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# The NESS

New England Skeptical Society

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://theness.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [The Physics of ESP](https://theness.com/the-physics-of-esp/) - October 1998 by Robert Novella Of all ostensible paranormal phenomenon, extra sensory perception (e.s.p.) is probably one of the most well known and widely believed. Many people who generally have a skeptical attitude towards metaphysics still hold out hope that e.s.p. is a real phenomenon and that someday it will be conclusively demonstrated. In any
- [How To Argue](https://theness.com/how-to-argue/) - updated: June 2011 by Steven Novella, MD Arguing is one of those things most people do but few people do well. Many do not understand what a logical argument even is or how to do it correctly. Yet arguing is an essential skill of critical thinking. How we argue reflects how we think, how we
- [The Skeptic's Diet](https://theness.com/the-skeptics-diet/) - January 2005 (updated August 2010) by Steven Novella, MD An obese friend of mine commented on how well his new diet was going, as he absentmindedly devoured an entire low-carb cheesecake while happily engaged in his sedentary pastime. He, like many of my friends, family, and patients, truly desire to lose weight and be healthy
- [90% of a Brain Is a Terrible Thing To Waste](https://theness.com/90-of-a-brain-is-a-terrible-thing-to-waste/) - January 1999 by Steven Novella, MD The average person uses only 10-12% of their brain. Almost everyone has heard this statement of fact in one context or another, and most people, in accordance with human nature, accept this as just another amazing but true pronouncement of science without too much scrutiny. References to this “fact”
- [Creationism/Intelligent Design](https://theness.com/creationismintelligent-design/) - Topic Editor: Steven Novella Sections: Topic Overview Index of NESS Articles and Blog Posts Index of Relevant SGU Episodes Outside Resources Summary of Key Research Topic Overview There are many forms of creationism but at their core they all share a denial, to some degree, of evolutionary science. Creationism is therefore a pseudoscience and a
- [Homeopathy](https://theness.com/homeopathy/) - July 1996 by Steven Novella, MD Alternative medicines come in many forms and philosophies, their only shared characteristic is that they are not adequately science-based. Some are thinly veiled religious beliefs, others new-age fantasies, and still others untested or disproved remedies. The growing practice of homeopathy, rather, is an excellent example of pure pseudoscience. Homeopathy
- [Astrology](https://theness.com/astrology/) - Topic Editor: Steven Novella Sections: Topic Overview Index of NESS Articles and Blog Posts Index of Relevant SGU Episodes Outside Resources Summary of Key Research Topic Overview Astrology refers to a number of ancient systems of belief that relate the positions of the planets and constellations to events on Earth. In Western culture, the Zodiac
- [Evolve This - Why We Should Care About Evolution and Creationism](https://theness.com/evolve-this-why-we-should-care-about-evolution-and-creationism/) - October 2004 by Steven Novella, M.D There are different versions of the dangerous error known as creationism. "Young earth" creationists believe the world was created ten thousand years ago in six days; others gallantly admit the earth is older. But all creationists deny one scientific fact: life on earth is the product of evolution, slow
- [Look, Up There - What Are UFOs?](https://theness.com/look-up-there-what-are-ufos/) - February 2005 by Steven Novella, MD I once saw a UFO. That is, I saw an object in the sky I couldn't identify. Chances are you have too, probably more than once. What I saw were lights in a large "V" shape, moving silently, too slow to be a plane, moving out of view after
- [Levitating Frogs and Free Energy](https://theness.com/levitating-frogs-and-free-energy/) - June 2005 by Steven Novella, MD When I was a child some of my favorite toys were simple magnets. I was fascinated by the way they could push or pull on each other at a distance with an invisible force. It was like magic. Energy itself, all types of energy, seems like magic. Physicists, performing
- [Is Magic Real?](https://theness.com/is-magic-real/) - April 2002 by Perry DeAngelis and Robert Novella Modern Attacks on Harry Potter and Roleplaying Games Here is your character on your character sheet: NAME: Bob the Fighter RACE: Halfling HEALTH: 10 STRENGTH: 10 SMARTS: 2 Carries a big club that does 1 to 10 points of damage. Here is your first adventure: Gamemaster (GM):
- [Non-Science in Dating the Earth](https://theness.com/non-science-in-dating-the-earth/) - May 2004 Chuck Roche, PhD One topic for skeptics involves the age of the earth. Many creationists have argued for a young earth, one less than 15,000 years, while others allow for just a few million years. Most do not realize the scientific community is rather unified on the earth being several billion years in
- [Being Too Open-Minded](https://theness.com/being-too-open-minded/) - I listened patiently as the UFO enthusiast explained how humans were transplanted to the earth from another world by our alien forebears. "Then how do you explain the fact that humans share 98% of our DNA with chimpanzees, and a genetic code will all life on earth?" I asked. "Well, I think you have to
- [Cereal Killers](https://theness.com/cereal-killers/) - July 2005 by Steven Novella, MD Just last year, a "crop circle" (actually a crop square) appeared in Martha Bailey's cornfield in New Milford, Conn. Her field is surrounded by a 7-foot-tall fence of chicken wire and wood. Overnight, in the middle of the field, a "perfect" square of flattened down corn appeared. According to
