Early history of ASKE
This article on ASKE was written by Wayne Spencer shortly after ASKE had come into existence. Wayne was a co-founder association and former editor of the Skeptical Intelligencer.
Before you see a psychic
This was originally published by ASKE as a booklet.
Tony Youens has appeared on television posing as both an astrologer and a tarot reader and on both occasions he was accepted as 'genuine' by the sitters. The tarot reading was for Meridian TV's 'Focus' and the most recent programme was, "The New Zodiac" by Pioneer Productions which was shown on Channel 5, Monday 16th April 2001. Tony who is available for lectures also bends spoons, reads minds and occasionally predicts the future. His website is at: www.tonyyouens.com.
The 'magic' of quantum physics
'Quantum mystery’ and ‘quantum magic’ - both these expressions are used by many physicists when they are trying to explain quantum theory to the layman. Presumably they are trying to convey a sense of the strangeness of quantum theory but, sadly, the rather mystic overtones of the expressions have probably encouraged pseudoscientists and New Agers to find, in quantum theory, a justification for their particular brands of nonsense.
Some stories about hypnosis
This paper is based on a talk given by tDr Mike Heap at the tri-annual congress of the European Society for Hypnosis in August 1998, The Netherlands.
Testing psychics
The genesis of this article was in seeing and hearing psychics appear in both television and radio and being allowed to promote their dubious claims without so much as a hint of an adequate test. Too often presenters simply ‘ooh’ and ‘ahhh’ at the claims and/or demonstrations given by psychics that even the simplest of controls would have probably exposed as mere trickery.
No case for free energy
This article was written in response to a video presentation, which is freely available on the Internet, entitled “The Case For Free Energy". In the video, the viewer is taken through a series of very misleading demonstrations which supposedly “prove” that free energy can be obtained from magnets.
Language on the fringe
Mark Newbrook's articles to do with the use of language
'Quantum mystery’ and ‘quantum magic’ - both these expressions are used by many physicists when they are trying to explain quantum theory to the layman. Presumably they are trying to convey a sense of the strangeness of quantum theory but, sadly, the rather mystic overtones of the expressions have probably encouraged pseudoscientists and New Agers to find, in quantum theory, a justification for their particular brands of nonsense.
Some stories about hypnosis
This paper is based on a talk given by tDr Mike Heap at the tri-annual congress of the European Society for Hypnosis in August 1998, The Netherlands.
Testing psychics
The genesis of this article was in seeing and hearing psychics appear in both television and radio and being allowed to promote their dubious claims without so much as a hint of an adequate test. Too often presenters simply ‘ooh’ and ‘ahhh’ at the claims and/or demonstrations given by psychics that even the simplest of controls would have probably exposed as mere trickery.
No case for free energy
This article was written in response to a video presentation, which is freely available on the Internet, entitled “The Case For Free Energy". In the video, the viewer is taken through a series of very misleading demonstrations which supposedly “prove” that free energy can be obtained from magnets.
Language on the fringe
Mark Newbrook's articles to do with the use of language