Paranormal
Ghosts, ghouls, UFOs and skeptical investigations; psychics, supernatural beliefs and folklore.
A skeptical perspective on the Scottish UFO and Paranormal Conference 2023
Earlier this year, Glasgow hosted the Scottish UFO and Paranormal Conference, with speakers spreading all manner of baseless and unevidenced paranormal speculation.
The Arecibo Reply: How We Know Aliens Aren’t Calling Us Through Crop Circles
When astronomers sent out the Arecibo message to communicate with aliens, they weren't expecting a reply in the form of a crop circle - and, indeed, a hoax
A half term holiday adventure around Manchester’s allegedly “most haunted” locations
Paranormal tourism is back in fashion, though a trip around Manchester's supposedly most haunted locations failed to reveal anything remotely uncanny
Advocacy for Alleged Witches: African skepticism in action
Leo Igwe -
The Western notion of "magical Africa" has become a liability - as we seen from accusations of witchcraft, and their deadly consequences
The strange tale of Bridey Murphy and Virginia Tighe
Hypnotists and Hollywood were amazed when Virginia Tighe recalled her past life as Bridey Murphy - an impressive feat... but Murphy never existed
I called Scottish Water to solve my supply issue – I never expected them to bring dowsing rods
Scottish Water's engineers should throw away their dowsing rods, and simply trust in their own knowledge and expertise, without resorting to the paranormal
Meteorological phenomena can account for ‘unexplained’ Loch Ness Monster sightings
Loch Ness Monster sightings are overwhelmingly misidentifications of other phenomema - including rare cloud patterns and weather conditions
“What Nonsense!” – unpacking popular pseudosciences for a Brazilian audience
As pseudoscience flourishes in Brazil, What Nonsense! by Carlos Orsi and Natalia Pasternak seeks to redress the balance, and push back against irrationality