- [Conspiracy Theories - Out of the Matrix](https://theness.com/conspiracy-theories-out-of-the-matrix/) - March 2006 by Steven Novella, MD There are no shortage of conspiracy theories in the halls of pseudoscience and pseudohistory, not to mention pop culture mythology. According to a 1992 New York Times survey, 77 percent of Americans hold the demonstrably wrong belief that the JFK assassination was the work of a conspiracy. Others believe
- [NESS Participates in Randi Psychic Challenge](https://theness.com/ness-participates-in-randi-psychic-challenge/) - May 2004 by Steven Novella, MD Armchair skepticism is fine as far as it goes. It is helpful to be conversant with skeptical philosophy, the principle of Occam’s razor, and the many mechanisms of self-deception. It is important to be able to identify where the burden of proof for a claim properly lays, and to
- [Out of Body Experiences and the Astral Hypothesis](https://theness.com/out-of-body-experiences-and-the-astral-hypothesis/) - May 2003 by Robert Novella Out-of-body experiences are interpreted by many believers as profound and telling events. These experiences are thought to provide compelling evidence or at least powerful testimony that our personalities and memories are not bound up in the matter of our brains but in an ethereal or astral substrate. Once freed, we
- [NESS Takes On Free Energy Guru - Dennis Lee](https://theness.com/ness-takes-on-free-energy-guru-dennis-lee/) - July 2001 (Updated August 2009) by Perry DeAngelis On July 23rd, 2001 the NESS decided “To Be A Part of History!” At least that’s what we and hundreds of others were invited to be by Dennis Lee’s ever-traveling huckster show of technological magic. This is the opening line of the advertisement announcing the beginning of
- [911 - Pseudoscience in the Rubble](https://theness.com/911-pseudoscience-in-the-rubble/) - October 2001 by Robert Novella In the wake of the September 11th disaster, the credulous grasp at metaphysical straws looking to make meaning from chaos. It all started with an email in my inbox. Only days after the World Trade Center and Pentagon tragedies, I started receiving emails with amazing stories about how Nostradamus predicted
- [The Hero Myth, Transcendence, and Joseph Campbell](https://theness.com/the-hero-myth-transcendence-and-joseph-campbell/) - April 2001 by Jon Blumenfeld When you go to the movie theater, does it sometimes seem as though you’re seeing the same film over and over again? Are you tired of seeing a hero with hidden talents called reluctantly to greatness, guided by a knowledgeable mentor, faced with a series of challenges and with his
- [Phrenology: History of a Pseudoscience](https://theness.com/phrenology-history-of-a-pseudoscience/) - March 2000 by Steven Novella, MD When first introduced in 1796, phrenology was the latest advancement in the field of neurology. It was widely accepted, even welcomed, by many practicing neurologists as a powerful diagnostic tool. Phrenologists were even on the winning side of an important scientific debate concerning a central concept of brain anatomy
- [Speed of Light Repealed?](https://theness.com/speed-of-light-repealed/) - July 2001 by Robert Novella Ephemeral and ubiquitous, light has been mystifying to man since the first homo-sapien pondered its existence countless millennia ago. It remains so to this day but science has taught us much in the intervening time. Of all its bizarre properties, the most self-evident is probably its vast speed. Light is
- [About Face for Mars](https://theness.com/about-face-for-mars/) - March 1998 By Robert Novella Early this April, Mars turned the other cheek and its face disappeared. More detailed and differently illuminated pictures of “The Face on Mars” now show no face at all. What appears instead is what skeptics have suspected all along, an eroded butte or mesa. It’s even been compared to a
- [The Proper Targets of Skepticism](https://theness.com/the-proper-targets-of-skepticism/) - May 2004 by Steven Novella, MD Why, as activist skeptics, do we do what we do? What claims and beliefs deserve the attention of our cold analysis and sharp criticism? Why should NEJS readers care about a careful dissection of the silly paranormal belief du jour? Shouldn’t we restrict our activities and attention to serious
- [Confusion about Coriolis](https://theness.com/confusion-about-coriolis/) - July 2000 by Robert Novella You might think that the popularity of the weather channel would result in a much higher public saviness for meteorological concepts. While more people than ever are aware of cold fronts, dew points, jet streams, and high-pressure systems, many meteorological misconceptions are still deeply entrenched in the public consciousness. So
- [Medium Dead](https://theness.com/medium-dead/) - July 2000 by Jon Blumenfeld If you’ve ever wondered what the phrase ‘heebie-jeebies’ means, tune into the Sci Fi channel Sunday through Thursday at 11:00 p.m. and you’re sure to get a good, solid case. The show in question is called ‘Crossing Over with John Edward,’ and it features yet another medium using age-old carnival
- [A Message of Love from the Seventh Dimension](https://theness.com/a-message-of-love-from-the-seventh-dimension/) - July 2000 (updated June 2009) by Steven Novella, MD Lynne LaFountain lives in a modest condo in the small town of Winsted, CT, which NESS investigators were invited to visit this May. As we sat in her living room, this ordinary appearing middle-aged woman spoke to the small gathering in the voice of D’Hartma, the
- [The Christian Science Holocaust](https://theness.com/the-christian-science-holocaust/) - October 2001 by Gerald Bergman, PhD Many modern religions make specific claims which are incongruent with reality and the results of scientific research. One of the best examples is religion-motivated medical neglect which in one church congregation alone resulted in the death of at least 64 children from 1975 to 1995 (Asser and Swan, 1998).
