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

    Optimizing the Tools of Our Trade

    Stephen Hupp previews the next issue of Skeptical Inquirer, Volume 50, no. 4, titled "Optimizing the Tools of Our Trade". Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/06/optimizing-the-tools-of-our-trade/ About the Author: Stephen Hupp, PhD, is the executive director of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and the editor of Skeptical Inquirer. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/

    3 min

  2. 6d ago

    A Skeptical Approach to Flying Saucers and Aliens

    Terence Hines reviews Neil DeGrasse Tyson's new book, Take Me to Your Leader. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/a-skeptical-approach-to-flying-saucers-and-aliens/ 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/

    10 min

  3. Jun 10

    Houdini and Niagara Falls: How Legends Attach Themselves to Great Men

    *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(--header-height)" dir="auto" data-turn-id="205a0cda-5bd1-44b8-bf3b-f172b757dc3c" data-turn-id-container="205a0cda-5bd1-44b8-bf3b-f172b757dc3c" data-testid="conversation-turn-103" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn="user"> *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-699c9d8e-8998-8329-94d7-4ba726badcc0-3" data-turn-id-container= "request-699c9d8e-8998-8329-94d7-4ba726badcc0-3" data-testid= "conversation-turn-104" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn= "assistant"> Robert Williams explores the enduring myth that Harry Houdini performed a daring escape at Niagara Falls and shows that, despite its plausibility, no historical evidence supports the story. The article examines how films, museums, publicity, and public expectations can combine to create legends that feel true even when they aren't. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/houdini-and-niagara-falls-how-legends-attach-themselves-to-great-men/ About the Author: Robert Williams is a best-selling author, world record holder, and professional magician. He writes the Substack blog Examine Everything, where he takes a thoughtful, skeptical look at the evidence—or lack thereof—behind a wide range of extraordinary claims. Drawing on his background in magic and real-world experience, he reveals the tricks and techniques that drive deception, helping readers think more deeply about what they believe and why. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/

    10 min

  4. Jun 3

    Freshpet Chews on Astrology

    Benjamin Radford uses a humorous Freshpet commercial about zodiac signs and pet compatibility to explore the persistence of astrology in popular culture.  Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/freshpet-chews-on-astrology/ 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/

    5 min

  5. May 27

    Right, Let's Talk about AG1

    *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(--header-height)" dir="auto" data-turn-id="8af77e6c-8847-4499-ad9a-01b0d3592c7a" data-turn-id-container="8af77e6c-8847-4499-ad9a-01b0d3592c7a" data-testid="conversation-turn-87" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn="user"> *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-699c9d8e-8998-8329-94d7-4ba726badcc0-0" data-turn-id-container= "request-699c9d8e-8998-8329-94d7-4ba726badcc0-0" data-testid= "conversation-turn-88" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn= "assistant"> Nick Tiller examines the marketing and scientific claims behind AG1. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/right-lets-talk-about-ag1/ 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/

    7 min

  6. May 25

    Surviving the Information Chaos Storm

    David Weinberg reviews The Certainty Illusion: What You Don't Know and Why It Matters (2025). By Timothy Caulfield. Allen Lane, 2025. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/04/surviving-the-information-chaos-storm/ About the Author: David Weinberg, MD, is a recently retired physician who has contributed to Science Based Medicine and The Skeptic magazine (UK). He was a speaker at the Sunday Papers session of the 2024 CSICon. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/

    5 min

  7. May 22

    A Jane Goodall among the Spiritualists

    Terence Hines reviews The Ghost Lab: How Bigfoot Hunters, Mediums and Alien Enthusiasts Are Wrecking Science (2025). By Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling. PublicAffairs. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/04/a-jane-goodall-among-the-spiritualists/ 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/

    10 min

  8. May 20

    Do We Have Physics in Common with Aliens?

    Daniel Whiteson argues that while humans hope for communication and shared understanding with extraterrestrial intelligence, we have no solid evidence that aliens would use the same mathematics or physics to describe the universe. By examining the mixed history of scientific development on Earth and philosophical challenges to the universality of math and physics, he concludes that alien science may be fundamentally different from ours—making contact both more uncertain and potentially more intellectually transformative than we usually imagine. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/04/do-we-have-physics-in-common-with-aliens/ About the Author: Daniel Whiteson is a particle physicist, a professor at UC Irvine, and cohost of the podcast Daniel and Kelly's Extraordinary Universe. He is the coauthor, with Andy Warner, of Do Aliens Speak Physics? Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/

    7 min
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4.8
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17 Ratings

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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