Squaring the Strange

Ben Radford, Celestia Ward and Pascual Romero

Not just another "skeptical" podcast, it's a show about critical thinking and evidence-based analysis, using science and critical thinking to examine the world around us, from the mysterious and paranormal to the mundane.

  1. 27 MARS

    Episode 276 - Micronation Machinations

    First, Celestia gets her aura read at a trade show, and then we talk about National Science Appreciation Day, Banksy being unmasked, and the continued fallout from Marq Evans' movie "Capturing Bigfoot." For our main segment, we dive into micronations. This wide array of self-declared states showcase many strange topics we love to examine: hoaxes, ostension, performance art, crime, cosplay, cults, tourism, and a touch of mental illness. From purported do-gooders like Greenpeace and even, believe it or not, Uri Geller, to criminals hoping to evade taxes or regulation, there are so many motivations for people to purchase, build, or claim some island and design themselves a flag. Got no land? No problem! You can occupy the open sea, a raft, a platform, a glacier, outer space or cyberspace! Or a transient realm like the space between sleeping and wakefulness. Why not! We look at a few examples from the different categories of micronations, and then Celestia and Ben recount being in a micronation themselves last year (which neither realized existed until now).

    1 tim 11 min

  2. 14 MARS

    Episode 275 - Bigfoot Bombshell and Leo Igwe on fighting witchcraft accusations in Africa

    First, we have a few current events items that hit our skeptical radar -- and a Bigfoot bombshell drops at SXSW film festival! (For more on that, see Ben's just-released piece in Skeptical Inquirer online, "Documentary's Devastating Bigfoot Debunking." Then Leo Igwe joins us during his visit to the U.S., and he shares progress and challenges facing his organization, Advocacy 4 Alleged Witches. Leo is a stalwart skeptic and champion of rational thought, and his heroic work in Africa puts him in danger on many fronts. He lays out aspects of cultural and economic life in parts of Africa that make it difficult for victims to fight accusations of witchcraft. And he talks about how partnering with other organizations and simply continuing to fight for the right cause -- even without a clear path to success -- drives him day in, day out.

    1 tim 43 min

  3. 28 FEB.

    Episode 274 - Houses after the haunting, with Kenny Biddle

    First, we chat about Havana Syndrome and a rumored "discombobulator," Trump releasing the UFO files, a new poll on belief in aliens and cryptids, and RFK doing a 180 on glyphosate. Then we meet up with Kenny Biddle, chief investigator for the Center for Skeptical Inquiry, to talk about haunted houses. Not just the stories and the (lack of) evidence, but rather what happens after the hooplah dies down. We look at the Conjuring House, Amityville, the Sallie House, and the "House of 200 Demons," finding out what went on after interest faded with these properties. We go into some laws on the books about alleged haunted houses that allowed buyers to back out of deals, what happens when new property owners are hit with unwanted tourists, and even how a community of paranormal enthusiasts is trying to save a beloved historical haunt. Kenny has been to most of these locations personally, so he fills us in on the atmosphere as well as the drama!

    1 tim 34 min

  4. 14 FEB.

    Episode 273: Grab Bag! Ugly Veggies, Elk Death Conspiracy Redux & Inspirational Glurge

    First, we hit on news items: Epstein file firehose, the Guthrie kidnapping, Scouting America not aligning with administration values, a different kind of drone panic, and RFK again not making sense. Then, a grab bag! Celestia examines the ugly produce racket and whether it's all it claims to be. Ben brings us an update on 120 dead elk in New Mexico and some audio from his interview with Kerry Mower, the fish and wildlife expert who solved the case. Then we complain about Facebook glurge of a particular type.

    1 tim 29 min

  5. 31 JAN.

    Episode 272 - The Data Drought with Kyle Polich

    First, we discuss media coverage of Minneapolis, and also fake news among schools of tropical fish. Then Kyle Polich of "Data Skeptic" joins us to talk about a topic we've had simmering for a bit. What is going on with the data?? First, what is data, and can it ever really be neutral -- and even if it is, will the public ever trust it? Data on some topics, like public health studies on American gun violence, have been suppressed for years, while the past twelve months or so have seen a huge decrease in state-funded data collection. Between climate science, the EPA, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the CDC, there are several high-profile examples we look at. How will this play out? Kyle brings nuance to how data is collected an analyzed, and also reassures us that statisticians and data analysts are hearty folk, highly employable in the private sector . . . already, we see many contributing their time and talents to alternatives to the CDC and becoming "data preservationists." And there are things you, too, can do to help us get through this data drought.

    1 tim 26 min

  6. 17 JAN.

    Episode 271 - What can the Taos Hum teach us?

    First, Ben and Celestia discuss some significant passings -- Erich von Däniken and Scott Adams, each skeptical cautionary tales in their own ways. They also touch on snuff films being in the news, the Trump DoJ admitting the Cartel de los Soles is not a thing, Dan Bongino (and others) giving up on their conspiracy theories once handed authority, the seeming ambiguity in how different groups are processing the shooting of Renee Good, and the spread of "Otohime" in Japan. Then we do a deep dive into the Taos hum. A mysterious and untraceable low-register noise experienced by 2% of the residents in Taos, New Mexico, this "hum" goes back to the early 1990s. Ben breaks down what the hum has to do with priming, conspiracy belief, confirmation bias, pareidolia, Havana syndrome, Marco Polo, mass sociogenic illness, and even djinn!

    1 tim 35 min

  7. 2 JAN.

    Episode 270 - Listener Questions and Looking Back at 2025

    Yes, listeners! It's a "very special episode" of Squaring the Strange! Ben and Celestia continue some old arguments, go over things we've changed our minds about, pick our own "words of the year," give props to our favorite guests and episodes, and much, much more. How are you feeling about the state of skepticism, science, or the world in general as 2025 leaps over the flames and bolts out the exit with a stolen parachute? Grab one of those hot cocoa bombs your family member gifted you and pull up a chair, we'll talk about it all.

    1 tim 25 min

  8. 2025-12-20

    Episode 269: Fluoride fallacies and dentistry weirdness with Dr. Grant Ritchie, DDS

    This week we plumb current events to discuss microbe art, VAERS data and alleged covid vaccine deaths, the "sanpaku eyes" of a killer, AI kidnapping scams, and Tara Reid. Then our guest, Grant Ritchey (@SkepticalDDS) breaks down fluoride for us. How does it work, when did we start using it for dental care, and what makes it one of the most significant public health efforts of the modern era? What's the best way to dispell someone's fears about fluoride? He illuminates the holes in those studies RFK Jr. and others have pointed to as linking fluoride to lowering IQ in children, and we hit on some interesting parallels between fluoride, vaccines, and Chinese traditional medicine. And, a longstanding mystery: does anyone actually floss?

    1 tim 31 min
Visa alla (279)

Om

Not just another "skeptical" podcast, it's a show about critical thinking and evidence-based analysis, using science and critical thinking to examine the world around us, from the mysterious and paranormal to the mundane.

Information

  • Skapad av
    Ben Radford, Celestia Ward and Pascual Romero
  • Aktiva år
    2017 - 2026
  • Avsnitt
    279
  • Åldersgräns
    Barnvänligt
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2017-2025, Two Heads Studio LLC all rights reserved
  • Programmets webbplats
    Squaring the Strange

Du kanske också gillar