- [Buchanan’s Inane Rant Against Darwin](https://theness.com/buchanan’s-inane-rant-against-darwin/) - July 2006 by Steven Novella, MD Linus Pauling was a brilliant Nobel laureate chemist but his name is probably more recognized today for his touting of the amazing curative powers of Vitamin C and orthomolecular medicine. It is unfortunate that Dr. Pauling fell victim to a common intellectual pitfall – wandering with undue authority into
- [Blue Green Algae - Nature's Perfect Scam](https://theness.com/blue-green-algae-natures-perfect-scam/) - October 2001 by Steven Novella, MD Of all the issues that skeptics confront, many of which are heated and controversial, you would not think that blue-green algae would rank high among the concerns of those who write to the NESS. Yet we receive more e-mails regarding this specific topic than any other, a recent flurry
- [The Physics and Fantasy of Firewalking](https://theness.com/the-physics-and-fantasy-of-firewalking/) - July 1999 by Robert Novella Photo by David Willey Many alleged powers of the mind, like reading another person’s thoughts or seeing the future, can be very subjective phenomena with ambiguous experimental results. Firewalking, however, cannot be denied. For centuries thousands of people have undeniably and routinely walked barefoot over long beds of hot coals.
- [EMDR: Science or Pseudoscience](https://theness.com/emdr-science-or-pseudoscience/) - January 2001 by Bunmi O. Olatunji Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a highly controversial treatment for a variety of psychological disorders with empirical evidence both supporting and negating its effectiveness and efficacy. The negating evidence proposes that EMDR appears to be aligned with the meaning of science but lacks the methodological as well
- [Why is Someone Called ADHD](https://theness.com/why-is-someone-called-adhd/) - This is the first in a two-part series on Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This article will take a critical view of the legitimacy of the diagnosis and treatment of this controversial disorder, and part II is a rebuttal defending ADHD. March 2001 by Mark Fineman PhD The following is not a sweeping analysis
- [Defending ADHD](https://theness.com/defending-adhd/) - This is the second in a two-part series exploring Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder. In Part I, Mark Fineman argued that the current diagnosis and treatment of ADHD has not met the burden of evidence and reason to be considered a legitimate science, and in Part II Steven Novella will make the rebuttal argument that
- [Smoke and Mirrors - Spontaneous Human Combustion](https://theness.com/smoke-and-mirrors-spontaneous-human-combustion/) - January 2006 by Steven Novella, MD Imagine the following scene: An elderly woman who lives alone is found dead in her apartment. She is the victim of fire; her body is mostly reduced to ash, and only the ends of her arms and legs remain. The ashen outline of her head lies upon the hearth
- [The Problem With Being Too Open-Minded](https://theness.com/the-problem-with-being-too-open-minded/) - November 2004 by Steven Novella, MD I listened patiently as the UFO enthusiast explained how humans were transplanted to the earth from another world by our alien forebears. "Then how do you explain the fact that humans share 98% of our DNA with chimpanzees, and a genetic code will all life on earth?" I asked.
- [Selling Supplements](https://theness.com/selling-supplements/) - May 2003 by Steven Novella, MD Recently a patient of mine with a serious neurological disorder inquired as to whether or not there were any natural supplements that could treat her condition. The patient was filled with earnest, but cautious, hope. She cited information she had gained from friends, on the internet, and from dietary
- [Bloodletting Works](https://theness.com/bloodletting-works/) - May 2002 by Steven Novella, MD Science is rediscovering this ancient healing art. Warning: The following is a work of complete fiction intended as satire. Jane suffers from an uncommon blood disorder called polycythemia – which means that she has too many red blood cells in her blood. As a result her blood is too
- [Herbal Mythology](https://theness.com/herbal-mythology/) - October 1997 by Steven Novella, MD There is nothing more powerful than an idea, and nothing more potentially harmful than a false idea that everyone "knows" is true and therefore does not question. The current popularity of alternative medicine in general, and herbal remedies specifically, are based upon several such commonly accepted myths; chief among
- [The Cultiversity of Bridgeport](https://theness.com/the-cultiversity-of-bridgeport/) - January 1997 by Perry DeAngelis I recently strolled through a series of ramshackle buildings along Long Island Sound, at the south end of Bridgeport - decaying and abandoned buildings, deserted and silent streets. Was this the aging Pequonnic Apartments, or the decrepit Marina Village? No. It was the University of Bridgeport (UB). The University of
- [The Prey of Cults](https://theness.com/the-prey-of-cults/) - October 1998 by Perry DeAngelis It is estimated that between two and five million Americans are involved in cultic groups (Singer,1995). It is hard to assess a more accurate count because, as in all things, cultic groups are deceptive about their numbers. Deception is their hallmark, used at every level from recruitment, to thought control,
- [Responding to Behe and "Irreducible Complexity"](https://theness.com/responding-to-behe-and-irreducible-complexity/) - April 1999 by Steven Novella, MD I received the following question regarding Michael Behe book, Darwin's Black Box: I recently read a book called "Darwin's Black Box" by Behe. It's thesis is that there are systems called "irreducibly complex systems" which appear to have no evolutionary advantage until all of their parts are present, and
