The concept of telepathy has long captivated human imagination and is a subject of cultural fascination. Imagine if humans could communicate through the power of our minds alone! We don’t have to imagine too hard thanks to telepathic characters in popular media ranging from the Marvel Universe to Anne Rice’s vampires and beyond. Another such media phenomenon, The Telepathy Tapes, has recently brought telepathy into the spotlight in ways that some may not have encountered before. The claim is that nonverbal autistic children possess mind-reading abilities which can be utilised through the proper methodologies. Although I research paranormal claims, the reason I am writing about The Telepathy Tapes here is because I’m autistic. The assertions promoted on this podcast cause me great concern about unscientific claims being promoted uncritically in a way which contributes to stigma and misunderstanding about autistic people and our lived experiences. Not only this, but there…
Do you want Search?
Random Post
Search
Search
The Worst Ghosts of 2024!
It’s that time of the year once again where I present to you, the unsuspecting public, the 5 worst ghosts caught on camera which made headlines during the past year. Fear not. These apparitions are not labelled as the ‘worst’ because they’re fearsome, terrifying, and probably going to eat your soul. No, they’re labelled the worst because they’re a bit naff and (spoiler alert) probably not ghosts at all. For those not in the know – I’m a paranormal researcher using scientific scepticism to solve spooky mysteries. I don’t believe in ghosts but I’m fascinated by paranormal encounters and have been investigating them for over 20 years. I’ve been writing a ‘Worst Ghosts’ summary at the end of each year for over a decade and so, without further ado, may I present to you the worst ghosts on 2024! Please note: click any of the photos below to open the…
Skeptics on the Spectrum
Earlier this year, I was diagnosed as autistic. Shortly after my diagnosis results came through, I travelled to Manchester to attend QEDcon where I would be seeing many friends for the first time in years. It seemed that this QEDcon was the first one that many people were attending after taking a break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Talking to people throughout the weekend at the conference, it became clear that many people have been through the ASD diagnosis process, were going through it, or were in a place from which they are considering going down the route of diagnosis. That weekend at QEDcon was the first time that I felt as though I properly came to terms with my diagnosis and with also myself. Diagnosies at 37 meant having to really examine my life up to that point. I travelled back to Wiltshire from Manchester feeling weirdly relieved and,…
ASSAP Has Gone to the (Misogynistic) Dogs
Today, it has come to light that Claire Davy, the ex-secretary of the Association for Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena stood down against her own wishes. Davy was the 10th trustee (of 13) to leave since June 2024. Only 3 remain: Steve Parsons, Norie Miles, and Bill Eyre. Screenshots have been shared of an email sent from the Founder and Vice President of ASSAP, Hugh Pincott, about his plan for handling Claire Davy and another female ex-trustee, Dr Becky Smith. Pincott’s plan is so deeply misogynistic that I honestly thought it was satire to begin with, but it is genuine. I’ve included below the email in full, followed by my thoughts. ‘And now, something even more revolutionary, which some may not agree with – psychological ju-jitsu! It is agreed that Claire is devious and poisonous, and we must respond with equal cunning. We can probably never defeat her with traditional…
Loremen Live! Ghosts of the Road
I stepped into the role of Deputy Loreperson when The Loremen were LIVE at the QEDcon in Manchester! In this episode, we meet roadside ghosts and road-adjacent spectres from across the UK (and beyond). Have you ever picked up a hitchhiker? No, neither have we. And these modern legends might make you feel a bit better about it…
All The Terrible Things
I was recently interviewed by stand up comedian, Jane Postlethwaite, for her Paranormal Queer Comedy podcast All The Terrible Things. I think it was hands down one of the most enjoyable podcast interviews I’ve ever done and this evident in the fact that we spoke for so long that the interview was released across two episodes! Listen to Episode 1: Listen to Episode 2: Jane has a open-minded, genuine curiosity about all things spooky and that shines through in the episodes where she chats about the paranormal with a range of guests. Previous episodes of the podcast include interviews with Ken Summers, as well as Darren Mann from the Paranormal Database. You can find the podcast and subscribe for future episodes it the many places you get your podcasts from! Jane and I discussed a whole range of things including skepticism, paranormal media, interesting cases, psychic mediums, ghost hunting…
YouTube Debunkers Risk Spreading Misinformation If They Don’t Fact-Check Themselves
YouTube is filled with low-quality videos of ghost hunters claiming to capture paranormal activity, often relying on poorly filmed or faked footage. As this trend has grown over the years, it has been accompanied by the rise of YouTube Debunkers, offering alternative explanations and debunking the so-called evidence presented by these ghost hunting channels. Beardo visits 30 East Drive In August 2024, the BeardoGetsScared debunking channel, shared a video of his ghost hunt at 30 East Drive, a UK site famed for its supposed poltergeist, the Black Monk of Pontefract. Curious to see a debunker’s approach, I watched the video but was left disappointed. Beardo reported that his team felt “freaked out” upon arrival but used a Trifield meter to find strong EMF readings from the boiler upstairs. From examining the video, it looks like he is using a £30 device from Amazon which measures electric and magnetic fields, as well…
A Skeptic’s Guide to Ghost Hunting for Bristol Skeptics Society
On September 9th I will be delivering an updated version of my public talk A Skeptic’s Guide to Ghost Hunting for the relaunch of Bristol Skeptics Society! It’s the first time I’ve delivered this talk in years, after recently graduating from The Open University. During the 7 years of study I had to focus my spare time on studying so delivering public talks was not always a possibility. As such, A Skeptic’s Guide to Ghost Hunting will be filled with new and updated material, offering fresher insights into the weird world of Ghost Hunting. It’ll also be where I debut the findings of my dissertation which explored the predictive power of science education for paranormal beliefs. Come along to the Wardrobe Theatre Bristol on September 9th!
Yorkshire Ghost Hunters Startled By Reflection
A group of Rotherham-based ghost hunters called Lost Souls Paranormal has approached the media to report that they’ve caught on camera a spooky reflection at a haunted museum, challenging anyone skeptical to visit for themselves. Yahoo News reports that the team, fronted by Darren Ross and Susan Booth, visited the “poltergeist house” in Rawmarsh on August 17 for an investigation. Darren Ross took several photos of an alleged haunted mirror and said he was shocked when he looked through the images at home. Upon inspecting the photos’ the group noticed that Susan’s face looked distorted in the reflection of one of the mirrors. Darren is quoted: It doesn’t look like my mum at all – you can’t even see her eyes in the photo. We were all so shocked when we zoomed in and noticed it. My mum was really scared when she saw it. Looking at the photo, it…
Watch: Folklore & Forteana Panel, QEDcon ’23
Last year, I chaired a panel at QEDcon 2023 with Dr David Clarke, Deborah Hyde and Claire Klingenberg. We discussed the strange tales that have caught the imagination of people throughout history, and what those stories tell us about society’s hopes, fears and anxieties – both then, and now. Tickets for QED 2024 are available now, priced £164 for the weekend, or just £45 for the live stream. See you there?