North Texas Skeptic - Vol 24 No 03 - 2010

Magazine Overview

Title: The North Texas Skeptic
Issue Date: March 2010
Volume: 24
Issue: 3
Publisher: The North Texas Skeptics
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of The North Texas Skeptic features several articles that critically examine claims of pseudoscience, the challenges of scientific education, and public perception of scientific issues.

The ICR is Coming to Town

This article by John Blanton discusses the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) and its move to Texas. The Texas higher education panel recommended allowing the ICR to offer online master's degrees in science education, a move that came after the Texas Education Agency's director of science, Christine Castillo Comer, lost her job for allegedly displaying bias against creationism. The article notes the ICR's history, including its founding by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D., and its previous entity, the Museum of Creation and Earth History in Santee, California, which featured dioramas of biblical events. The ICR relocated to Dallas, Texas, in 2007, but has faced resistance in obtaining accreditation for its degree programs from Texas education officials.

The author recounts visits to the ICR's former facility in Santee, California, in 1995 and a more recent visit to its new location in Dallas. The article mentions key figures associated with the ICR, including Henry M. Morris III and Steven A. Austin. It also notes the emeritus status of Duane Gish, Ph.D., a prominent debater for creationism.

February Program: Pathological Science

This section by John Blanton revisits the concept of pathological science, first discussed in a March 1990 issue. It summarizes Irving Langmuir's indicators of pathological science, which include effects produced by barely detectable causes, results close to the limit of detectability, claims of great accuracy, fantastic theories, ad hoc excuses for criticism, and a fluctuating ratio of supporters to critics.

The article details the Davis-Barnes effect, where researchers Bergen Davis and Arthur Barnes claimed to accurately measure count rates and adjust voltage in an experimental apparatus. Physicist Robert Wood later observed that the experimenters seemed to unconsciously adjust their results. Langmuir concluded that the scientists were unconsciously fudging their results, and the effect died out after others failed to replicate it.

It then discusses the claims of cold fusion by Martin Fleischmann and Stanley Pons at the University of Utah in the late 1980s. They claimed to have produced excess heat and fusion products by concentrating hydrogen in palladium rods. Despite initial excitement and announcements, the results faced skepticism because they defied physical reality, such as the lack of lethal neutron doses, and failed replication by other experimenters.

The N-ray episode involving René Blondlot at the University of Nancy is also recounted. Blondlot claimed to detect N-rays, but the results persisted even after an essential part of his apparatus was removed, leading to the collapse of N-ray science after Robert Wood published his observations.

The author concludes that an absence of a skeptical approach is common in pathological science, where researchers may seek evidence that reinforces their expectations, and that skeptical scientists are crucial for correcting such instances.

What's New

This section, by Robert Park, presents several brief news items:

• Naturally: Alternative Medicine is in the Health Reform Bill: Senator Tom Harkin included a provision in the Health Reform Bill to mandate that insurers reimburse alternative medicine providers. The article notes that the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has largely failed to find cures and has mostly demonstrated the ineffectiveness of herbal remedies through placebo-controlled studies.
• Warning! Cell Phones are Found to Emit Bullshit: A campaign to require cancer warning labels on cell phones is discussed. The article asserts that cell phone radiation does not cause cancer, as microwave photons cannot break chemical bonds. It references Paul Brodeur's earlier claims about electromagnetic fields from power lines and states that despite the widespread use of cell phones, brain cancer rates have not increased.
• Voodoo: Violations of the Laws of Thermodynamics: This brief item mentions inventors claiming to obtain free energy, noting that patents do not make such ideas work. It references patent number 6,938,422, which claims electric power generation from ambient energy, questioning if this violates the second law of thermodynamics.
• Warnings: Maine Legislature Agrees to Take Up Cell-Phone Warning Labels: State Representative Andrea Boland is pushing for Maine to require warnings on cell phone packaging, citing a 2006 Swedish study that showed a correlation between brain tumors and cell phone use. However, a Danish study found stable brain cancer rates in Scandinavia from 1974 to 2003, suggesting that such labels might not significantly reduce the number of cell phone users.
• Earthquack: Pat Robertson Explains the Haiti Disaster: Evangelist Pat Robertson attributed the Haiti disaster to a colonial-era deal with the devil, a statement characterized as "stupid" by White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.
• CIA: How Many Spies Has the Polygraph Exposed?: This piece questions the effectiveness of polygraph tests in catching spies, citing cases like Aldrich Ames and Larry Wu-Tai Chin who passed polygraph exams while spying. It references a 2003 National Academy of Science report that found polygraph research to be unreliable, unscientific, and biased, suggesting a coin toss might be more effective.
• Baby Gabriel: The Reality of Lie Detection in Popular Culture: The article discusses the public perception of the polygraph as a scientific lie detector, noting that it actually measures physiological responses like blood pressure and heart rate, which can be triggered by various states, not just lying.
• Fraud: Why Not Give This Businessman a Polygraph Exam?: This item refers to a British company, ATSC, that sold fraudulent bomb detectors to Iraq security forces. The head of the company was arrested on suspicion of fraud, and the device is described as a simple telescoping antenna.
• Cell Phones: What's Behind the Continued Cancer Scare?: This brief note directs readers to a list of articles on the bobpark.physics.umd.edu website that discuss cell phones, reiterating that they are a hazard due to distraction but do not cause cancer.
• Electrosensitivity: Aluminum Foil Clothing is Not Fashionable: This short piece dismisses the idea of society providing EMF-free zones for those sensitive to electromagnetic fields.

Skeptic Ink

This comic strip by Prasad Golla and John Blanton satirizes the idea that "natural" things are always beneficial, contrasting it with published research and scientific journals.

Prayer: California Supreme Court Rejects Superstition

This article details how obstetrician and skeptic Bruce Flamm fought a fertility/prayer clinic operator through the California court system. The case involved the "Columbia prayer study," which claimed prayer increased fertility treatment success rates. Flamm demanded the study be withdrawn, and despite the clinic operator's appeals, the California Supreme Court refused to consider the Appeals Court decision against her.

The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and The Skeptical Inquirer

Information is provided about The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, which promotes critical investigation of paranormal and fringe-science claims, and its bimonthly publication, The Skeptical Inquirer. Subscription details and website information are included.

Events Calendar

This section lists upcoming events for The North Texas Skeptics:

• March Program: Saturday, March 20, 2010, at 2 p.m. at 2900 Live Oak Street in Dallas, featuring Jamye Johnston discussing "The Challenges of Teaching Skepticism in Public School."
• NTS Board Meeting and Social Dinner: Saturday, March 27, 2010, at 7 p.m. at El Fenix Mexican Restaurant, 5280 Belt Line Rd, Dallas, TX 75254.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the critical examination of pseudoscientific claims, the importance of scientific rigor, and the debunking of popular misconceptions. The editorial stance is clearly skeptical, advocating for evidence-based reasoning and challenging claims that lack scientific support, particularly in areas like creationism, alternative medicine, and paranormal phenomena. The magazine actively promotes scientific literacy and critical thinking among its readership.