- [Conjunction Assumption](https://theness.com/conjunction-assumption/) - April 2000 by Robert Novella Now that we’re well into the year 2000 and Y2K fears have subsided, I thought I could relax and forget about impending global disasters. Not so, if an increasingly vocal crop of doomsayers are correct. Apparently, a planetary alignment that will occur on May fifth will wreak havoc on the
- [How Strong Are Your State’s Science Standards?](https://theness.com/how-strong-are-your-states-science-standards/) - April 2000 by Sheila Gibson The Kansas State Board of Education (BOE) greeted the coming millennium by voting its state science curriculum into the 19th century. Virtually all references to evolution-not just in biology, but in geology and cosmology as well-were ripped out of the draft update curriculum presented to the board last May. The
- [Teller - Magic's Silent Man of Mystery](https://theness.com/teller-magics-silent-man-of-mystery/) - April 1998 by Sheila Gibson You may know Teller as the singly-named “smaller, quieter half” of the comedy-magic team Penn and Teller. What you may not know is both he and his partner are longtime committed skeptics whose views are evident on stage and off. Both are on the masthead of Skeptic magazine and are
- [Long Live Science and Reason](https://theness.com/long-live-science-and-reason/) - October 1999 By Sheila Gibson The following is a response to an op-ed piece written by John Mack, the infamous Harvard psychiatrist who has championed the idea that large numbers of people are being abducted from their homes by space aliens. The original article was published in the Sunday Boston Globe Focus Section on October
- [Dowsing in Connecticut](https://theness.com/dowsing-in-connecticut/) - October 1996 by Perry DeAngelis In our society today, there exists a phenomenon of yesterday. The ancient "art" of dowsing still persists in this age of high technology. In Connecticut alone, there are 100 members of the American Society of Dowsers. There are more than 5000 nationally. The Gordon McClean chapter (named for a now
- [Demonic Possessions](https://theness.com/demonic-possessions/) - April 1998 by Perry DeAngelis A local case of alleged demonic possession involving a 10 year old boy, is vividly illustrative of the high price we pay when credulity rules the day. With angels being discussed on the cover of Time magazine, and our television screens filled nightly with tales of the supernatural, these events
- [The Year 1000 A.D. and the Millennial Panic](https://theness.com/the-year-1000-a-d-and-the-millennial-panic/) - July 1998 by Edward P. Wallner In his recent review of an apocalyptic novel by the fundamentalist Pat Robertson, the writer Christopher Buckley recounted in his own words the familiar story of the panic over the imminent end of the world at the close of the first millennium A.D.: “The year 999 was a boom
- [Scientific Research in a Mystical World](https://theness.com/scientific-research-in-a-mystical-world/) - January 1998 by Steven Novella, MD The NIH Office of Alternative Medicine seeks to scientifically research alternative medicine modalities, such as acupuncture, but is the act of doing research enough to make alternative practices science? The true nature and essence of science is of intense interest to skeptics, as it should be to any rational
- [Therapeutic Touch](https://theness.com/therapeutic-touch/) - October 1998 by Steven Novella, MD The concept of an invisible, undetectable, spiritual life force which animates living creatures is an ancient superstition which has found a new home in modern alternative medical ideology. In the early 1970’s, Dolores Krieger, Ph.D., R.N. developed and promoted the new discipline of therapeutic touch (TT). TT practitioners believe
- [What Your Doctor Won't Tell You](https://theness.com/what-your-doctor-wont-tell-you/) - April 1998 by Steven Novella, MD How many times have you heard the rumor that "They have a cure for cancer?" Have you ever wondered who "they" are, or how anyone could be so callous as to suppress a treatment for such a deadly disease, or how vast such a conspiracy of silence would have
- [Alternative Engineering](https://theness.com/alternative-engineering/) - October 1999 by Steven Novella, MD A new phenomenon is sweeping the country, gaining the attention of both consumers and manufacturers alike. Increasingly disenchanted with the cold metallic world our modern technology is producing, people are beginning to take a close look at more natural alternatives. Collectively called Alternative Engineering (AE), a host of new
- [Intelligent Design - Response to Behe](https://theness.com/intelligent-design-response-to-behe/) - November 2005 by Robert Novella & Steven Novella, MD A Response to New York Times Op-Ed Promoting Intelligence Design by Michael Behe Despite a string of past legal victories by defenders of evolution, supporters of creationism who deny evolution in favor of the notion that all life was divinely created are tireless and undaunted in
- [Two Mass Delusions in New England](https://theness.com/two-mass-delusions-in-new-england/) - April 1998 by Robert E. Bartholomew “Light Bulb” Mania of 1897, and the Great Airship Hoax of 1909-1910 Collective delusions and so-called mass hysterias take many forms, of which there are at least four common types. For a detailed discussion of each type, see my recent article in The Skeptical Inquirer (May-June, 1997). I will
- [Mother Mary Comes to Me](https://theness.com/mother-mary-comes-to-me/) - October 1999 by Perry DeAngelis The Virgin Mary makes yet another appearance, this time in our own Hartford, Connecticut, and NESS investigators take a look. As Juan Ramon Gordils sat in his Hartford living room watching TV at two in the morning, the hot July night was suddenly broken up by a vision of the
