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developed by JhackAbout Skeptikai
Skeptikai defends science and exposes pseudoscience. Living in Japan also allows for an interesting opportunity to discuss fascinating stories that go unnoticed elsewhere. Psychological phenomena and intriguing cases from around the globe are also regularly highlighted.
The Psychological Science of StorytellingIt hit me about two years ago, sometime after I started this blog. Somewhere between the…
Islamic Blasphemy and the “Freedom” to Choose your Own ReligionIn the last few weeks, Muslims from Bangladesh have been going crazy trying to fight back…
Inattentional Blindness and the Invisible ViolinistIf a tree falls in the forest and no one's around to hear it, does it make a sound? It…
Hamas-Israel Ceasefire Ends as Gaza Schools Drop Sports for Military TrainingI have been following the news regarding the ceasefire between Israel and Gaza that…
Are Vocal Homophobes Really Just Homosexuals in the Closet?Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who…
Why Haven’t We Found the Missing Link in the Fossil Record? Science Answers!War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength. -George Orwell If evolution is…
Bollywood Zombies and The Westernization of Indian Pop CultureGo Goa Gone, the first Western-style zombie flick to be made in Bollywood, was just…
Hungary Solves Homelessness by Finding Places for All… in Jail?The brilliant move of Hungary lawmakers to criminalize the act of being a homeless person…
The 2013 Pigasus AwardsEvery year, the James Randi Educational Foundation gives awards to recognize the special…
Did Jesus ‘Want’ to be Nailed to a Cross?I'm pretty sure the answer to the question in the title is "no," but there are many things…
Category Archives: Astronomy & Cosmos
The Apocalypse 2012 is Real (…but not at all what you think)
If a credible source told you the precise day you were going to die, it would presumably cause a great deal of anxiety. So maybe you decide to take actions to minimize the chance of this happening. You watch what you eat more carefully, you exercise intensively to stay fit – just in case you need to act swiftly – and you otherwise change your daily routine to stay prepared for any possible difficulties that might befall you on your predicted date of death. This existential preoccupation may alone be the difference between life and death. For example, maybe you were mentally distracted while crossing a street and got hit by a car, or you worked out so much to keep fit that your heart failed because it didn’t have enough time to rest. Or perhaps you couldn’t take the suspense and decide to end your own life. Regardless of the details, it’s this type of anxiety that makes doomsday prophecies come true for individuals.
Posted in Activism, Astronomy & Cosmos, Science, Skepticism
Tagged hoax, self-fulfilling prophecy
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Armstrong News – A Death and the End of a Career
The first man to ever walk on the moon has just died yesterday. The all-American Neil Armstrong’s most famous words, on that famous Apollo 11 mission, will surely never be forgotten: “That’s one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind.” Armstrong lived a long and happy life, until he died at the age of 82.
From the Guardian:
Posted in Aggregators/lists/rankings, Astronomy & Cosmos, Biographical, Culture
Tagged drugs
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Higgs Boson (The God Particle) Found
Earlier this week, the Higgs boson was discovered – or at least, we’re almost certain it was discovered. In the science community, this is being seen as one of the biggest breakthroughs in history, but it’s clear that laypeople are feeling out of the loop. The comments on many articles are unfortunately “the more I learn about this, the more confused I become about it.” So just what is the Higgs boson, why is its discovery important, and why should we care? The simple answers are below.