Conspiracy Theories

Conspiracy theories – history, news, commentary, extreme beliefs and the factors that shape them

Conspiracy Theories

2019’s ‘The Mandela Effect’ is a stylish, shallow exploration of a rather silly conspiracy theory

Mark Horne - 2nd April 2021

While Mandela Effect believers seek fantastic explanations, the mundane truth is that our memories are far less reliable than we'd like to believe

Conspiracy Theories

Can you recognise antisemitism when you see it? An interactive meme adventure

Aaron Rabinowitz - 5th March 2021

After Disney dropped one of their stars over antisemitic social media posts, we look at common problematic tropes in 'anti-globalist' imagery

Conspiracy Theories

How the conspiracy theorists behind the failed US coup settled on a new date: March 4th

Thiago Vahia Malliagros - 3rd March 2021

When the attempted coup of January 6th failed, supporters of Qanon picked up the Sovereign Citizen belief that the revolution would take place on March 4th

Conspiracy Theories

The carefully-woven conspiracy theories behind the attempted coup of January 6th

Thiago Vahia Malliagros - 17th February 2021

The forces that made the attempted coup of January 6th inevitable are still around - give them another spark and it will explode again.

Conspiracy Theories

Beware the ‘They’: once we believe in hidden, evil cabals, we can be convinced of anything

Aaron Rabinowitz - 8th February 2021

By blaming an unseen "They" for all that's wrong, conspiracy theories block any genuine skepticism - and that's what makes them so dangerous

Conspiracy Theories

Why we should have listened to Flat Earth believers (even though they were completely wrong)

Michael Marshall - 5th February 2021

Since making headlines in 2018, many Flat Earth believers have become Covid deniers and QAnon followers. The signs were always there.

QAnon

When predictions fail: UFO cults, QAnon and cognitive dissonance

Chris French - 3rd February 2021

When their predictions don't come true, cults are faced with a choice: accept reality, or rationalise the failure. Which road will Qanon take?

Conspiracy Theories

Nesta Helen Webster: the far-right author who popularised the antisemitic Illuminati conspiracy

Mark Horne - 29th January 2021

The Qanon movement regurgiates old antisemitic tropes that echo back to the Illuminati conspiracy theories pushed by Nesta Helen Webster

1...121314 15 Page 13 of 15

- Advertisement -

First do no harm? Treatments don’t need to be harmless, as long they do good

Moroccan Argan oil is an interesting traditional product, but it’s certainly no panacea

Animals, acupuncture and alt-med: the Brazilian penguin being subjected to Enya

Wim Hof: the self-described ‘Ice man’ whose extreme health claims leave many cold

Menstrual masking: the inadvisable trend of treating acne… with period blood

First do no harm? Treatments don’t need to be harmless, as long they do good

Pacemakers don’t work when they’re switched off – we should doubt studies that say otherwise

Moroccan Argan oil is an interesting traditional product, but it’s certainly no panacea

Animals, acupuncture and alt-med: the Brazilian penguin being subjected to Enya

The evidence for pill colour impacting placebo effects gets flimsier the more you examine it

From the archive: Many Happy Returns – Are past-life regressions evidence for reincarnation?

From the archives: The Art of Fakery – Fakes and forgeries at the British Museum

From the archives: A skeptical look at astrology

When it comes to science, the standard has to be truth and accuracy – not false balance

From the archives: UFOs Over Russia

Comparing misinformation to a virus is both accurate and useful in preventing its spread

2000 mules: why many Americans are convinced Trump won the 2020 election

Welcome to the modern American Right – the world that high weirdness built

Donald Trump’s debate performance proved he has mainstreamed extreme conspiracy theories

Med Beds: the futuristic health devices promising to cure you with undefined energy

The meaning crisis, and how we rescue young men from reactionary politics

From the archive: Many Happy Returns – Are past-life regressions evidence for reincarnation?

Faking the faking of fake news, 1910 style: the ‘death’ of film star Florence Lawrence

Unborn in the USA: being honest about IUDs could help us fight the anti-abortion movement

Exploding the myth of the longevity “Blue Zones”, where people live beyond the age of 100

Scientific publication is now fully digital – so who is responsible for preserving our archives?

HADD its day: there’s no evidence for an inherited hyperactive agency detection device

Unborn in the USA: being honest about IUDs could help us fight the anti-abortion movement

The evidence for pill colour impacting placebo effects gets flimsier the more you examine it

Comparing misinformation to a virus is both accurate and useful in preventing its spread

Conspiracy Theories

Latest news

First do no harm? Treatments don’t need to be harmless, as long they do good

Pacemakers don’t work when they’re switched off – we should doubt studies that say otherwise

The meaning crisis, and how we rescue young men from reactionary politics

Scientific publication is now fully digital – so who is responsible for preserving our archives?

From the archive: Many Happy Returns – Are past-life regressions evidence for reincarnation?

About

Categories

Shop