Authors, left to right, Evan Bernstein, Cara Santa Maria, Dr. Steven Novella, Jay Novella, and Bob Novella (Photo: Bruce F Press Photography)
We live in a world of “fake news” of all kinds, one overflowing with misinformation, bias, myths, deception, and flawed knowledge. In the widely popular weekly podcast The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe, producer and host Steven Novella teams up with a posse of “skeptical rogues” to combat sloppy reasoning, bad arguments, and superstitious thinking with the powers of logic, science, and skepticism—and plenty of dry humor.
In a special evening, Novella and fellow podcasters Evan Bernstein, Bob Novella, Jay Novella, and Cara Santa Maria outline the tenets of skeptical thinking and debunk some of the biggest scientific myths, fallacies, and conspiracy theories as they take on anti-vaccine crusaders, homeopathy, UFO sightings, and other hotly discussed topics.
Drawing from their new book, The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe: How to Know What’s Really Real in a World Increasingly Full of Fake, the skeptics examine the difference between science and pseudoscience, how to recognize common science news tropes, and how to talk about conspiracy theories with that crazy coworker or friend. They also offer tips on how to hone your critical thinking skills in everyday life, insights into how the brain works, and strategies to avoid common pitfalls in thinking.
Steven Novella is an internationally recognized science educator and an academic clinical neurologist at Yale University School of Medicine.
Copies of The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe (Grand Central Publishing) are available for purchase and signing.
