Friday Para-Sites

It has been a busy week for Zygote's Science Guru, so she's taking the day off.  Here are some useful resources on paranormal phenomena -- and by "useful," of course, I mean "blow apart paranormal claims like so many clay pigeons."

CSICOP (the Committee for Scientific Investigation of Claims Of the Paranormal) is one of the oldest skeptic organizations, still fighting the good fight against all forms of quackery.

The James Randi Educational Foundation, founded by the Amazing Randi, is more proactive and aggressive in taking on fraudsters and predatory quacks.  They sponsor the million-dollar challenge to anyone who can do something "supernatural" under controlled conditions which can't be duplicated by a trained stage magician.  If you have paranormal abilities it's a quick million bucks, but somehow they never have any takers...

The Museum of Hoaxes covers intentional deception, and is dedicated to celebrating as well as exposing clever hoaxes.

Brian Dunning's Evil Skeptoid Debunkatron site features an archive of his entertaining podcasts attacking various forms of crackpottery and misinformation.  His 'cast on "energy" should be required listening for everyone.

And finally, there's the online Museum of Questionable Medical Devices.  Back when the Museum had a bricks-and-mortar exhibit, our Science Guru once tried out their Phrenology machine.  It indicated she might make a good Zeppelin pilot.  (Maybe she should apply for this job.)