Skeptical Inquirer Audio Edition

Center for Inquiry
  • 4.8 (17)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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.

  1. 1D AGO

    From Savanna to Smartphones: Reflections on the Past Fifteen Seconds

    Melanie Trecek-King reflects on how the explosion of digital information in just the "last fifteen seconds" of human history has overwhelmed brains evolved for a much simpler world, making us highly vulnerable to misinformation. She argues that surviving the modern information landscape requires recognizing our cognitive biases and actively developing critical thinking and media literacy skills to counter them. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/04/from-savanna-to-smartphones-reflections-on-the-past-fifteen-seconds/ About the Author: Melanie Trecek-King is an associate professor of biology at Massasoit Community College. Her website is www.ThinkingIsPower.com. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/

    13 min

  2. 4D AGO

    Are Cancer Rates Skyrocketing—or Are We Better at Detection?

    Andrea Love explains that apparent rises in cancer rates are often due to better detection, expanded screening, and longer life expectancy—not a true surge in disease. She argues that misleading media coverage fuels unnecessary fear, while in reality many cancer death rates are declining thanks to advances in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/04/are-cancer-rates-skyrocketing-or-are-we-better-at-detection/ About the Author: Dr. Andrea Love is an immunologist and microbiologist with over a decade of experience in basic sciences, translational medicine, and clinical research. She is a subject-matter expert in infectious disease immunology, cancer immunology, and autoimmunity and is adept at translating complex scientific data and topics for the public and healthcare providers. She works full-time in life science biotechnology in the fields of vaccinology, immunology, immunotherapy, cancer, cell and gene therapy, and other related fields. While she will always be a biomedical scientist, she has a passion for helping the public understand complex science topics in order to navigate the world better. She is also the author of Immunologic, a newsletter and science information hub that communicates evidence-based information on science and health topics. Andrea is also the Executive Director of the American Lyme Disease Foundation, and was the 2023 American Medical Writers Association McGovern Award Recipient. She is passionate about scientific literacy starting from an early age and encouraging children toward a career in STEM. Outside of her career in science and efforts in science communication, she lives near Philly with her partner and their 7 rescue cats. She is a marathoner and ultramarathoner, a yogi, a black belt in judo, and an amateur wildlife photographer.  Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/

    13 min

  3. 6D AGO

    Erich von Däniken: A Legacy of Pseudoscience

    Kenneth L. Feder reviews the legacy of Erich von Däniken, arguing that his popular "ancient astronaut" claims—such as aliens influencing human development, creating ancient art, or interbreeding with humans—are unfounded and rooted in misunderstandings of archaeology and human creativity. While acknowledging his cultural impact and popularity, Feder criticizes his ideas as pseudoscientific, often dismissive of non-European achievements, and lacking any credible evidence. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/04/erich-von-daniken-a-legacy-of-pseudoscience/ About the Author: Kenneth L. Feder is author of The Encyclopedia of Dubious Archaeology and Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries: Science and Pseudoscience in Archaeology. He is professor of anthropology at Central Connecticut State University and a Committee for Skeptical Inquiry fellow and Skeptical Inquirer consulting editor. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/

    6 min

  4. MAY 11

    A Photograph Exposes EMDR's True Origins

    Gerald Rosen and Loren Pankratz argue that Francine Shapiro's widely promoted origin story for EMDR—discovering its effects during a walk—is false, presenting photographic and historical evidence that her ideas were influenced earlier by neurolinguistic programming. By undermining this foundational narrative, they contend that the credibility and claimed effectiveness of EMDR deserve greater scientific scrutiny. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/04/a-photograph-exposes-emdrs-true-origins/ About the Authors: Gerald M. Rosen, PhD, is retired from his private practice and continues as a clinical professor emeritus with the Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle. He has published articles on various issues of concern to psychology, including self-help books, problems with PTSD as a diagnostic construct, vanity certification credentials, and novel therapies such as EMDR. He coedited the book Clinician's Guide to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Loren Pankratz, PhD, was a consultation psychologist at the Portland VA Medical Center and professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Oregon Health Sciences University. He maintained a forensic practice after retirement but now is focused on writing and collecting books on the history of deception. He is author of the book Mysteries and Secrets Revealed: From Oracles at Delphi to Spiritualism in America and is a CSI fellow. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/

    4 min

  5. MAY 8

    In Memory of Lee Nisbet, CSICOP's First Executive Director

    Stephen Hupp honors Lee Nisbet for his central role in founding and shaping the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (now Committee for Skeptical Inquiry), including organizing its early conferences and guiding its development. Nisbet was as an essential figure whose leadership, scholarship, and institutional groundwork helped establish and sustain the modern skeptical movement. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/04/in-memory-of-lee-nisbet-csicops-first-executive-director/ About the Author: Stephen Hupp, PhD, is editor of Skeptical Inquirer. He is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and professor of Clinical Child & School Psychology at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/

    2 min

  6. MAY 6

    Freud's Greatest Critic: The Legacy of Frederick Crews

    Frederick Crews devoted his career to challenging the scientific and intellectual legitimacy of Sigmund Freud and psychoanalysis, ultimately arguing it lacked empirical evidence and functioned as a closed, pseudoscientific system. Through influential works like The Pooh Perplex and The Unknown Freud, he sparked major debates in academia, helping reframe Freud's legacy as culturally influential but scientifically unfounded. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/04/freuds-greatest-critic-the-legacy-of-frederick-crews/ About the Author: Carlos Orsi is a journalist and science writer who also writes mystery and science fiction. He's currently chief editor of Revista Questão de Ciência (Question of Science Magazine). Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/

    17 min

  7. MAY 4

    My Memories of The Amazing Randi: Part Two

    Banachek reflects on his experiences with James Randi, highlighting his brilliance as a publicity generator, investigator, and educator who exposed frauds such as faith healer Peter Popoff and consistently challenged paranormal claims through demonstrations and the Million Dollar Challenge. The tribute emphasizes Randi's enduring legacy as a champion of critical thinking and skepticism, whose influence continues through organizations like the James Randi Educational Foundation and the broader skeptical movement. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/04/my-memories-of-the-amazing-randi-part-two/ About the Author: Banachek was born in England on November 30, 1960. He was schooled in South Africa and the United States. It was while living in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, that Banachek saw his first magician at a high school function at the age of fourteen. He was intrigued but not enough to delve much further into that secret world. In 1976, the bicentennial year of the United States, Banachek moved to the United States. It was at the end of this same year that he picked up a worn copy of James Randi's book The Truth about Uri Geller. Banachek performed Mind Games Live in Las Vegas at the prestigious Strat hotel, Casino and Skypod. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/

    21 min

  8. MAY 1

    The United States of Pseudoscience

    Nick Tiller argues that the United States is not uniquely prone to pseudoscience overall but is instead unusually divided into polarized subgroups, each with its own beliefs, trust levels, and susceptibility to misinformation. These divisions—combined with capitalism and the rapid spread of ideas in the attention economy—create ideal conditions for pseudoscience to thrive and spread globally, even as organized skepticism continues to push back against it. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/04/the-united-states-of-pseudoscience/ About the Author: Nick Tiller is an exercise scientist and writer covering health, performance, and wellness misinformation. He's the author of The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science (Taylor & Francis, 2020) and The Health and Wellness Lie (Bloomsbury/Hopkins Press, 2026). He's been a Skeptical Inquirer columnist since 2021 and is an elected Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. www.nbtiller.com Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/

    17 min
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4.8
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About

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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