Shows / Skeptoid
Skeptoid
The true science behind our most popular urban legends. Historical mysteries, paranormal claims, popular science myths, aliens and UFO reports, conspiracy theories, and worthless alternative medicine schemes... Skeptoid has you covered. From the sublime to the startling, no topic is sacred. Weekly since 2006.
Episodes
SkeptoidSkeptoid #1005: Debugging Done Diligently
Another round of corrections of errors from past episodes, keeping your Skeptoid archive tidy and accurate. Learn about your ad choices…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #1004: Dating the White Sands Footprints
Ancient footprints in New Mexico are forcing scientists to rewrite the story of when humans first set foot in the Americas, and the debate is shaking…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #1003: History's Weirdest Science Findings
Fourteen of the most unexpected and counterintuitive science findings. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #1002: A Feast of Feedback
Once again we go through some of your feedback to past episodes — all the good stuff that enhances and improves the presentation. Learn about your ad choices…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #1001: The Phantom Clown Panic
Clowns have a habit of terrifying many of us. So why shouldn't we be surprised to see mass clown panics? Learn about your ad choices…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #1000: Candle on the Water
Today marks the 1000th Skeptoid episode. And it's time to raise the question: What are you going to do for it? Learn about your ad choices…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #999: Day of the Medieval Dead
Medieval tales of walking corpses reflect common misunderstandings of death and the era's blurred line between myth and reality. Learn about your ad choices…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #998: The Manifestation Trap: OCD and the Law of Attraction
What began as 19th-century mind-cure mysticism has morphed into a billion-dollar culture that may be hurting more minds than it helps. Learn about your ad…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #997: Sounds of the Aurora
Using real science to investigate the question of whether some people can "hear" the aurora. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #996: Murder in Hex Hollow
The 1928 murder of a folk healer ignited a media frenzy and moral panic, revealing how superstition and magical thinking can fuel real-world tragedy. Learn…
SkeptoidPreview — Douglas Adams: The Ends of the Earth on The Internet We Didn’t Get
We’re sharing a preview of a new audiobook, Douglas Adams: The Ends of the Earth, which celebrates the wit and wisdom of the legendary science fiction author…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #995: The Eugenic History of the Body Type Diet
Is there good science backing up the idea that you should eat based upon which of three body types you have? Learn about your ad choices…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #994: Making AI Environmentally Friendly
Will our improvements to AI's voracious appetite for electricity keep pace with the exploding demand? Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #993: How to Decide What to Eat
Do you really need to pay quite so much attention to which foods you eat, and which you avoid? Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #992: The Case of the Missing Beaumont Children
Since psychic abilities do not exist outside the delusions of true believers, involving psychics in searches for missing persons is worse than useless. Learn…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #991: Real Sea Monsters
A roundup of all the biggest and scariest real sea monsters — from today and from prehistoric times. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #990: Rethinking Science Education
How one special moment redefined how a science teacher does her job. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #989: Are $1,000,000 Paranormal Challenges Effective?
Their exciting nature, combined with the fact nobody's ever won one, make paranormal challenge prizes important educational tools. Learn about your ad choices…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #988: Chocolate Myths
Here are many popular myths about chocolate. How many can you tell are true or not? Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #987: More than a Magician's Assistant
She may have gotten her start as Houdini's sidekick, but Rose Mackenberg became a giant of unmasking fraudulent mediums. Learn about your ad choices…
- Skeptoid
A Brief Shake-Up at Skeptoid
You're going to get to enjoy some new guest hosts for a month or two on Skeptoid. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #986: Do Functional Mushrooms Function?
Super mushrooms are claimed by some to provide vague health benefits beyond their known nutritional values. Learn about your ad choices…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #985: Supervolcanoes and Super Earthquakes
A roundup of the world's riskiest volcanoes and fault zones — and they're not necessarily the most hazardous. Learn about your ad choices…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #984: Should You Feed Your Dog That?
