Multiple Personality Syndrome.

An old story claims a long list of astonishing similarities between the assassinations of Lincoln and Kennedy.

Some believe that bruise-causing suction on the skin provides a variety of health benefits.

Skeptoid digs into the feedback mailbag and answers questions about aliens and UFOs.

There is a popular fringe theory about human evolution that claims we went through an aquatic phase.

An Internet legend claims that a man named John Titor is a visitor from the year 2036.

A B-25 bomber ditched in a Pennsylvania river in broad daylight 1956 and, seemingly impossibly, was never found.

Some say that it wasn't an airliner that struck the Pentagon on 9/11, but a missile.

This apocryphal Middle Ages pope said to be a woman in disguise probably never existed.

The Schumann Resonance, 7.83Hz, is one natural radio band in our atmosphere, but holds no mystical powers.

A look at the mysterious government agents said to intimidate those who witness flying saucers.

Skeptoid interviews three of the most popular and controversial figures in modern pseudoscience.

A list of ten Hollywood celebrities who have leveraged their fame into the promotion of science.

The true history of the experiment that is said to present the strongest evidence yet for telepathic abilities.

This most famous of all fabled "lost mines" has a history that fails to stand up to skeptical scrutiny.

Skeptoid responds to another round of listener feedback.

The name of Nikola Tesla is associated with crazy conspiracy claims that have nothing to do with his real work.

Mongolian tradition holds that a strange and deadly worm lives beneath the sands of the Gobi desert.

Throughout history there have been a number of different beliefs that the Earth might be hollow.

A signal received by a radio telescope in 1977 may be the best evidence yet for extraterrestrial intelligence.

Someone somewhere is always claiming to have cracked the secret of free energy forever, no fuel needed.

How you can convince your friends that their conspiracy theories are nonsensical.

The solution to the Bloop mystery sound is finally revealed, and Skeptoid corrects some errors from other episodes.

The Flat Earth Theory has its origins not in alt-science but in Christian Fundamentalism.

Contrary to popular belief, no unusual number of disappearances has ever happened inside these two ocean regions.

How to tell whether a science article on the web is reliable or not.

Cleansing diets are trendier than ever. They are also a complete waste of your money.

This mysterious silver ball seemed to have all kinds of strange properties. We finally found out what it was.

Skeptoid answers another round of student questions sent in from all around the world.

A number of theories claim that several centuries never actually happened, and were faked by the Church.

A rural family spent half a night battling what they thought were space aliens.

The facts and the fiction of one of the most intriguing psychological phenomena.

See if you can tell which of these famous women from history are real, and which are fictional.

The secret of history's greatest stringed instrument, the Stradivarius violin, is that there is no secret.

The true history of the most famous holy relic from Biblical times.

Some 60 ancient stone forts in Scotland have vitrified walls, with the stone melted into glass. Here's what we know.