- [The Z-Files #7](https://theness.com/the-z-files-7/)
- [The Z-Files #11](https://theness.com/the-z-files-11/)
- [The Z-Files #10](https://theness.com/the-z-files-10/)
- [The Z-Files #9](https://theness.com/the-z-files-9/)
- [The Z-Files #8](https://theness.com/the-z-files-8/)
- [The Z-Files #6](https://theness.com/the-z-files-6/)
- [The Z-Files #5](https://theness.com/the-z-files-5/)
- [The Z-Files #4](https://theness.com/the-z-files-4/)
- [The Z-Files #2](https://theness.com/the-z-files-2/)
- [The Grand Unified Woo-Woo Theory](https://theness.com/the-grand-unified-woo-woo-theory/) - April 2000 by Marc Berard Living Energy Universe (Hampton Roads Pub. Inc., Charlotsville, VA, 1999), written by Dr. Shwartz and Dr. Russek, is the latest attempt at a “theory of everything,” including everything paranormal. What Shwartz and Russek have done is take the basic concept of feedback loops and do some wild speculation that does
- [Magnetic Attraction](https://theness.com/magnetic-attraction/) - October 1999 by Dave Shapiro On Sunday, August 1st, my wife Denise and I went to watch the final round of the GHO golf tournament in Cromwell, CT. Because there were thousands of people watching this every day, this was an ideal place for venders to pay for space to set up areas to demonstrate
- [Y2Krazy](https://theness.com/y2krazy/) - January 2001 By Robert Novella We survived the arrival of a new millennium without significant incident, despite numerous predictions of societal collapse by a host of doomsayers and apocalypse predictors. What were the origins of the anticlimactic Y2K bug and the fear it inspired? Much to the surprise of many people, the world did not
- [A Neuroscientist Investigates Acupuncture](https://theness.com/a-neuroscientist-investigates-acupuncture/) - October 1998 by Robert Drysdale Dr. Novella’s comprehensive articles on alternative medicine have led me to a question: since alternative medicine lacks, for the most part, any scientific justification for its use, what then, aside from the given that many Americans are science illiterates to an alarming degree, accounts for its increasing popularity?... according to
- [Arnie's World #7](https://theness.com/arnies-world-7/)
- [Arnie's World #8](https://theness.com/arnies-world-8/)
- [Arnie's World #9](https://theness.com/arnies-world-9/)
- [Arnie's World #10](https://theness.com/arnies-world-10/)
- [Arnie's World #11](https://theness.com/arnies-world-11/)
- [Arnie's World #12](https://theness.com/arnies-world-12/)
- [Arnie's World #1](https://theness.com/arnies-world-1/)
- [Arnie's World #2](https://theness.com/arnies-world-2/)
- [Arnie's World #3](https://theness.com/arnies-world-3/)
- [Arnie's World #4](https://theness.com/arnies-world-4/)
- [Arnie's World #5](https://theness.com/arnies-world-5/)
- [Arnie's World #6](https://theness.com/arnies-world-6/)
- [Hunting the Ghost Hunters](https://theness.com/hunting-the-ghost-hunters/) - July 1997 by Perry DeAngelis and Steven Novella, MD Ed and Lorraine Warren have been investigating hauntings for over 40 years and claim to have mountains of proof for the existence of ghosts. We sought to examine their evidence to see if it stands up to the scientific rigor they claim to endorse. Ed and
- [The Design Interference](https://theness.com/the-design-interference/) - October 2002 by Steven Novella, MD Over a century ago Charles Darwin convinced the scientific community of the fact that life on Earth is the product of organic evolution and that natural selection is the primary mechanism of evolution. Since that time scientists have been almost completely united in their support of evolutionary theory, which
- [Scientists Report: Bumblebees Can't Fly](https://theness.com/scientists-report-bumblebees-cant-fly/) - September 1999 by Robert Novella When I was in High School we had school meetings every Friday during which we would discuss current events, see movies, listen to speakers etc. One morning we listened to an accomplished disabled man who started his speech by describing how science has proven that bumblebees cannot fly. He continued
- [Energy Crisis - Vitalism Pseudoscience](https://theness.com/energy-crisis-vitalism-pseudoscience/) - October 2000 by Robert Novella Of all the scientific terms that have been usurped by pseudoscientists, the word “energy” would have to be the most abused. This word has a very specific meaning to physicists, but the lay press, and many people who are not familiar with its proper usage, distort its meaning and use
- [Creationists Run Afowl of the Evidence](https://theness.com/creationists-run-afowl-of-the-evidence/) - January 1999 by Steven Novella, MD I have long been fascinated by creationism, for it is the purest and most developed pseudoscience in our culture. The scientific community, after more than a century of mounting evidence and vigorous debate, remain solid in their collective conviction that life on Earth did in fact result from the
- [EMDR and Fad Therapies](https://theness.com/emdr-and-fad-therapies/) - January 2001 by Stuart Losen, PhD It was only a few years ago that the public heard a lot about psychotherapists dredging up the previously repressed memories of their clients to ward off the development of multiple personalities. There were also many reports of special therapeutic procedures specifically devised to help individuals cope with those
- [Reflections on Skeptical Parenting](https://theness.com/reflections-on-skeptical-parenting/) - July 1998 by Merriol Almond If it’s important to us to be skeptics, it’s probably also important to those of us who are parents to rear skeptical kids. Looking back, I was brought up by my parents to be skeptical, and my husband and I tried to bring up our children along similar lines. It
