Science Myths

Although eugenics is now widely discredited, some groups and individuals claim a new scientific basis for old racist assumptions. Pondering the continuing influence of racist research and thought, despite all evidence to the contrary, Robert Wald Sussman explains why - when it comes to race - too many people still mistake bigotry for science.

What if charisma could be taught? For the first time, science and technology have taken charisma apart, figured it out and turned it into an applied science: In controlled laboratory experiments, researchers could raise or lower people's level of charisma as if they were turning a dial. What...

Is a vegan diet healthier? Should I try going low carb? Is it always a bad idea to skip a meal? Are superfoods all they're cracked up to be? Is fat still bad for you? Can I eat to improve my chances of conceiving? Recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to nutrition, this...

The 10 enlightening (and often humorous) lectures of Medieval Myths and Mysteries will show you how far from the “dark” times of legend these centuries were. Uncover the facts about the Knights Templar. Reveal the truth behind the tales of legendary creatures like the Questing Beast and the unicorn. Trace the events of the Black Death and the ways it altered the world in its wake, and much more. With Professor Armstrong, you will dig deep into the ways that later generations reshaped the narrative of the medieval years and perpetuated the myths.

Turtles All the Way Down: Vaccine Science and Myth will resolve the vaccine question for you, once and for all. By the time you finish, not only will you see the answer clearly for yourself, you will also have the scientific references and specific quotes at your disposal that prove it – more than 1,200 of them – all from mainstream scientific papers and textbooks, the official publications of relevant government agencies, or manufacturers’ documents.

The emperor has spoken, and the portals are opening. The Event is larger than anyone anticipated with Emerilia’s people needing to band together to survive. The creatures of nightmares and children’s stories might roam Emerilia, but this isn’t their land - it isn’t their home. The Terra Alliance will use everything at their disposal to gain strength and push back the forces that roam Emerilia. The Pantheon moves in the shadows, the forests, and across Markolm. Light, Earth, and dark’s forces only grow as they recruit those from The Event into their ranks.

Since time immemorial, humans have worshipped the gods they call Fhrey, truly a race apart: invincible in battle, masters of magic, and seemingly immortal. But when a god falls to a human blade, the balance of power between humans and those they thought were gods changes forever. Now only a few stand between humankind and annihilation: Raithe, reluctant to embrace his destiny as the God Killer; Suri, a young seer burdened by signs of impending doom; and Persephone, who must overcome personal tragedy to lead her people. The Age of Myth is over. The time of rebellion has begun.

Humans are primates, much like chimps—or so we've been continually told. Yet recent discoveries show that our species has a different brain design, function, and chemistry; different eating, sleeping, mating, and rearing patterns; a different metabolism; and a different physiology than apes. Nor is our behavior much like theirs, and we don't even have the feet made for climbing trees that define the primate order. Could it be that conceiving of ourselves as primates isn't helping us understand what it is to be human?

A Short History of Human Stupidity is a lovingly researched, gleefully irreverent celebration of humanity at its most confident—and most wrong. This is the story of how civilisation was built not just on genius and insight, but on bad ideas pursued with alarming enthusiasm and excellent posture. From scientists who explained the universe with diagrams that meant absolutely nothing, to doctors who prescribed treatments that made patients immediately regret seeking help, to engineers who stared at a drawing and said, “Yes, gravity will probably be fine,” this book chronicles our ...

Martial Science and the Myth of Superhuman Skill A Modern Breakdown of Ancient Tricks, Sensory Manipulation, and True Body Mechanics by Sky Benson Is there really such a thing as a no-touch knockout? Can Chi energy move people without contact? Are pressure point knockouts actually real? The legends of martial arts are filled with mystique—but this book reveals the truth behind the myth. In Martial Science and the Myth of Superhuman Skill, master instructor and biomechanics expert Sky Benson unpacks the world’s most mysterious martial feats and explains them using real science: physics, ...

Welcome to the United States of Cryptids, where mysterious monsters lurk in the dark forests, deep lakes, and sticky swamps of all fifty states. From the infamous Jersey Devil to the obscure Snallygaster, travel writer and chronicler of the strange J. W. Ocker not only uncovers the bizarre stories of these creatures but investigates the ways in which communities have embraced and celebrated their local cryptids.

Why do most diets fail? Why does one person eat a certain meal and gain weight, while another eating the same meal loses pounds? Why, despite all the advice about what to eat, are we all still getting fatter? The answers are much more surprising - and fascinating - than we've been led to believe. The key to health and weight loss lies not in the latest fad diet, nor even in the simple mantra of 'eat less, exercise more', but in the microbes already inside us.

Do women really get paid 30% less than men for the same work? Do American police regularly murder unarmed black men just for being black? Is global warming really going to destroy human civilization? This book answers these and other questions about the state of our society. A sober look at the evidence reveals that many factual claims used to support progressive political views are false or radically misleading.

The stuff of conspiracy theories makes for great, entertaining stories in movies, books, and television. And there is no shortage of subjects: from who really killed JFK to the truth behind 9/11. And then, there are subjects from alien invasions to the Moon landing was simulated - theories that are truly out of this world, which according to some, is flat. Many of these crazy concepts have jumped off the pages or screens to become so pervasive in our culture that thousands - even millions - subscribe to them as reality.

The Boy lives in a cottage with his mother and father, and the Dragon lives in a cave on the Downs. The Boy is his only friend. The Dragon is not at all the sort of Dragon one might expect to meet, however: he's polite and friendly.

More than 160 tales from eighty tribal groups present a rich and lively panorama of the Native American mythic heritage. From across the continent comes tales of creation and love; heroes and war; animals, tricksters, and the end of the world.

In a career spanning 60 years, Sir Karl Popper has made some of the most important contributions to the 20th century discussion of science and rationality. The Myth of the Framework is a collection of some of Popper's most important material on this subject.

Elaine is ripped from this world to Pallos, a land of unlimited possibilities made real by a grand system governing classes, skills, and magic. Join Elaine as she travels around Pallos, discovering all the wonders and mysteries of the world, trying to find a place where she belongs, hunting those elusive mangos, all while the ominous Dragoneye Moons watch her every move.

When a magic ritual goes disastrously wrong, Jaden is exiled to the heart of the desert and left to die. Battered and bruised, Jaden encounters the outcast Nomadwater Sect, who grant him a second chance at life as a mysterious arcane cultivator. With its savage beasts and cryptic mysteries, survival in the sprawling desert of Southfall is a dangerous game. Yet Jaden and the Nomadwater Sect persevere, growing closer and forming bonds over the course of a long summer.

This classic presents historical, archaeological, and anthropological evidence to support the theory that ancient Egypt was a black civilization.