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by Center for Inquiry
Skeptical Inquirer Audio Edition brings the insightful articles from Skeptical Inquirer magazine directly to your ears. Covering topics in science, skepticism, and critical thinking, each episode features narrated versions of our most thought-provoking content. Perfect for those on the go, SI Audio Edition allows you to stay informed and inspired wherever you are. Support our work and subscribe to the print magazine at skepticalinquirer.org Skeptical Inquirer Audio Edition is produced at the Center for Inquiry in Amherst, NY.
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Stuart Vyse visits Lily Dale—the world's largest Spiritualist community—to explore the history and enduring appeal of Spiritualism while examining the methods behind famous mediumistic phenomena such as slate writing, spirit trumpets, and precipitated spirit paintings. Although he concludes that these practices are better explained by deception and psychology than the paranormal, he argues that Lily Dale remains an important historical site for understanding how Spiritualism developed and why beliefs in communicating with the dead continue to attract followers today. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/a-visit-to-the-center-of-the-spiritualist-world/ About the Author: Stuart Vyse is a psychologist and author of Believing in Magic: The Psychology of Superstition, which won the William James Book Award of the American Psychological Association. He is also author of Going Broke: Why Americans Can't Hold on to Their Money. As an expert on irrational behavior, he is frequently quoted in the press and has made appearances on CNN International, the PBS NewsHour, and NPR's Science Friday. He can be found on Twitter at @stuartvyse. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/
Nick Tiller argues that a recent UFC fight in which medical advice was effectively overridden illustrates the dangerous erosion of respect for expert judgment, especially when entertainment and a culture of performative toughness take precedence over athlete safety. Using the incident to examine combat sports more broadly, he contends that ringside physicians—not referees, promoters, or fighters—should have the final authority on medical decisions to prevent avoidable, potentially life-altering injuries. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/when-the-doctor-says-stop-but-the-fight-goes-on/ About the Author: Dr. Nick Tiller is an exercise physiologist, researcher, and writer covering health, performance, and wellness misinformation. He's been a Skeptical Inquirer columnist since 2021 and is an elected fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. His new book, The Health and Wellness Lie, is an unflinching exposé of the trillion-dollar wellness machine. Visit www.nbtiller.com for more. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/
Terence Hines reviews The Martians: The True Story of an Alien Craze That Captured Turn-of-the-Century America. By David Baron. Liveright Books/W. W. Norton, 2025. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/06/percival-lowell-and-the-canals-on-mars/ About the Author: Terence Hines is professor of psychology at Pace University and adjunct professor of neurology at New York Medical College. He is author of The Psychology and Science of Pseudoscience (2025) and a CSI fellow. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/
Aymen I. Idris reflects on how modern academia has transformed scientists from hands-on experimenters into grant writers, managers, and administrators, eroding the craft of direct inquiry that once defined scientific discovery. Drawing on his own career and conversations with researchers worldwide, he argues that the future of science depends on reclaiming time at the lab bench, protecting curiosity-driven research, and resisting a system that values metrics and funding over genuine exploration. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/06/the-lost-art-of-scientific-inquiry/ About the Author: Aymen I. Idris, PhD, is a London-born academic, researcher, founder, and director of Africa in Science (AiS), a think tank dedicated to exploring under-researched and neglected topics in academia. As an editor and writer, his work focuses on academia, culture, and diversity. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/
Benjamin Radford investigates the claim that James Randi wrongly concluded the famous Cottingley Fairies were suspended as marionettes, tracing the allegation through decades of sources and finding no evidence that Randi ever made such a claim. Instead, the article shows how a tentative early image analysis by other investigators evolved into a persistent myth, illustrating how careful historical research can correct misconceptions—even about prominent skeptics. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/06/the-cottingley-fairies-and-james-randis-marionette-mystery/ About the Author: Benjamin Radford, M.Ed., is a scientific paranormal investigator, a research fellow at the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, deputy editor of the Skeptical Inquirer, and author, co-author, contributor, or editor of twenty books and over a thousand articles on skepticism, critical thinking, and science literacy. His newest book is America the Fearful. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/
Kenny Biddle investigates the alleged haunting of the McInteer Villa and finds that its ghost stories—from shadow figures to eerie laughter—are best explained by historical inaccuracies, psychological suggestion, and ordinary causes rather than paranormal activity. Using archival research and forensic analysis of photographs and audio, he argues that the villa is a compelling example of how folklore, misinterpretation, and sensational storytelling can transform a historic house into a celebrated haunted destination. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/06/investigation-into-hauntings-at-the-mcinteer-villa/ About the Author: Kenny Biddle is the Chief Investigator of Paranormal Claims for CSI. A former ghost hunter turned skeptic, he now examines various extraordinary claims, photographic & video anomalies, and "ghost hunting" gadgets to uncover the real-world explanations behind them. He is a CSI Fellow, columnist, producer, speaker, host of the CFI video series "Ghosts in the Machine," and host of The Skeptical Help Bar livestream. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/
In the third of a multipart series, Massimo Polidoro recounts the behind-the-scenes struggle to create what would eventually become the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, showing how years of false starts, disagreements, and organizational uncertainty nearly derailed the modern skeptical movement. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/06/the-missing-catalyst/ About the Author: Massimo Polidoro is an investigator of the paranormal, author, lecturer, and co-founder and head of CICAP, the Italian skeptics group. His website is at www.massimopolidoro.com. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/
Robyn E. Blumner explains how the homeopathy industry is facing growing legal and regulatory challenges as the FDA tightens enforcement against unapproved products and courts increasingly reject industry efforts to preserve special treatment. She argues that despite aggressive lobbying and proposed legislation to shield homeopathy from oversight, science-based regulation and consumer protection are finally beginning to hold the industry accountable for deceptive and unsupported medical claims. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/06/the-homeopathic-industry-is-on-the-ropes/ About the Author: Robyn E. Blumner is president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry and executive director of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science. She is a lawyer who previously held posts as a syndicated columnist and editorial writer at the Tampa Bay Times and as executive director of the ACLU of Florida and ACLU of Utah. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/
Skeptical Inquirer Audio Edition brings the insightful articles from Skeptical Inquirer magazine directly to your ears. Covering topics in science, skepticism, and critical thinking, each episode features narrated versions of our most thought-provoking content. Perfect for those on the go, SI Audio Edition allows you to stay informed and inspired wherever you are. Support our work and subscribe to the print magazine at skepticalinquirer.org Skeptical Inquirer Audio Edition is produced at the Center for Inquiry in Amherst, NY.
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