- [NESS Executive Director Abducted By Aliens](https://theness.com/ness-executive-director-abducted-by-aliens/) - July 2000 by Perry DeAngelis On Tuesday June 13th I was admitted to Yale New Haven Medical Center with severe abdominal pain. As I had assumed, it was my stone-laden gallbladder that was the culprit. Two times last fall I had landed in the hospital a total of five weeks with gallbladder pancreatitis, and I
- [X-Files and X-Fictions](https://theness.com/x-files-and-x-fictions/) - January 2000 by Sheila Gibson Kill your television. I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore. Everyone has heard these sentiments. Many people agree with these sentiments. But how many people live these sentiments? I’ve been off the plug-in drug cold turkey since July of 1998. As a child, I’d watch
- [Where the Girls Aren't](https://theness.com/where-the-girls-arent/) - October 1999 by Sheila Gibson Next time you attend a skeptics’ meeting, look around. What you don’t see will be as obvious as what you do see—a white, older, largely professional group, with few to no women. Sadly, this pattern repeats across the country. This skeptical chick has gone to conferences in Washington, D.C., Los
- [Carl Sagan - A Journey’s End](https://theness.com/carl-sagan-a-journey’s-end/) - January 1997 by Robert Novella The candle in the dark dimmed this past December 20 with the passing of Carl Sagan, world-renowned scientist, author, educator and skeptic. He unexpectedly lost his two-year battle with bone cancer, succumbing finally to pneumonia at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington. He was 62 years old.
- [Psychomotor Patterning](https://theness.com/psychomotor-patterning/) - October 1996 by Steven Novella, MD The line which sharply demarcates mainstream medicine from alternative medicine is the line of science. It is possible to cross that line, however. Any alternative treatment which is tested in a rigorous scientific manner and found to be safe and effective, will be incorporated into mainstream medicine, it will
- [Blind Spots](https://theness.com/blind-spots/) - July 1999 Jon Blumenfeld A married couple spend much of their free time investigating various Conspiracy theories, with a particular concentration on the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Having reached the conclusion that there was some kind of conspiracy and a massive government cover-up, they brook no disagreement, accusing their opponents of being either complicit
- [Photographic Fakery](https://theness.com/photographic-fakery/) - January 1998 by Robert Novella Tales of ghosts and spirits can be quite compelling and convincing but many people view photographs of these ghostly phenomena as better evidence or even proof of their existence. They have been proffered as evidence ever since the development of modern photography in 1839. Images generally range from bright spots
- [Stock Market Pseudoscience](https://theness.com/stock-market-pseudoscience/) - July 1997 by Jon Blumenfeld Do big fund managers and Wall Street experts use pseudoscience to make trading decisions? If you have any mutual funds, insurance policies, or any other managed investment, chances are that the managers use a pseudoscientific principle known as technical analysis to decide when to buy and sell your investments. Technical
- [A Brief Analysis of Mysticism](https://theness.com/a-brief-analysis-of-mysticism/) - January 2001 by Hamed Vahidi Eastern Mysticism is an interesting concept. For many, it is synonymous with the supremacy of wisdom over knowledge, elevation to higher states of consciousness, feelings of oneness with the universe, and the realization of the ultimate nature of reality. Scientifically speaking, the concept of mysticism has no definite theoretical framework,
- [Quantum Confusion](https://theness.com/quantum-confusion/) - July 1997 by Robert Novella Quantum Mechanics is undoubtedly one of the most significant scientific achievements of the twentieth century. Its descriptions of the behavior of atoms and light have been substantiated in countless experiments for the past seventy years. It has elucidated diverse phenomena from the shining of stars to the order of the
- [The Razor in the Toolbox](https://theness.com/the-razor-in-the-toolbox/) - April 2001 by Robert Novella The history, use, and abuse of Occam’s Razor. There is something very weird in the sky. It’s moving bizarrely at right angles and emits no sound at all. I’ve never seen anything like it; it’s got to be an extraterrestrial spaceship, right? I wake up in the middle of the
- [The Starchild Project](https://theness.com/the-starchild-project/) - February 2006 by Steven Novella, MD An American couple present to the media the skull of a child they claim was obtained 60-70 years ago from a cave in Mexico. The cranial cavity of this skull is grotesquely enlarged, and the other features appear human, but in a distorted form. The media dub the skull
- [Cold Reading: The Psychic's True Power](https://theness.com/cold-reading-the-psychics-true-power/) - April 1997 by Robert Novella You have just left a psychic reading and you are amazed. The psychic knew many things about you that no one else knew and other things that couldn’t possibly have been figured out. The only explanation you can think of is that some kind of extrasensory perception was involved. What
- [Sightings: UFOs and Visual Perception](https://theness.com/sightings-ufos-and-visual-perception/) - July 1998 by Mark B. Fineman, PhD PENDELTON, Ore. June 25 [1947] (AP) - Nine bright saucer-like objects flying at “incredible speed” at 10,000 feet altitude were reported here today by Kenneth Arnold, Boise, Idaho, [a] pilot who said he could not hazard a guess as to what they were (cited by Peebles, 1994). In
