From Uncommon Descent. The quotation is what caught my eye. It amazes me how many times I hear that a high genetic similarity between human life and any intelligent ET life (should it ever be proven) means that (a) evolution has been proven; or (b) ET made us. Both...
science
Third Article from Psychological Inquiry
Readers recall that, back in 1996, the peer-reviewed journal Psychological Inquiry devoted an entire issue to discussing alien abduction. The second article (posted a few weeks ago), agreed with the first one by Newman and Baumeister with respect to the notion that...
Second Article in Psychological Inquiry
I'm guessing anyone who's interested in the first article has read it by now. I enjoyed some of the humorous responses. Yep, it's another one-size-fits-all explanation from the psychiatric community. They can't seem to deal with those abductees who have conscious...
Professional Psychiatry and the Abduction Phenomenon
Well, I'm finally back at blogging after some brief travel. I had meant to go into the third group that would use UFO beliefs as propaganda, but to be honest, I'm more interested now in the next trajectory. For those who are curious, I may go back to this in detail....
Books You Should Read in 2019
Okay, it seems everyone is posting their "Top 10 Books of 2018" list this week (I've seen a bunch on Twitter) so I'll get into the act. I listen to audio books while driving around, which allows me to get through a lot of material. What follows is my recommendation...
PEERANORMAL Episode 15: Quantum Physics and Metaphysics: Part 1
This episode launches a series on quantum mechanics and its presumed relationship to metaphysical ideas, religion, theology, and the paranormal. During the series we’ll be joined by Dr. Rob (“Putty”) Putman, who holds a PhD in theoretical quantum physics, but now...
Science Now Able to Remotely Hack the Brain
Yes, you read that correctly. Good thing I don't need to make things up for my novels. Stuff like this makes freaking readers out a whole lot easier. Thanks, scientists!
Giant 5th Dynasty Skeleton from Giza, Egypt
I came across this article tonight -- it's accessible online: D. M. Mulhern, "A Probable Case of Gigantism in a Fifth Dynasty Skeleton from the Western Cemetery at Giza,Egypt," International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 15 (2005): 261–275. In contrast to the wild,...
Peeranormal Episode #4 – Crop Circles
This episode of Peeranormal takes a look at some of the sparse academic peer-reviewed research on crop circles to discuss if they are man-made, created by an unknown natural force, or something paranormal. The episode is now live.
Earth to Lynn Marzulli
Lynn Marzulli (L. A. Marzulli, but I knew him years ago as Lynn) just posted something accusing me of making "tired and pompous" and "false" claims about his fairy research in a "hit piece" here. What a bore. Whip out the persecution complex instead of making the...
Sub-Plot from The Portent in the News: Secret Meeting Held at Harvard about Creating a Synthetic Human Genome
This happened at least a half dozen times with The Facade -- something in the book becomes news after the fact. Here we go again with The Portent: From the Christian Science Monitor: Why did Harvard Scientists Hold a 'Secret' Synthetic Genome Meeting? This is why you...
DNA CRISPR Critters: We Shall Be as Gods
Have you read my novel, The Portent? If so, the subject matter of the link below will sound familiar: Gene Drives – Will Conqueror Biomolecular Bots Dictate a New Book of Life? One of the sub-plots to The Portent is the use of genetic alteration and synthetic biology...
There’s PaleoBabble in the Evangelical World, Too
What's fair is fair. Sanctified paleobabble is still paleobabble. The excellent Evangelical Textual Criticism blog posted this back in February: "Debunking Silly Statements about the Bible." Most of the items are examples of claims that over-extend the data. That sort...
The Sphinx 800,000 Years Old? A Good Lesson on How Alternative Historians Select Their Data
You may have seen this item enthusiastically recently reported on the Ancient Code site: "Scientists: Geological evidence shows the Great Sphinx is 800,000 years old." Ancient Code is a repository of fringe archaeology. Surprise! What Ancient Code doesn't tell you is...
Five Mysterious Unidentified Radio Signals: Is ET Calling?
An interesting article from the UK Express about indeterminate signals from space. Enjoy!