A skeptics guide to supernatural occurrences

supernatural occurrences and coincidence

Sometimes when something that is so improbable and outlandish happens we might be tempted to conclude that a supernatural event has taken place. “It can be the only explanation” we might think, because the odds of it actually happening by chance are simply too great for it to have been a coincidence. I have a … Read more

IPCC Report: Hunger, Migration and Conflict

IPCC Report - Climate Change and Land

Yesterday, 8th Aug 2019, the IPCC published a Special Report on Land Use. To be a tad more precise, this is an IPCC special report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems. Work on the report was initiated back in 2016, and since then … Read more

Do Violent Video Games cause Gun Violence?

Do Violent Video Games cause Gun Violence?

In has become tiresomely predictable that instead of actually addressing the issue of gun control, yet another incident results is the easy targets being attacked. “He was disturbed” and so mental illness gets the blame. “Violent video games instil a bloodlust within our society” is yet another familiar trope. One thing is more or less … Read more

Pew Poll: Do we really trust Scientific Experts?

scientific experts

A couple of days ago (2nd Aug 2019) Pew released their latest data from a public poll of how much we trust scientific experts. Titled “Trust and Mistrust in Americans’ Views of Scientific Experts” it is actually rather encouraging. What exactly did they find? From a survey that they conducted in January 2019, they have … Read more

Greenland Melt event in July 2019

greenland

The rather “shocking” fact is that in summer ice in Greenland is melting. OK, I put air quotes around the word “shocking” to suggest that this is what happens in summer and to hint that we should not be shocked. However, what is currently happening is actually truly shocking the subject matter experts, and so … Read more