- [Creationists, Mechanical Engineers, and the Second Law of Thermodynamics](https://theness.com/creationists-mechanical-engineers-and-the-second-law-of-thermodynamics/) - April 2001 by Steven Novella, MD Creationists are my favorite pseudoscientists. They toil endlessly to explore new ways to distort logic and misrepresent both the process and the findings of science. In so doing they provide a textbook example of why starting with a desired conclusion, then working backwards to fit evidence and logic into
- [Memories: Constructed, Confused, and Confabulated](https://theness.com/memories-constructed-confused-and-confabulated/) - July 1998 by Robert Novella Human memory routinely performs amazing events with effortless ease. Experiences decades old can be vividly recalled with the subtlest of triggers. But our brains are not like a computer hard drive inside our heads where details are laid down and recalled with absolute fidelity. Memory is a creative process like
- [The Power of Coincidence](https://theness.com/the-power-of-coincidence/) - October 1996 by Robert Novella Coincidences are ubiquitous events in everyone's lives. Some are trivial, like being dealt a flush in poker, but others really grab our attention, like thinking of a friend you have not seen in years only to have them call on the phone moments later. What these events have in common
- [A Skeptic Joins Scientology](https://theness.com/a-skeptic-joins-scientology/) - July 1999 by Perry DeAngelis Well, I am the newest member of the New Haven, Connecticut Church of Scientology. I am on the road to being “clear,” and releasing the long dead alien engrams trapped in my reactive mind and destroying any chance I have at becoming enlightened. Thank goodness. If the above seems a
- [Believing Is Seeing](https://theness.com/believing-is-seeing/) - January 2001 by Robert Novella “You are a creative genius. Your creative genius is so accomplished that it appears, to you and to others, as effortless. Yet it far outstrips the most valiant efforts of today’s fastest supercomputers. To invoke it, you only need to open your eyes.” (Hoffman ’98) Vision is indeed the paragon
- [Fear Not: Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism](https://theness.com/fear-not-vaccines-do-not-cause-autism/) - June 2005 by Steven Novella, MD One of the most memorable scenes in The Big Lebowski , the classic 1998 Coen Brothers movie starring Jeff Bridges as "the Dude," is when Walter Sobchak, played with overweight aplomb by John Goodman, shows up at the house of the young boy he believes stole the Dude's car.
- [Anatomy of Pseudoscience](https://theness.com/anatomy-of-pseudoscience/) - December 2000 by Steven Novella, MD An American couple present to the media the skull of a child they claim was obtained 60-70 years ago from a cave in Mexico. The cranial cavity of this skull is grotesquely enlarged, and the other features appear human, but in a distorted form. The media dub the skull
- [Skepticism and Denial](https://theness.com/skepticism-and-denial/) - April 2002 by Steven Novella, MD Aristotle advanced a philosophy of vice and virtue which he termed the philosophy of the mean. He proposed that virtue is best viewed as a mean of moderation between two extreme vices. The virtue of frugality is a mean between the vices of excess and stinginess, for example. I
- [Baby Remember My Name](https://theness.com/baby-remember-my-name/) - January 2001 by Sheila Gibson Paul Dickson’s book, What’s in a Name? Reflections of an Irrepressible Name Collector (Merriam-Webster, $14.95), is a series of comprehensive compilations of baseball players’ nicknames, car model monikers and popular babies’ names of the last 100 years, anagrams, punny handles for actual stores and businesses, and selections from the largest
- [A History of Skeptical Philosophy](https://theness.com/a-history-of-skeptical-philosophy/) - April 1998 by Jon Blumenfeld Part I Can science survive the current cultural, academic, and philosophical trend towards a postmodernistic world in which truth has no objective meaning? For those who follow a philosophy of reason and critical thinking, no idea is more important than the Scientific Method. It is the tool we use to
- [Enter the Snake Oil Zone](https://theness.com/enter-the-snake-oil-zone/) - January 1997 by Steven Novella, MD Every half decade or so another fad diet makes an appearance. Such diets rise in popularity, win converts, make a great deal of money for their authors, and then eventually fade to obscurity. Added to this is the endless stream of supermarket tabloid claims for new breakthroughs which promise
- [UFO Conference in North Haven, CT](https://theness.com/ufo-conference-in-north-haven-ct/) - October 1996 by Steven Novella, MD & Perry DeAngelis On the weekend of October 12th, the CSS board had the opportunity to attend the National UFO Congress, presented by Omega Communications, at the North Haven Holiday Inn. What we found has confirmed our suspicion that the realms of the paranormal are as intermingled as is
- [Unidentified Flying Objections](https://theness.com/unidentified-flying-objections/) - October 1997 By Perry DeAngelis Our modern era of technological wonder and scientific achievement is once again usurped by extraordinary claims of a more advanced race of interstellar visitors. Our puny science and terrestrial achievement is dwarfed by these alien travelers, or so the credulous legions tell us - endlessly. I am speaking of the