Some people try to feed their dogs the same alternative diet they eat themselves... not necessarily so good for the dog. Learn about your ad choices…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #983: Immigration Myths
Many of our preconceived notions about immigrants likely bear very little resemblance to the facts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #982: Defending Against the Planet Killers
All of the ways you've heard that deep space wants to kill us — and how plausible or likely each scenario is. Learn about your ad choices…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #981: Vaccines: Success Story of the Century
Vaccines are history's great medical success story, having saved more lives than anything else. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #980: How to Find Atlantis
Ten of the places where Atlantis true believers think the mythical city might actually be. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #979: Crusades Imagery and White Nationalism
Many of the Christian symbols created in the aftermath of the First Crusade have been adopted by White Nationalists. Why? Learn about your ad choices…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #978: Leaded Gasoline and Mental Health
A look at recent studies finding leaded gasoline caused 151 million mental health illnesses in the United States. Learn about your ad choices…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #977: A Dingo Ate My Baby
This catchphrase has become popular with comedians. Is that in line with its true origin? Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #976: The Spanish Gold of Neahkahnie Mountain
Some believe a fabulous Spanish treasure is buried on the slopes of Oregon's Neahkahnie Mountain. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #975: How We Verify Our Sources
A few of your favorite experts weigh in on how you can make sure your information comes from the very best sources. Learn about your ad choices…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #974: Salt Typhoon: The Chinese Phone Hack
What really happened — and what didn't — in the 2024 telecom cyberattack. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
- Skeptoid
Skeptoid Adventures: Bermuda Triangle 2025
Join us for our 2nd Annual Skeptoid Adventure, this time to the Bermuda Triangle! Early bird pricing ends this Friday, don't miss the boat! Learn about your ad…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #973: Cows and Global Warming
Just as important as the question of how much the livestock industry contributes to global warming is whether your giving up meat will have any real impact…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #972: Agent Orange on Trial
The newer the data, and the longer we've had to study the epidemiology, the less harm we find that Agent Orange caused. Learn about your ad choices…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #971: Cloud Seeding
Cloud seeding would seem like an easy and obvious way to create rain where none existed before. Is it really that simple? Learn about your ad choices…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #970: Economic Nationalism: Bounty or Bust?
Economic nationalism, while attractive to many populists, is not the path to economic success some believe it to be. Learn about your ad choices…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #969: Listener Feedback: Bats and Pyramids
Skeptoid answers another round of feedback emails sent in by listeners. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #968: Waldorf Schools
These schools combine an atypical education with a New Age spirituality called anthroposophy. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #967: Cryonics: A Chilling Prospect
Cryonics promises an opportunity for you to be frozen and revived at some distant point in the future — though with plenty of controversy. Learn about your ad…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #966: Student Questions
Skeptoid answers another round of questions from students all around the world. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #965: The Legend of the Dover Demon
What could explain a strange creature living in the suburbs, but only ever witnessed once? Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
- Skeptoid
Giving Tuesday!
On this Giving Tuesday, please consider supporting Skeptoid Media (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization) and our mission of cultivating critical thinking and…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #964: Fixing a Flood of Flaws
Skeptoid corrects another round of errors in previous episodes. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #963: Hunting the Gloucester Sea Serpent
This alleged sea serpent terrorized a New England fishing village for two years in the 19th century. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #962: Bats and Rabies
Bats are scary and rabies is deadly, but do you need to worry about you or your pets catching the disease from them? Learn about your ad choices…
- Skeptoid
Report from Death Valley, and the Bermuda Triangle
A report from the recent Skeptoid Adventures trip to Death Valley, including how many brave souls we lost in the desert and how they met their fate; and…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #961: The Man from Taured
A mysterious man is said to have arrived in Japan in 1959 from a country that never existed. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #960: I Know What Scares You
Seven creepy stories from seven listeners, and seven guesses by me. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #959: Finding the Black Olmec
A thoroughly discredited idea, that the Mesoamerican Olmec people were Black Africans, continues to gain traction. Learn about your ad choices…
SkeptoidSkeptoid #958: The Rock Wall of Texas
This buried rock wall found throughout Rockwall County has people wondering about its origin. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
- Skeptoid
It's Skeptoid's 18th Birthday!
It's Skeptoid's 18th birthday! Won't you help us celebrate by giving us a little birthday present? Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #957: Dogs Who Type
Can dogs be taught to speak intelligently using floor buttons that represent words? Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #956: 18 for 18
Highlights from 18 years of the Skeptoid podcast. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #955: Pop Quiz: Astonishing Aviation Tales
Fifteen trivia questions from previous aviation themed episodes of Skeptoid. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #954: 15 Sleep Myths
15 popular myths about sleeping, debunked. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
- Skeptoid
Skeptoid Flash Mob at CSICon 2024
Join the Skeptoid Flash Mob at CSICon 2024 in Las Vegas. Visit skeptoid.com/store to get your shirts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
SkeptoidSkeptoid #953: Pet Pheromone Products
Lots of companies sell pheromone products claiming to calm down your dog or cat, but there's a very big problem with that basic claim. Learn about your ad…