- [UFOs: The Psychocultural Hypothesis](https://theness.com/ufos-the-psychocultural-hypothesis/) - October 2000 by Steven Novella, MD Millions of Americans believe that we are being visited by a spacefaring alien race. These aliens allegedly fly in saucer-shaped ships, they routinely abduct humans for some experimental purpose we can only guess, some believe they are responsible for such phenomena as cattle mutilations and crop circles, our government
- [Ghostbusting in Hamden](https://theness.com/ghostbusting-in-hamden/) - July 1996 by Robert Novella Tales of ghosts and apparitions have fascinated people for uncounted generations. They have a universal appeal that cuts across all social and cultural boundaries. A trip to any library or video store reveals a plethora of books and movies to choose from on the topic. The newly proliferating paranormal tv
- [Holocaust Denial](https://theness.com/holocaust-denial/) - April 1996 by Hajime Tokuno, MD The political basis for Holocaust Denial How does a responsible citizen in a free society respond to the man who comes forth to state: "The earth is a flat entity, not spherical, as has been so often proclaimed throughout history." And furthermore he says to you, "Without the benefit
- [Bee Venom Therapy](https://theness.com/bee-venom-therapy/) - February 2002 by Steven Novella, MD It is administered in private homes by unlicensed practitioners. It is not prescribed by a doctor, yet it is used like any other drug, given in regular doses at regular intervals. There is no scientific evidence to support its use, and yet thousands of multiple sclerosis sufferers tout its
- [Hypnagogia: An Explanation of Strange Nighttime Visitations](https://theness.com/hypnagogia-an-explanation-of-strange-nighttime-visitations/) - April 1996 by Robert Novella It was late at night; I awoke and saw a shape at the end of my bed. As the shape floated closer I could see that it was an old ugly woman. I tried to move but I was paralyzed. She moved onto my chest, I could feel her weight
- [What Is Complementary and Alternative Medicine](https://theness.com/what-is-complementary-and-alternative-medicine/) - January 1996 by Steven Novella, MD There is a growing phenomenon in this country which is very diverse and yet can be grouped collectively under a single name: alternative medicine. What this term basically represents is any health care which is not part of the mainstream medical establishment, and it includes all such therapies from
- [Satansim in Newtown](https://theness.com/satansim-in-newtown/) - January 1996 by Perry J. DeAngelis Satanism is dead and dying in Newtown Connecticut! I trust that this will please most of our readers. After a search to weed these vile occultists from their havens of evil, this intrepid reporter discovered that Satanists in Newtown are as scarce as they are in Vatican City! Not
- [Skepticism and Talk Shows](https://theness.com/skepticism-and-talk-shows/) - January 1996 by Robert Novella In the past decade, daytime talk shows have become increasingly popular, and sensationalistic. People are fascinated by the unusual and sometimes bizarre problems and lifestyles of the guests. These shows are adequate, although perhaps distasteful, as entertainment, and some even manage to be informative on many different topics. Where they
- [Ghosts of Union Cemetery ](https://theness.com/ghosts-of-union-cemetery/) - April 1996 by Perry DeAngelis The people, places and things that inhabit Connecticut with aura's of the paranormal are legion. I am battered nearly everyday with a new claim toward that end. I was therefore not totally surprised when I discovered that my own home town of Easton, was host of one of the "...best
- [About the NESS](https://theness.com/hello-world/) - The New England Skeptical Society is a non-profit educational organization founded in 1996 to promote science and reason. Podcasts The NESS produces two podcasts: The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is our flagship production - a popular weekly science podcast, featuring science news, interviews with top scientists and skeptics, and our most popular segment -

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- [Home](https://theness.com/) - The New England Skeptical Society is a non-profit educational organization founded in 1996 to promote science and reason. Blogs NeuroLogicaBlog is a daily blog authored by NESS president, Steven Novella, covering science, skepticism, neuroscience, and critical thinking. Science-Based Medicine is a blog dedicated to issues of science and medicine and fearlessly tackles controversial topics
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- [Articles](https://theness.com/articles/) - This page links to articles originally published in The Connecticut Skeptic and the New England Journal of Skepticism - print publications of the NESS prior to moving our publishing all online. It also reproduces articles by NESS members published elsewhere in print. Science and Medicine Alternative Engineering (Steven Novella, 10/99) Bee Venom Therapy (Steven Novella,
- [Topic-Focused Reference](https://theness.com/topic-focused-reference/) - The NESS is building this new reference focused on specific topics of interest to skeptics. For each topic we will give a concise overview followed by an index of articles and blog posts by the NESS on the topic, relevant SGU episodes, and key outside resources. We will also list important peer-reviewed research relating to
- [Links](https://theness.com/skeptical-links/) - Skeptical Organizations The New England Skeptical Society (NESS) The James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) The Skeptics Society The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI) Skepchick The New York City Skeptics Skeptical Podcasts The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe SGU 5x5 Are We Alone The Geologic Podcast Point of Inquiry The Reality Check Podcast Skepticality The Skeptic
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